档案 (dàng'àn) means official or historical records, archives, or files — often paper-based but also digital. It contrasts with 文件 (wénjiàn), which is a generic 'document/file', and 文档 (wéndàng), which is specifically a computer file. 档案 implies a formal collection, while 记录 (jìlù) is a written record or the act of recording.