Linux Filesystem Hierarchy Standard Overview

The Root Filesystem

• /bin : Essential user command binaries (for use by all users)
• /boot : Static files of the boot loader
• /dev : Device files
• /etc : Host-specific system configuration
  • /etc/opt : Configuration files for /opt
  • /etc/X11 : Configuration for the X Window System (optional)
  • /etc/sgml : Configuration files for SGML (optional)
  • /etc/xml : Configuration files for XML (optional)
• /home : User home directories (optional)
• /lib : Essential shared libraries and kernel modules
• /lib<qual> : Alternate format essential shared libraries (optional)
• /media : Mount point for removable media
• /mnt : Mount point for a temporarily mounted filesystem
• /opt : Add-on application software packages
• /root : Home directory for the root user (optional)
• /run : Run-time variable data
• /sbin : System binaries
• /srv : Data for services provided by this system
• /tmp : Temporary files

The /usr Hierarchy

Secondary hierarchy for read-only user data; contains the majority of (multi-)user utilities and applications.

• /usr/bin : Most user commands
• /usr/include : Directory for standard include files.
• /usr/lib : Libraries for programming and packages
• /usr/libexec : Binaries run by other programs (optional)
• /usr/lib<qual> : Alternate format libraries (optional)
• /usr/local : Local hierarchy
  • /usr/local/share : Local architecture-independent hierarchy
• /usr/sbin : Non-essential standard system binaries
• /usr/share : Architecture-independent data
  • /usr/share/color : Color management information (optional)
  • /usr/share/dict : Word lists (optional)
  • /usr/share/man : Manual pages
  • /usr/share/misc : Miscellaneous architecture-independent data
  • /usr/share/ppd : Printer definitions (optional)
  • /usr/share/sgml : SGML data (optional)
  • /usr/share/xml : XML data (optional)
• /usr/src : Source code (optional)

The /var Hierarchy

Variable files—files whose content is expected to continually change during normal operation of the system—such as logs, spool files, and temporary e-mail files.

• /var/account : Process accounting logs (optional)
• /var/cache : Application cache data
  • /var/cache/fonts : Locally-generated fonts (optional)
  • /var/cache/man : Locally-formatted manual pages (optional)
• /var/crash : System crash dumps (optional)
• /var/games : Variable game data (optional)
• /var/lib : Variable state information
  • /var/lib/<editor> : Editor backup files and state (optional)
  • /var/lib/color : Color management information (optional)
  • /var/lib/hwclock : State directory for hwclock (optional)
  • /var/lib/misc : Miscellaneous variable data
• /var/lock : Lock files
• /var/log : Log files and directories
• /var/mail : User mailbox files (optional)
• /var/opt : Variable data for /opt
• /var/run : Run-time variable data
• /var/spool : Application spool data
  • /var/spool/lpd : Line-printer daemon print queues (optional)
  • /var/spool/rwho : Rwhod files (optional)
• /var/tmp : Temporary files preserved between system reboots
• /var/yp : Network Information Service (NIS) database files (optional)