Linux Directory Structure

Note: Files are grouped according to purpose. Ex: commands, data files, documentation.

Parts of a Unix directory tree. See the FSSTND standard (Filesystem standard)

/			Root
|---root		The home directory for the root user
|---home		Contains the user's home directories
|    |----ftp		Users include many services as listed here
|    |----httpd
|    |----samba
|    |----user1
|    |----user2
|---bin			Commands needed during bootup that might be needed by normal users
|---sbin		Like bin but commands are not intended for normal users.  Commands run by LINUX.
|---proc		This filesystem is not on a disk.  Exists in the kernels imagination (virtual).  This directory
|    |			Holds information about kernel parameters and system configuration.
|    |----1		A directory with info about process number 1.  Each process
|				has a directory below proc.
|---usr			Contains all commands, libraries, man pages, games and static files for normal
|    |			operation.
|    |----bin		Almost all user commands.  some commands are in /bin or /usr/local/bin.
|    |----sbin		System admin commands not needed on the root filesystem.  e.g., most server
|    |			programs.
|    |----include	Header files for the C programming language.  Should be below /user/lib for
|    |			consistency.
|    |----lib		Unchanging data files for programs and subsystems
|    |----local		The place for locally installed software and other files.
|    |----man		Manual pages
|    |----info		Info documents
|    |----doc		Documentation for various packages
|    |----tmp
|    |----X11R6		The X windows system files.  There is a directory similar to usr below this
|    |			directory.
|    |----X386		Like X11R6 but for X11 release 5
|---boot		Files used by the bootstrap loader, LILO.  Kernel images are often kept here.
|---lib			Shared libraries needed by the programs on the root filesystem
|    |----modules 	Loadable kernel modules, especially those needed to boot the system after
|			 disasters.
|---dev			Device files for devices such as disk drives, serial ports, etc.
|---etc			Configuration files specific to the machine.
|    |----skel		When a home directory is created it is initialized with files from this directory
|    |----sysconfig 	Files that configure the linux system for networking, keyboard, time, and more.
|---var			Contains files that change for mail, news, printers log files, man pages, temp files
|    |----file
|    |----lib		Files that change while the system is running normally
|    |----local		Variable data for programs installed in /usr/local.
|    |----lock		Lock files.  Used by a program to indicate it is using a particular device or file
|    |----log		Log files from programs such as login and syslog which logs all logins,
|    |			logouts, and other system messages.
|    |----run		Files that contain information about the system that is valid until the system is
|    |			next booted
|    |----spool		Directories for mail, printer spools, news and other spooled work.
|    |----tmp		Temporary files that are large or need to exist for longer than they should in
|    |			/tmp.
|    |----catman	A cache for man pages that are formatted on demand
|---mnt			Mount points for temporary mounts by the system administrator.
|---tmp			Temporary files.  Programs running after bootup should use /var/tmp.