Where Most of the Programs Go: The usr Directory

Where Most of the Programs Go: The /usr Directory

The /usr directory is somewhat surprising when you look at it, because it has a parallel structure to the main (/) directory. This is why some folks give /usr its own mount point (that is, in DOS/Windows it would have its own drive letter). This directory is usually quite large (in the multigigabyte range, depending on how many applications you install) and contains many shared files and applications. It also houses the X Window System for graphical and remote computing. This directory is the place to start when looking for a particular application on your system, to handle troubleshooting, desktop icon placing, and everything in between.