Table A-1 describes the directories in the Linux directory tree.
Table A-1. The Linux directory tree
Directory | Description |
---|
/bin | User programs and scripts essential to system startup |
/boot | Boot information, including the kernel |
/dev | Device files |
/etc | Host-specific configuration files |
/etc/sysconfig | Stores configuration files specific to Red Hat Linux |
/home | Users' home directories |
/initrd | Used during boot process as a mount point for a directory containing special device drivers |
/lib | Libraries, modules, and other object files |
/lib/modules | Loadable kernel modules |
/lost+found | Recovered data from bad clusters |
/mnt | Temporarily mounted filesystems |
/opt | Used to store large applications |
/proc | Kernel pseudo-directory that provides access to kernel information and configuration items |
/root | System administrator's home directory |
/sbin | System administration programs and scripts essential to system startup |
/tmp | Temporary files, which are automatically deleted by Red Hat Linux |
/usr | Files needed for system operation but not needed to boot system (can be mounted read-only, except when being changed by root user) |
/usr/bin | Programs and scripts not essential to system startup |
/usr/dict | System dictionaries for spell checking |
/usr/etc | Configuration files |
/usr/games | Game files |
/usr/include | C/C++ header files |
/usr/kerberos | Kerberos files |
/usr/lib | Libraries and kernel modules |
/usr/libexec | Libraries stored in alternate formats |
/usr/local | Locally defined directory tree (structure is similar to that of /usr) |
/usr/sbin | System administration programs and scripts not essential to system start up |
/usr/share | Shared files |
/usr/share/doc | Documentation (formerly residing in /usr/doc) |
/usr/share/man | Manpages |
/usr/src | Source files |
/usr/src/linux | Linux kernel source |
/usr/X11R6 | X-related files |
/var | Dynamic files, such as log files and spool files |
/var/cache | Application cache data |
/var/ftp | Data used by the FTP server |
/var/gdm | Data used by the GNOME display manager |
/var/lib | Variable state information |
/var/lib/rpm | Files related to RPM |
/var/local | Locally defined data |
/var/lock | Lock files |
/var/log | Log files and directories |
/var/named | Data used by BIND (named) |
/var/opt | Data used by applications in /opt |
/var/run | Process IDs of running processes |
/var/spool | Application spool data |
/var/spool/at | At's spool data |
/var/spool/cron | Cron's spool data |
/var/spool/cups | CUPS printing service data. |
/var/spool/lpd | Printer queues |
/var/spool/mail | Mail boxes |
/var/spool/mqueue | Mail queue |
/var/spool/samba | Samba spool data |
/var/spool/up2date | Files used by Red Hat Update Agent |
/var/tmp | Temporary files preserved between system reboots |
/var/www | Files used by Apache |
/var/yp | Files used by NIS |
For more information on the Linux directory tree, see the current version of the Linux Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (http://www.pathname.com/fhs). Red Hat Linux generally complies with that standard.