Unix directory structure: Difference between revisions

From Citizendium
Jump to navigation Jump to search
imported>Nick Johnson
No edit summary
imported>Nick Johnson
No edit summary
Line 8: Line 8:
* /home -- contains the home directories for the users.  On some Unices, this is under /usr/home
* /home -- contains the home directories for the users.  On some Unices, this is under /usr/home
* /include
* /include
* /lib
* /lib  
* /root -- the home directory for the [[superuser]] root.
* /root -- the home directory for the [[superuser]] root.
* /tmp
* /tmp -- a place for temporary files.  Many Unices clear this directory upon start up.
* /usr
* /usr
** /usr/bin
** /usr/bin
** /usr/include
** /usr/include
** /usr/lib
** /usr/lib
* /var
* /var -- short for "variable."  A place for files that may change often, such as the storage to a database, or the contents of a database.

Revision as of 13:59, 16 April 2007

In computer science, and particularly in Unix-like operating systems, the Unix directory structure is a convention of organization.


  • / -- "root"
  • /bin -- short for binaries. Contains some fundamental utilities needed by a system administrator. As a failsafe, these were placed in a separate directory so that they could be placed on a separate disk or disk partition in case the main drive failed.
  • /etc -- Contains configuration and some system databases.
  • /dev -- short for devices. Contains file representations of every peripheral device attached to the system.
  • /home -- contains the home directories for the users. On some Unices, this is under /usr/home
  • /include
  • /lib
  • /root -- the home directory for the superuser root.
  • /tmp -- a place for temporary files. Many Unices clear this directory upon start up.
  • /usr
    • /usr/bin
    • /usr/include
    • /usr/lib
  • /var -- short for "variable." A place for files that may change often, such as the storage to a database, or the contents of a database.