1. A computer system that monitors digital file changes, comprising: a processing unit having one or more processors, the processing unit configured to receive a request to write an input data stream of a text format to a text configuration file accessible within the computer system; and a storage device coupled to the processing unit and comprising a relational database including a physical file having an attribute-value format, the text configuration file being a virtualized representation of the physical file, the physical file including a plurality of attribute identifiers, each attribute identifier having a stored identifier and stored value corresponding to a portion of the text configuration file; wherein the processing unit is configured to convert the input data stream of the text format to an input data stream of the attribute-value format compatible to the physical file, the input data stream of the attribute-value format including an input attribute having an input identifier and an associated input value; wherein the processing unit is configured to determine whether the input identifier matches the stored identifier in the physical file and, if so, whether the input value is different from the stored value; wherein the processing unit is configured to determine whether the attribute identifier corresponding to the matched stored identifier is a monitored attribute identifier from a list of monitored attribute identifiers when the input value is determined as different from the stored value, the monitored attribute identifier being an attribute flagged for monitoring; and wherein the processing unit is configured to signal a file change event based on the attribute identifier corresponding to the matched stored identifier being determined as the monitored attributed identifier, the file change event indicating that the request to write the input data stream is monitored.