Definitions for "Resource Fork"
Keywords:  fork, macintosh, resedit, icon, hidden
programming: A part of an application where the programming instructions specific to that application are stored. The resource fork is composed of separate resource packages, like volumes in an encyclopedia. A document can also have a resource fork, if it really wants one.
The portion of a Macintosh file that contains information about the file, such as the application used to create the file (which lets you autolaunch a file by double-clicking its icon). In addition, the resource fork includes information about the type of icon that should be displayed for the file, and so on. DOS, OS/2, and Unix files don't have resource forks. See also Data fork.
One fork of a Macintosh file. The Perforce file type is resource.