Unix directory structure: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
imported>Joshua David Williams (added workgroups) |
imported>Joshua David Williams (added description of /) |
||
Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
* / -- "root" | * / -- "root" | ||
:This is where the entire system is contained. Unlike [[Microsoft Windows]], where each drive has its own root directory named by a letter, such as C:/ or F:/, Unix holds the entire system in this single top-level directory, including each device and document. Thus, it is commonly said that in Unix, "everything is a file". | |||
* /bin -- short for [[computer program|binaries]]. Contains some fundamental utilities needed by a system administrator. As a failsafe, these were placed in a separate directory so that they could be placed on a separate [[disk]] or [[disk partition]] in case the main drive failed. | * /bin -- short for [[computer program|binaries]]. Contains some fundamental utilities needed by a system administrator. As a failsafe, these were placed in a separate directory so that they could be placed on a separate [[disk]] or [[disk partition]] in case the main drive failed. | ||
* /etc -- Contains configuration and some system databases. | * /etc -- Contains configuration and some system databases. |
Revision as of 13:19, 16 April 2007
In computer science, and particularly in Unix-like operating systems, the Unix directory structure is a convention of organization.
- / -- "root"
- This is where the entire system is contained. Unlike Microsoft Windows, where each drive has its own root directory named by a letter, such as C:/ or F:/, Unix holds the entire system in this single top-level directory, including each device and document. Thus, it is commonly said that in Unix, "everything is a file".
- /bin -- short for binaries. Contains some fundamental utilities needed by a system administrator. As a failsafe, these were placed in a separate directory so that they could be placed on a separate disk or disk partition in case the main drive failed.
- /etc -- Contains configuration and some system databases.
- /dev -- short for devices. Contains file representations of every peripheral device attached to the system.
- /home -- contains the home directories for the users. On some Unices, this is under /usr/home
- /include
- /lib
- /root -- the home directory for the superuser root.
- /tmp -- a place for temporary files. Many Unices clear this directory upon start up.
- /usr
- /usr/bin
- /usr/include
- /usr/lib
- /var -- short for "variable." A place for files that may change often, such as the storage to a database, or the contents of a database.