Linux File Hierarchy
revsh3ll
included in LinuxContents
/ Root - Where it begins
Linux uses a tree oriented hierarchy, meaning it starts at one point and branches outward. This starting point is the
/(system root) directory.This particular hierarchy layout is based on the FHS (Filesystem Hierarchy Standard).
FHS - (Filesystem Hierarchy Standard)
- Maintained by the Linux Foundation and last updated on June 3rd, 2015 (as of 12-16-22).
- FHS provides UNIX-like operating systems with a set of file and directory requirements and guidelines.
Common directories that sit under / (system root).
/bin- Essential command binaries used by the user and system./boot- Stores data required for system boot./dev- Files that represent devices attached to the system./etc- Static configuration files (not binaries) for the system./home- Location for individual files of particular user./lib- Essential shared libraries and kernel modules (drivers)./media- Mount point for removable media./mnt- Mount point for mounting a filesystem temporarily./opt- Add-on application software packages./root- Home directory for the root user../run- Data relevant to running processes since boot/sbin- Essential system binaries./srv- Data for services provided by this system./tmp- Temporary files (reboot usually clears this directory)./usr- Second major hierarchy (binaries and data)./bin- Most executable commands./include- Header files for compiling programs written in C./lib- More libraries and data files./local- User installed software./sbin- Non-Essential binaries for sysadmin./share- Hierarchy for read-only architecture independent data files.
/var- Hierarchy for variable data to sit in (logs, cache, software states)./cache- Cache data from applications./lib- Variable state information for applications and system./local- Variable data for /usr/local./lock- Lock files./log- Log files and directories./opt- Variable data for /opt./run- Runtime variables./spool- Application spool (queued) data./tmp- Temporary files preserved between system reboots.