File system hierarchy standard
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The Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS) defines the main directories and their contents in Linux operating systems, formalizing and extending the traditional BSD filesystem hierarchy. It is maintained by the Linux Foundation. The standard specifies a root directory "/" and defines the purpose and recommended contents of directories including /bin, /boot, /dev, /etc, /home, /lib, /mnt, /opt, /proc, /root, /sbin, /srv, /tmp, /usr, and /var.
![File system Hierarchy Standard:
The Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS) defines the main directories and their contents in
Linux operating systems. For the most part, it is a formalization and extension of the traditional
BSD filesystem hierarchy.
The FHS is maintained by the Linux Foundation, a non-profit organization consisting of major
software and hardware vendors, such as HP, Red Hat, IBM and Dell.
Directory structure
In the FHS all files and directories appear under the root directory "/", even if they are stored on
different physical devices. Note however that some of these directories may or may not be
present on a Unix system depending on whether certain subsystems, such as the X Window
System, are installed.
The majority of these directories exist in all UNIX operating systems and are generally used in
much the same way; however, the descriptions here are those used specifically for the FHS, and
are not considered authoritative for platforms other than Linux.
Directory Description
/
Primary hierarchy root and root directory of the entire file
system hierarchy.
/bin/
Essential command binaries that need to be available in
single user mode; for all users, e.g., cat, ls, cp.
/boot/
Boot loader files, e.g., kernels, initrd; often a separate
partition[23]
/dev/ Essential devices, e.g., /dev/null.
/etc/
Host-specific system-wide configuration files
There has been controversy over the meaning of the name
itself. In early versions of the UNIX Implementation
Document from Bell labs, /etc is referred to as the etcetera
directory,[24]
as this directory historically held everything that
did not belong elsewhere (however, the FHS restricts /etc to
static configuration files and may not contain binaries).[25]
Since the publication of early documentation, the directory
name has been re-designated in various ways. Recent
interpretations include Backronyms such as "Editable Text
Configuration" or "Extended Tool Chest".[26]
/etc/opt/ Configuration files for /opt/.
/etc/X11/ Configuration files for the X Window System, version 11.
/etc/sgml/ Configuration files for SGML.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/filesystemhierarchystandard-140624075350-phpapp02/85/File-system-hierarchy-standard-1-320.jpg)
![/etc/xml/ Configuration files for XML.
/home/
Users' home directories, containing saved files, personal
settings, etc.; often a separate partition.
/lib/ Libraries essential for the binaries in /bin/ and /sbin/.
/media/
Mount points for removable media such as CD-ROMs
(appeared in FHS-2.3).
/mnt/ Temporarily mounted filesystems.
/opt/ Optional application software packages.[27]
/proc/
Virtual filesystem documenting kernel and process status as
text files, e.g., uptime, network. In Linux, corresponds to a
Procfs mount.
/root/ Home directory for the root user.
/sbin/ Essential system binaries, e.g., init, ip, mount.
/srv/ Site-specific data which is served by the system.
/tmp/
Temporary files (see also /var/tmp). Often not preserved
between system reboots.
/usr/
Secondary hierarchy for read-only user data; contains the
majority of (multi-)user utilities and applications.
/usr/bin/
Non-essential command binaries (not needed in single user
mode); for all users.
/usr/include/ Standard include files.
/usr/lib/ Libraries for the binaries in /usr/bin/ and /usr/sbin/.
/usr/sbin/
Non-essential system binaries, e.g., daemons for various
network-services.
/usr/share/ Architecture-independent (shared) data.
/usr/src/ Source code, e.g., the kernel source code with its header files.
/usr/X11R6/ X Window System, Version 11, Release 6.
/usr/local/
Tertiary hierarchy for local data, specific to this host.
Typically has further subdirectories, e.g., bin/, lib/,
share/.
/var/
Variable files—files whose content is expected to continually
change during normal operation of the system—such as logs,
spool files, and temporary e-mail files. Sometimes a separate
partition.
