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Newer page: version 8 Last edited on Sunday, May 18, 2003 1:11:10 pm by WikiAdmin
Older page: version 1 Last edited on Tuesday, June 4, 2002 12:30:57 am by perry Revert
@@ -1,584 +1,219 @@
-HIER  
-!!!HIER  
-NAME  
-DESCRIPTION  
-CONFORMS TO  
-BUGS  
-SEE ALSO  
-----  
 !!NAME 
-  
-  
 hier - Description of the file system hierarchy 
 !!DESCRIPTION 
  
+A typical Linux system has, among others, the following directories:  
  
-A typical Linux system has, among others, the following  
-directories
+;''/'' : This is the root directory. This is where the whole tree starts.  
  
+;''/bin'': This directory contains executable programs which are needed in single user mode and to bring the system up or repair it.  
  
-''/'' 
+; ''/boot '': Contains static files for the boot loader. This directory only holds the files which are needed during the boot process. The map installer and configuration files should go to ''/sbin'' and ''/etc''.  
  
+;''/dev'': Special or device files, which refer to physical devices. See mknod(1).  
  
-This is the root directory. This is where the whole tree  
-starts
+;''/dos'': If both MS-DOS and Linux are run on one computer, this is a typical place to mount a DOS file system
  
+;''/etc'': Contains configuration files which are local to the machine. Some larger software packages, like X11, can have their own subdirectories below ''/etc''. Site-wide configuration files may be placed here or in ''/usr/etc''. Nevertheless, programs should always look for these files in ''/etc'' and you may have links for these files to ''/usr/etc''.  
  
-''/bin '' 
+; ''/etc/opt'': Host-specific configuration files for add-on applications installed in ''/opt ''.  
  
+;''/etc/sgml'': This directory contains the configuration files for SGML and XML (optional).  
  
-This directory contains executable programs which are needed  
-in single user mode and to bring the system up or repair  
-it
+;''/etc/skel'': When a new user account is created, files from this directory are usually copied into the user's home directory
  
+;''/etc/X11'': Configuration files for the X11 window system (optional).  
  
-''/boot '' 
+; ''/home '': On machines with home directories for users, these are usually beneath this directory, directly or not. The structure of this directory depends on local administration decisions.  
  
+;''/lib'': This directory should hold those shared libraries that are necessary to boot the system and to run the commands in the root filesystem.  
  
-Contains static files for the boot loader. This directory  
-only holds the files which are needed during the boot  
-process. The map installer and configuration files should go  
-to ''/sbin '' and ''/etc''.  
+; ''/mnt '': This directory contains mount points for temporarily mounted filesystems  
  
+;''/opt'': This directory should contain add-on packages that contain static files.  
  
-''/dev '' 
+; ''/proc '': This is a mount point for the ''proc'' filesystem, which provides information about running processes and the kernel. This pseudo-file system is described in more detail in proc(5).  
  
+;''/root'': This directory is usually the home directory for the root user (optional).  
  
-Special or device files , which refer to physical devices.  
-See mknod(1)
+;''/sbin'': Like ''/bin'' , this directory holds commands needed to boot the system, but which are usually not executed by normal users
  
+;''/tmp'': This directory contains temporary files which may be deleted with no notice, such as by a regular job or at system boot up.  
  
-''/dos '' 
+; ''/usr '': This directory is usually mounted from a separate partition. It should hold only sharable, read-only data, so that it can be mounted by various machines running Linux.  
  
+;''/usr/X11R6'': The X-Window system, version 11 release 6 (optional).  
  
-If both MS -DOS and Linux are run on one computer , this is a  
-typical place to mount a DOS file system
+;''/usr/X11R6/bin'': Binaries which belong to the X -Windows system; often , there is a symbolic link from the more traditional ''/usr/bin/X11'' to here
  
+;''/usr/X11R6/lib'': Data files associated with the X-Windows system.  
  
-''/etc '' 
+; ''/usr/X11R6/lib/X11'': These contain miscellaneous files needed to run X; Often, there is a symbolic link from ''/usr/lib/X11 '' to this directory.  
  
+;''/usr/X11R6/include/X11'': Contains include files needed for compiling programs using the X11 window system. Often, there is a symbolic link from ''/usr/inlcude/X11'' to this directory.  
  
