Explains the file system hierarchy of linux.

1. File System Hierarchy
Srikant Ritolia
+91-9886579971
srikant.ritolia@gmail.com
Linux Users Group, Manipal
October 17, 2010

2. Index
1 Origin
2 File System Definition
3 File System Hierarchy Definition
4 Flow Chart
5 /bin
6 /boot
7 /dev
8 /etc
9 /home
10 /media
11 /mnt
12 /opt
13 /root
14 /proc
15 /sbin
16 /tmp
17 /usr
18 /var
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3. What is File System
Method of storing and organizing computer files and their data.
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4. What is File System
Method of storing and organizing computer files and their data.
Essentially, it organizes these files into a database for the storage,
organization, manipulation, and retrieval by the computer’s operating
system.
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5. What is File System
Method of storing and organizing computer files and their data.
Essentially, it organizes these files into a database for the storage,
organization, manipulation, and retrieval by the computer’s operating
system.
Eg:- fat, ntfs, ext4, ext3.......
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6. What is file system hierarchy
To put it simply, it can be visualized as a tree with its roots and all.
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7. What is file system hierarchy
To put it simply, it can be visualized as a tree with its roots and all.
At the top of the hierarchy is invariably the root path which is
represented by ’/’.
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8. What is file system hierarchy
To put it simply, it can be visualized as a tree with its roots and all.
At the top of the hierarchy is invariably the root path which is
represented by ’/’.
All other directories are created beneath this root path in linux.
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9. Flow Chart
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10. /bin
Bin stands for binary.
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11. /bin
Bin stands for binary.
Contains the useful command which are used by everyone in terminal.
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12. /bin
Bin stands for binary.
Contains the useful command which are used by everyone in terminal.
Contains shells like bash, csh etc as well as much used commands like
cp, mv, rm, cat, ls.
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13. /boot
Contains the boot loader files.
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14. /boot
Contains the boot loader files.
Grub and linux kernel.
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15. /dev
Stands for devices.
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16. /dev
Stands for devices.
Highlights one important characteristic of the Linux filesystem -
everything is a file or a directory.
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17. /dev
Stands for devices.
Highlights one important characteristic of the Linux filesystem -
everything is a file or a directory.
No real subfolder.
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18. /dev
Stands for devices.
Highlights one important characteristic of the Linux filesystem -
everything is a file or a directory.
No real subfolder.
When you first boot up ur computer it detects your hardware and
place folder and files representing your hardware in the dev directory.
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19. /etc
Configuration files get stored.
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20. /etc
Configuration files get stored.
More importantly, the /etc/rc.d directory contains the system startup
scripts.
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21. /etc
Configuration files get stored.
More importantly, the /etc/rc.d directory contains the system startup
scripts.
This is a good directory to backup often. Saves lot of re-configuration
later if you re-install or lose your current installation.
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22. /home
Linux is a multi-user environment so each user is also assigned a
specific directory which is accessible only to them and the system
administrator.
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23. /home
Linux is a multi-user environment so each user is also assigned a
specific directory which is accessible only to them and the system
administrator.
containing saved files, personal settings, etc.
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24. /media
Mount point for removable disk like CDROM, pendrive.
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25. /mnt
Mount point for temporary mounted file system.
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26. /mnt
Mount point for temporary mounted file system.
Mounting is the process by which you make a filesystem available to
the system.
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27. /opt
This directory contains all the software and add-on packages that are
not part of the default installation.
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28. /opt
This directory contains all the software and add-on packages that are
not part of the default installation.
Again, this directory is not used very often as it’s mostly a standard in
Unix installations.
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29. /root
We talked about user home directories earlier and well this one is the
home directory of the user root.
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30. /root
We talked about user home directories earlier and well this one is the
home directory of the user root.
Not to be confused with the system root.
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31. /proc
pseudo file system residing in the virtual memory.
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32. /proc
pseudo file system residing in the virtual memory.
maintains highly dynamic data on the state of your operating system.
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33. /proc
pseudo file system residing in the virtual memory.
maintains highly dynamic data on the state of your operating system.
a new /proc file system is created every time your Linux machine
reboots.
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34. /proc
pseudo file system residing in the virtual memory.
maintains highly dynamic data on the state of your operating system.
a new /proc file system is created every time your Linux machine
reboots.
Everything regarding your hardware like bluetooth, different slots, bus
etc. is stored in it.
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35. /sbin
Contains binary (executable) files, usually for system administration.
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36. /sbin
Contains binary (executable) files, usually for system administration.
This directory contains all the binaries that are essential to the
working of the system.
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37. /tmp
This directory contains mostly files that are required temporarily.
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38. /tmp
This directory contains mostly files that are required temporarily.
This directory is cleared out at boot or at shutdown.
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39. /usr
Unix System Resources
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40. /usr
Unix System Resources
Lot of subdirectories
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41. /usr
Unix System Resources
Lot of subdirectories
Shared data, library, binary, application will be located.
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42. /usr
Unix System Resources
Lot of subdirectories
Shared data, library, binary, application will be located.
Secondary hierarchy for read-only user data; contains the majority of
(multi-)user utilities and applications.
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43. /var
Variable files whose content is expected to continually change during
normal operation of the systemsuch as logs, spool files, and
temporary e-mail files. Sometimes a separate partition.
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44. Thank You!!!
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