💾 The File Hierarchy Standard

Standard File Hierarchy Directories

/

Root Directory: The top-level directory in the file system hierarchy. All other directories are subdirectories of this directory.

/bin - Local Binaries

Essential User Binaries: Contains essential command binaries needed for all users (e.g., ls, cp, mv).

/boot - Startup Files

Boot Loader Files: Contains the files required for the system to boot, including the kernel and initial RAM disk.

/dev

Device Files: Contains special device files for hardware devices (e.g., disks, terminals).

/etc -

Configuration Files: Contains system-wide configuration files and shell scripts that initialize system settings. /etc/networkmanager /etc/networkmanager/system-connections /etc/netplan /etc/hosts

/home

User Home Directories: Contains personal directories for each user (e.g., /home/user1, /home/user2).

/lib

Essential Shared Libraries: Contains essential shared libraries needed by binaries in /bin and /sbin.

/media

Mount Points for Removable Media: Provides mount points for removable media (e.g., CD-ROMs, USB drives).

/mnt

Mount Points for Temporary Mounts: Typically used for temporary mounting of file systems by system administrators.

/opt

Optional Add-on Applications: Contains third-party applications and packages that are not part of the core system.

/proc - Processes

Kernel and Process Information: A virtual filesystem providing information about processes and kernel parameters.

/root

Root User's Home Directory: The home directory for the root user, which is different from /home.

/run

Runtime Data: Contains transient runtime data that is cleared upon reboot (e.g., process IDs, sockets).

/sbin - Shared Binaries

System Binaries: Contains system administration binaries (e.g., shutdown, ifconfig).

/srv

Service Data: Contains data for services provided by the system (e.g., web, FTP).

/sys

Kernel Virtual Filesystem: Provides information and configuration options for the kernel and hardware devices.

/tmp - Temporary Files

Temporary Files: Contains temporary files that are cleared on reboot or periodically.

/usr

User Programs: Contains user utilities and applications (e.g., /usr/bin for user binaries, /usr/lib for libraries).

/var

Variable Data: Contains files that are expected to grow in size, such as logs, mail, and spool files.