-Contains configuration files which are local to the machine.  
-Some larger software packages, like X11, can have their own  
-subdirectories below ''/etc''. Site-wide configuration  
-files may be placed here or in ''/usr/etc ''.  
-Nevertheless, programs should always look for these files in  
-''/etc'' and you may have links for these files to  
-''/usr/etc''
+; ''/usr/bin '': This is the primary directory for executable programs . Most programs executed by normal users which are not needed for booting or for repairing the system and which are not installed locally should be placed in this directory
  
+;''/usr/bin/X11'': is the traditional place to look for X11 executables; on Linux, it usually is a symbolic link to ''/usr/X11R6/bin''.  
  
-''/etc /skel '' 
+; ''/usr /dict '': Replaced by ''/usr/share/dict''.  
  
+;''/usr/doc'': Replaced by ''/usr/share/doc''.  
  
-When a new user account is created, files from this  
-directory are usually copied into the user 's home  
-directory
+; ''/usr/games'': Binaries for games and educational programs (optional)
  
+;''/usr/include'': Include files for the C compiler.  
  
-''/etc /X11'' 
+; ''/usr/include/X11'': Include files for the C compiler and the X-Windows system. This is usually a symbolic link to ''/usr/X11R6/include /X11. '' 
  
+;''/usr/include/asm'': Include files which declare some assembler functions. This used to be a symbolic link to ''/usr/src/linux/include/asm''.  
  
-Configuration files for the X11 window system. 
+;''/usr/include/linux'': This contains information which may change from system release to system release and used to be a symbolic link to ''/usr/src/linux/include/linux'' to get at operating system specific information
  
+;:(Note that one should have include files there that work correctly with the current libc and in user space. However, Linux kernel source is not designed to be used with user programs and does not know anything about the libc you are using. It is very likely that things will break if you let ''/usr/include/asm'' and ''/usr/include/linux'' point at a random kernel tree. Debian systems don't do this and use headers from a known good kernel version, provided in the libc*-dev package.)  
  
-''/home '' 
+; ''/usr/include/g++ '': Include files to use with the GNU C++ compiler.  
  
+;''/usr/lib'': Object libraries, including dynamic libraries, plus some executables which usually are not invoked directly. More complicated programs may have whole subdirectories there.  
  
-On machines with home directories for users , these are  
- usually beneath this directory, directly or not. The  
-structure of this directory depends on local admininstration  
-decisions
+;''/usr/lib/X11'': The usual place for data files associated with X programs, and configuration files for the X system itself. On Linux , it usually is a symbolic link to ''/usr/X11R6/lib/X11''
  
+;''/usr/lib/gcc-lib'': contains executables and include files for the GNU C compiler, gcc(1).  
  
-''/lib'' 
+; ''/usr /lib/groff '': Files for the GNU groff document formatting system.  
  
+;''/usr/lib/uucp'': Files for uucp(1).  
  
-This directory should hold those shared libraries that are  
-necessary to boot the system and to run the commands in the  
-root filesystem
+;''/usr/local'': This is where programs which are local to the site typically go
  
+;''/usr/local/bin'': Binaries for programs local to the site.  
  
-''/mnt '' 
+; ''/usr/local/doc '': Local documentation.  
  
+;''/usr/local/etc'': Configuration files associated with locally installed programs.  
  
-is a mount point for temporarily mounted  
-filesystems  
+;''/usr/local/games'': Binaries for locally installed games.  
  
+;''/usr/local/lib'': Files associated with locally installed programs.  
  
-''/proc '' 
+; ''/usr/local/include '': Header files for the local C compiler.  
  
+;''/usr/local/info'': Info pages associated with locally installed programs.  
  
-This is a mount point for the ''proc '' filesystem, which  
-provides information about running processes and the kernel.  
-This pseudo-file system is described in more detail in  
-proc(5)
+; ''/usr/local/man '': Man pages associated with locally installed programs
  
+;''/usr/local/sbin'': Locally installed programs for system administration.  
  
-''/sbin '' 
+; ''/usr/local/share '': Local application data that can be shared among different architectures of the same OS.  
  
+;''/usr/local/src'': Source code for locally installed software.  
  
-Like ''/bin '', this directory holds commands needed to  
-boot the system, but which are usually not executed by  
-normal users
+; ''/usr/man '': Replaced by ''/usr/share/man''
  
+;''/usr/sbin'': This directory contains program binaries for system administration which are not essential for the boot process, for mounting ''/usr'', or for system repair.  
  
-''/tmp '' 
+; ''/usr/share'': This directory contains subdirectories with specific application data, that can be shared among different architectures of the same OS. Often one finds stuff here that used to live in ''/usr/doc'' or ''/usr/lib'' or ''/usr/man ''.  
  
+;''/usr/share/dict'': Contains the word lists used by spell checkers.  
  