/var/cache/
Application cache data. Such data is locally generated as a
result of time-consuming I/O or calculation. The application
must be able to regenerate or restore the data. The cached
files can be deleted without data loss
/var/lib/ State information. Persistent data modified by programs as](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/filesystemhierarchystandard-140624075350-phpapp02/85/File-system-hierarchy-standard-2-320.jpg)
File system hierarchy standard
- 1. File system Hierarchy Standard: The Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS) defines the main directories and their contents in Linux operating systems. For the most part, it is a formalization and extension of the traditional BSD filesystem hierarchy. The FHS is maintained by the Linux Foundation, a non-profit organization consisting of major software and hardware vendors, such as HP, Red Hat, IBM and Dell. Directory structure In the FHS all files and directories appear under the root directory "/", even if they are stored on different physical devices. Note however that some of these directories may or may not be present on a Unix system depending on whether certain subsystems, such as the X Window System, are installed. The majority of these directories exist in all UNIX operating systems and are generally used in much the same way; however, the descriptions here are those used specifically for the FHS, and are not considered authoritative for platforms other than Linux. Directory Description / Primary hierarchy root and root directory of the entire file system hierarchy. /bin/ Essential command binaries that need to be available in single user mode; for all users, e.g., cat, ls, cp. /boot/ Boot loader files, e.g., kernels, initrd; often a separate partition[23] /dev/ Essential devices, e.g., /dev/null. /etc/ Host-specific system-wide configuration files There has been controversy over the meaning of the name itself. In early versions of the UNIX Implementation Document from Bell labs, /etc is referred to as the etcetera directory,[24] as this directory historically held everything that did not belong elsewhere (however, the FHS restricts /etc to static configuration files and may not contain binaries).[25] Since the publication of early documentation, the directory name has been re-designated in various ways. Recent interpretations include Backronyms such as "Editable Text Configuration" or "Extended Tool Chest".[26] /etc/opt/ Configuration files for /opt/. /etc/X11/ Configuration files for the X Window System, version 11. /etc/sgml/ Configuration files for SGML.
- 2. /etc/xml/ Configuration files for XML. /home/ Users' home directories, containing saved files, personal settings, etc.; often a separate partition. /lib/ Libraries essential for the binaries in /bin/ and /sbin/. /media/ Mount points for removable media such as CD-ROMs (appeared in FHS-2.3). /mnt/ Temporarily mounted filesystems. /opt/ Optional application software packages.[27] /proc/ Virtual filesystem documenting kernel and process status as text files, e.g., uptime, network. In Linux, corresponds to a Procfs mount. /root/ Home directory for the root user. /sbin/ Essential system binaries, e.g., init, ip, mount. /srv/ Site-specific data which is served by the system. /tmp/ Temporary files (see also /var/tmp). Often not preserved between system reboots. /usr/ Secondary hierarchy for read-only user data; contains the majority of (multi-)user utilities and applications. /usr/bin/ Non-essential command binaries (not needed in single user mode); for all users. /usr/include/ Standard include files. /usr/lib/ Libraries for the binaries in /usr/bin/ and /usr/sbin/. /usr/sbin/ Non-essential system binaries, e.g., daemons for various network-services. /usr/share/ Architecture-independent (shared) data. /usr/src/ Source code, e.g., the kernel source code with its header files. /usr/X11R6/ X Window System, Version 11, Release 6. /usr/local/ Tertiary hierarchy for local data, specific to this host. Typically has further subdirectories, e.g., bin/, lib/, share/. /var/ Variable files—files whose content is expected to continually change during normal operation of the system—such as logs, spool files, and temporary e-mail files. Sometimes a separate partition. /var/cache/ Application cache data. Such data is locally generated as a result of time-consuming I/O or calculation. The application must be able to regenerate or restore the data. The cached files can be deleted without data loss /var/lib/ State information. Persistent data modified by programs as
- 3. they run, e.g., databases, packaging system metadata, etc. /var/lock/ Lock files. Files keeping track of resources currently in use. /var/log/ /var/mail/ /var/run/ /var/spool/ /var/spool/mail/ /var/tmp