Hi Came across this interesting article. Sharing it with you all. Harish Kotian Quoting:
Stugon Explains: Linux Directory Structure The first time when I used Linux I'm like 'I don't like Linux', well this is because I just can't stand all those alien named folders & I can't see my C, D, E, F drives, I can't find add remove programs, No command prompt, etc. But the thing is, Everything takes time to adopt so I just sat before my windows machine surfed through internet, learned a bit and really started to love Linux based OS Ubuntu. So, this article is for beginners who are pretty new and are willing to know more about Linux Directory Structure. Linux and UNIX file system is defined by 'Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS)', if you are a complete windows user and are new comer to Linux based OS like Ubuntu or Fedora then the Linux directory structure may look alien with all those cryptic named folders. In this pdf we will go in to great detail explaining the file system structure of Linux. To this particular post we will be using Ubuntu as the base and even if you are using other Linux based OS, the file system will mostly be similar to Ubuntu, So no worries. Linux-Filesystem-Hierarchy-Standared / This is the root directory of your linux box, typically everything goes from here. This is something like C drive of your windows machine. /bin /bin directory contains essential user binaries which are required when the system is mounted in single-user-mode. Don't get this confused with '/usr/bin' where user specific applications like compiz or Firefox are stored. /boot The name says it, Here the static files like GRUB and linux kernels required to boot the system are stored. /cdrom In simple this is the temporary location for CD-ROMs inserted in to your system. /dev The /dev directory contains all the device files. In linux world, everything is seen as files and folders including your hardware. For example you can find your hard drive under '/dev/sda' and cd-rom under '/dev/cdrom', etc. This drive not only contains physical devices but also contains virtual pseudo-devices. /etc /etc contains system wide configuration files which can be edited using simple text editor. It does not contain user specific configuration files as they are situated under each user's home directory. /home The /home directory contains the home folder of each user. Each user has write permission to his/her folder only and must obtain elevated permission to modify system files. Each users home folder contains user-specific-config files and data files. /lib The /lib directory contains library files which are used by the binaries in /bin and /sbin directories. /media The /media directory contains sub folders of mounted removable media. For example, if you insert some usb stick or cd-rom then you can see a folder mounted automatically inside /media directory. /mnt Simply speaking this is the temporary mounting point for system administrators to mount other file systems like windows. /opt This /opt directory is used by propitiatory software packages which doesn't follow FHS. /proc This is the directory which contains files representing system and process information and basically it is very similar to /dev directory. /root To be simple, this is the home directory of *root* user. It contains data and config files of root user. Unlike normal users whose home folders are situated in /home/user, Root users have their home folder directly under /root directory. /run This /run directory contains application state files which provided application to store their transient files required like processes ID's and sockets. /sbin This /sbin directory is actually similar to /bin directory but contains system administration binaries which are generally intended to run by the root user. /selinux This directory has nothing to do with Ubuntu as Ubuntu doesn't use SElinux. Actually /selinux is used to store security related files which is also similar to /proc directory. SElinux is used by other linux distros like Fedora and Red Hat. /srv /srv is defined as the directory containing service data. /tmp The /tmp directory contains all the temporary files of running applications which are deleted as soon as the application is closed or after some interval. /usr The /usr directory contains user binaries and other read only data of specific user and not the system specific binaries or data. There are other sub folders in /usr directory like /usr/local where locally compiled applications are installed, /usr/bin where non-essential applications are installed, /usr/sbin where non-specific system administration binaries stored. /var To be simple this is a writable version of /usr(which is read-only) folder which contains variable data files like logs files. Note: Ubuntu may also contain files and folders which are not yet included in FHS. EX: /cdrom ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* This document is intellectual property of Stugon.com http://www.facebook.com/stugon http://www.twitter.com/thestugon http://plus.google.com/+stugon http://www.stugon.com/email-newsletter http://www.stugon.com/contact ________________________________ Caution: The Reserve Bank of India never sends mails, smses or makes calls asking for personal information like your bank account details, passwords, etc. It never keeps or offers funds to anyone. Please do not respond in any manner to such offers, however official or attractive they may look. Notice: This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, use, review, distribution, printing or copying of the information contained in this e-mail message and/or attachments to it are strictly prohibited. If you have received this email by error, please notify us by return e-mail or telephone and immediately and permanently delete the message and any attachments. The recipient should check this email and any attachments for the presence of viruses. The Reserve Bank of India accepts no liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this email. Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ To unsubscribe send a message to accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..