-This directory contains temporary files which may be deleted  
-with no notice, such as by a regular job or at system boot  
-up
+;''/usr/share/doc'': Documentation about installed programs
  
+;''/usr/share/games'': Static data files for games in ''/usr/games''.  
  
-''/usr'' 
+; ''/usr/share/info '': Info pages go here.  
  
+;''/usr/share/locale'': Locale information goes here.  
  
-This directory is usually mounted from a seperate partition.  
-It should hold only sharable, read-only data, so that it can  
-be mounted by various machines running Linux
+;''/usr/share/man'': Manpages go here in subdirectories according to the man page sections
  
+;''/usr/share/man/<locale>/man[[1-9]'': These directories contain manual pages for the specific locale in source code form. Systems which use a unique language and code set for all manual pages may omit the <locale> substring.  
  
-''/usr/X11R6 '' 
+; ''/usr/share/misc '': Miscellaneous data that can be shared among different architectures of the same OS.  
  
+;''/usr/share/nls'': The message catalogs for native language support go here.  
  
-The X-Window system, version 11 release 6
+;''/usr/share/sgml'': Files for SGML and XML
  
+;''/usr/share/terminfo'': The datebase for terminfo.  
  
-''/usr/X11R6 /bin '' 
+; ''/usr/share /tmac '': Troff macros that are not distributed with groff.  
  
+;''/usr/share/zoneinfo'': Files for timezone information.  
  
-Binaries which belong to the X-Windows system ; often, there  
-is a symbolic link from the more traditional  
- ''/usr/bin /X11 '' to here.  
+;''/usr/share /doc '':  
  
+;''/usr/share/man'': Manpages go in there, into their subdirectories.  
  
-''/usr/X11R6 /lib '' 
+; ''/usr/share /man/<locale>/man[[1-9]'': These directories contain manual pages which are in source code form. Systems which use a unique language and code set for all manual pages may omit the ''<locale> '' substring.  
  
+;''/usr/src'': Source files for different parts of the system, included with some packages for reference purposes. Don't work here with your own projects, as files below /usr should be read-only except when installing software.  
  
-Data files associated with the X-Windows  
-system
+;''/usr/src/linux'': This was the traditional place for the kernel source. Some distributions put here the source for the default kernel they ship. You should probably use another directory when building your own kernel
  
+;''/usr/tmp'': Obsolete. This should be a link to ''/var/tmp''. This link is present only for compatibility reasons and shouldn't be used.  
  
-''/usr/X11R6/lib/X11 '' 
+; ''/var '': This directory contains files which may change in size, such as spool and log files.  
  
+;''/var/adm'': This directory is superseded by ''/var/log'' and should be a symbolic link to ''/var/log''.  
  
-These contain miscellaneous files needed to run X ; Often,  
-there is a symbolic link from ''/usr /lib/X11 '' to this  
-directory
+;''/var /backups '': Reserved for historical reasons
  
+;''/var/cache'': Data cached for programs.  
  
-''/usr /X11R6 /include /X11 '' 
+; ''/var /cache /man /cat[[1-9] '': These directories contain preformatted manual pages according to their man page section. (The use of preformatted manual pages is deprecated.)  
  
+;''/var/cron'': Reserved for historical reasons.  
  
-Contains include files needed for compiling programs using  
-the X11 window system. Often, there is a symbolic link from  
- ''/usr /inlcude/X11 '' to this directory
+; ''/var /lib '': Variable state information for programs
  
+;''/var/local'': Variable data for ''/usr/local''.  
  
-''/usr /bin '' 
+; ''/var /lock '': Lock files are placed in this directory. The naming convention for device lock files is ''LCK..<device>'' where ''<device>'' is the device's name in the filesystem. The format used is that of HDU UUCP lock files, i.e. lock files contain a PID as a 10-byte ASCII decimal number, followed by a newline character.  
  
+;''/var/log'': Miscellaneous log files.  
  
-This is the primary directory for executable programs. Most  
-programs executed by normal users which are not needed for  
-booting or for repairing the system and which are not  
-installed locally should be placed in this  
-directory
+;''/var/opt'': Variable data for ''/opt''
  
+;''/var/mail'': Users' mailboxes. Replaces ''/var/spool/mail''.  
  
-''/usr /bin/X11 '' 
+; ''/var /msgs '': Reserved for historical reasons.  
  
+;''/var/preserve'': Reserved for historical reasons.  
  
