How many files can I put in a directory?

Question

Does it matter how many files I keep in a single directory? If so, how many files in a directory is too many, and what are the impacts of having too many files? (This is on

Answer 1

The biggest issue I've run into is on a 32-bit system. Once you pass a certain number, tools like 'ls' stop working.

Trying to do anything with that directory once you pass that barrier becomes a huge problem.