Linux Directories and Files

Linux differs greatly from an operating system like Microsoft Windows regarding how it manages its files and permissions.

Directories

Linux directories can be separated into root's directories and a normal user's directories. Each directory has a unique purpose.

Root

• /bin contains essential binaries.
• /boot contains static boot files.
• /dev has files that represent drives on the system.
• /etc has global configuration files.
• /home contains home folders for all the users.
• /lib contains essential libraries.
• /lost+found contains lost and found files from corruption.
• /media is used for mounting removable devices.
• /mnt is used as a temporary mount point.
• /proc has files that represent system and process information.
• /root is root's home directory.
• /tmp is for temporary files.
• /usr is for non-essential, user binaries.
• /var has log files.

User

• ~ is the user's home directory.
• ~/.config is for local configuration files.
• ~/.local/bin is for local executables.
• ~/.local/share is for user data.

Files

Files have permissions on them. By default, a file creator owns the file, and if the root user owns a file, then a normal user will have to gain access to it before reading/writing/executing.

chown can be used to change file ownership, and chmod can be used to change file permissions.

Symbolic links can act as shortcuts and they act as pointers to files.

Page added on 2021-10-27, last edited on: 2021-12-10

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