-is the traditional place to look for X11 executables ; on  
-Linux, it usually is a symbolic link to  
- ''/usr /X11R6/bin ''. 
+;''/var /run '': Run-time variable files, like files holding process identifiers (PIDs) and logged user information ''(utmp)''. Files in this directory are usually cleared when the system boots
  
+;''/var/spool'': Spooled (or queued) files for various programs.  
  
-''/usr /dict '' 
+; ''/var /spool/at '': Spooled jobs for at(1).  
  
+;''/var/spool/cron'': Spooled jobs for cron(8).  
  
-This directory holds files containing word lists for spell  
-checkers
+;''/var/spool/lpd'': Spooled files for printing
  
+;''/var/spool/mail'': Replaced by ''/var/mail''.  
  
-''/usr /doc '' 
+; ''/var /spool/mqueue '': Queued outgoing mail.  
  
+;''/var/spool/news'': Spool directory for news.  
  
-You may find documentation about the installed software  
-packages in this directory
+;''/var/spool/rwho'': Spooled files for rwhod(8)
  
+;''/var/spool/smail'': Spooled files for the smail(1) mail delivery program.  
+;''/var/spool/news'': Spool directory for the news subsystem.  
  
-''/usr /etc '' 
+; ''/var /spool/uucp '': Spooled files for uucp(1).  
  
+;''/var/tmp'': The /var/tmp directory is made available for programs that require temporary files or directories that are preserved between system reboots. Therefore, data stored in /var/tmp is more persistent than data in /tmp.  
  
-Site-wide configuration files to be shared between several  
-machines may be stored in this directory. However, commands  
-should always reference those files using the ''/etc''  
-directory . Links from files in '' /etc'' should point to  
-the appropriate files in ''/usr /etc''
+;:Files and directories located in /var/tmp must not be deleted when the system is booted . Although data stored in /var/tmp is typically deleted in a site-specific manner, it is recommended that deletions occur at a less frequent interval than /tmp
  
+;''/var/yp'': Database files for NIS.  
  
-''/usr/include''  
-  
-  
-Include files for the C compiler.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/include/X11''  
-  
-  
-Include files for the C compiler and the X-Windows system.  
-This is usually a symbolic link to  
-''/usr/X11R6/include/X11.''  
-  
-  
-''/usr/include/asm''  
-  
-  
-Include files which declare some assembler functions. This  
-used to be a symbolic link to  
-''/usr/src/linux/include/asm''.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/include/linux''  
-  
-  
-This contains information which may change from system  
-release to system release and used to be a symbolic link to  
-''/usr/src/linux/include/linux'' to get at operating  
-system specific information.  
-  
-  
-(Note that one should have include files there that work  
-correctly with the current libc and in user space. However,  
-Linux kernel source is not designed to be used with user  
-programs and does not know anything about the libc you are  
-using. It is very likely that things will break if you let  
-''/usr/include/asm'' and ''/usr/include/linux'' point  
-at a random kernel tree. Debian systems don't do this and  
-use headers from a known good kernel version, provided in  
-the libc*-dev package.)  
-  
-  
-''/usr/include/g++''  
-  
-  
-Include files to use with the GNU C++ compiler.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/lib''  
-  
-  
-Object libraries, including dynamic libraries, plus some  
-executables which usually are not invoked directly. More  
-complicated programs may have whole subdirectories  
-there.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/lib/X11''  
-  
-  
-The usual place for data files associated with X programs,  
-and configuration files for the X system itself. On Linux,  
-it usually is a symbolic link to  
-''/usr/X11R6/lib/X11''.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/lib/gcc-lib''  
-  
-  
-contains executables and include files for the GNU C  
-compiler, gcc(1).  
-  
-  
-''/usr/lib/groff''  
-  
-  
-Files for the GNU groff document formatting  
-system.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/lib/uucp''  
-  
-  
-Files for uucp(1).  
-  
-  
-''/usr/lib/zoneinfo''  
-  
-  
-Files for timezone information.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/local''  
-  
-  
-This is where programs which are local to the site typically  
-go.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/local/bin''  
-  
-  
-Binaries for programs local to the site go  
-there.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/local/doc''  
-  
-  
-Local documentation  
-  
-  
-''/usr/local/etc''  
-  
-  
-Configuration files associated with locally installed  
-programs go there.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/local/lib''  
-  
-  
-Files associated with locally installed programs go  
-there.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/local/info''  
-  
-  
-Info pages associated with locally installed programs go  
-there.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/local/man''  
-  
-  
-Manpages associated with locally installed programs go  
-there.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/local/sbin''  
-  
-  
-Locally installed programs for system  
-admininstration.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/local/src''  
-  
-  
-Source code for locally installed software.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/man''  
-  
-  
-Manpages traditionally go in there, into their  
-subdirectories.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/man/''  
-  
-  
-These directories contain manual pages for the specified  
-locale in source code form. Systems which use a unique  
-language and code set for all manual pages may omit the  
-'''' substring.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/sbin''  
-  
-  
-This directory contains program binaries for system  
-admininstration which are not essential for the boot  
-process, for mounting ''/usr'', or for system  
-repair.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/share''  
-  
-  
-This directory contains subdirectories with specific  
-application data, that can be shared among different  
-architectures of the same OS. Often one finds stuff here  
-that used to live in ''/usr/doc'' or ''/usr/lib'' or  
-''/usr/man''.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/share/doc''  
-  
-  
-''/usr/share/man''  
-  
-  
-Manpages go in there, into their  
-subdirectories.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/share/man/''  
-  
-  
-These directories contain manual pages which are in source  
-code form. Systems which use a unique language and code set  
-for all manual pages may omit the ''''  
-substring.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/src''  
-  
-  
-Source files for different parts of the system, included  
-with some packages for reference purposes. Don't work here  
-with your own projects, as files below /usr should be  
-read-only except when installing software.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/src/linux''  
-  
-  
-This has always been the traditional place where kernel  
-sources were unpacked. This was important on systems that  
-/usr/include/linux was a symlink here. You should probably  
-use another directory for building the kernel  
-now.  
-  
-  
-''/usr/tmp''  
-  
-  
-Obsolete. This should be a link to ''/var/tmp''. This  
-link is present only for compatibility reasons and shouldn't  
-be used.  
-  
-  
-''/var''  
-  
-  
-This directory contains files which may change in size, such  
-as spool and log files.  
-  
-  
-''/var/adm''  
-  
-  
-This directory is superseded by ''/var/log'' and should  
-be a symbolic link to ''/var/log''.  
-  
-  
-''/var/backups''  
-  
-  
-This directory is used to save backup copies of important  
-system files.  
-  
-  
-''/var/cache/man/cat[[1-9]''  
-  
-  
-These directories contain preformatted manual pages  
-according to their manpage section.  
-  
-  
-''/var/lock''  
-  
-  
-Lock files are placed in this directory. The naming  
-convention for device lock files is  
-''LCK..'' where '''' is  
-the device's name in the filesystem. The format used is that  
-of HDU UUCP lock files, i.e. lock files contain a PID as a  
-10-byte ASCII decimal number, followed by a newline  
-character.  
-  
-  
-''/var/log''  
-  
-  
-Miscelanous log files.  
-  
-  
-''/var/preserve''  
-  
-  
-This is where vi(1) saves edit sessions so they can  
-be restored later.  
-  
-  
-''/var/run''  
-  
-  
-Run-time variable files, like files holding process  
-identifiers (PIDs) and logged user information  
-''(utmp)''. Files in this directory are usually cleared  
-when the system boots.  
-  
-  
-''/var/spool''  
-  
-  
-Spooled (or queued) files for various programs.  
-  
-  
-''/var/spool/at''  
-  
-  
-Spooled jobs for at(1).  
-  
-  
-''/var/spool/cron''  
-  
-  
-Spooled jobs for cron(1).  
-  
-  
-''/var/spool/lpd''  
-  
-  
-Spooled files for printing.  
-  
-  
-''/var/spool/mail''  
-  
-  
-Users' mailboxes.  
-  
-  
-''/var/spool/smail''  
-  
-  
-Spooled files for the smail(1) mail delivery  
-program.  
-  
-  
-''/var/spool/news''  
-  
-  
-Spool directory for the news subsystem.  
-  
-  
-''/var/spool/uucp''  
-  
-  
-Spooled files for uucp(1).  
-  
-  
-''/var/tmp''  
-  
-  
-Like ''/tmp'', this directory holds temporary files  
-stored for an unspecified duration.  
 !!CONFORMS TO 
  
-  
- The Linux filesystem standard , Release 1 .2  
-!!BUGS  
-  
-  
-This list is not exhaustive; different systems may be  
- configured differently. 
+The Filesystem Hierarchy Standard , Version 2 .2 <http://www.pathname.com/fhs/>  
+This list is not exhaustive; different systems may be configured differently. 
 !!SEE ALSO 
  
-  
- find(1), ln(1), mount(1 ),  
- proc(5), The Linux Filesystem Standard 
+find(1), ln(1), mount(8 ), proc(5), The Filesystem Hierarchy Standard 
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