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UNIX is based on a classic set of directories.
More recently with the movement of Linux to personal computers there is
an "emerging standard set of directories".
The PATH environmental variable is set to point to the required directories.
It is important to note that Linux does NOT search the current directory.
So to execute a program called <program> in the current directory you must type:
./<program> where "./" means the current directory.
Every physical device associated with a Linux system (disks, terminals, and printers) are
represented in the file system.
Most devices are located in the "/dev" directory.
In the interests of clarity I have included this directory.
The directory "/mnt" is where mount points live.
The CD-ROM mount point would be "/mnt/cdrom" for example.
Classic Directories:
/ (root directory) /dev (devices that can be connected area) /null (the bit bucket. Sending output here effectively says "no output") /etc (most of the system specific data required to boot the system) /lib (most of the library of functions required by C compiler and shared code) /tmp (used for temporary storage. System deletes all files here from time to time) /bin (holds executable programs necessary to boot the system) /usr (contains everything else) /spool (location of print spools) /bin /include (source code for used by the #include C statements) /tmp /adm (contains all accounting and diagnostic information needed by sys admin) /libLinux Directories:
/ (root directory. Home directory for sys admin or super user) /dev (devices that can be connected area) /hda1 (first partition on first IDE drive) /mnt (where block type devices are normally mounted) /cdrom (mount point CD-ROM) /floppy (mount point for floppy drive) /zip (mount point for Zip drive) /etc (same as classic - system specific data required to boot the system) /passwd (user data base) /rc.d (system initialization scripts) /sbin (new home of all system programs) /bin (same as classic - executable programs necessary to boot the system) /tmp (used for temporary storage. System deletes all files here from time to time) /var (new - system definition tables live here) /lib (same as classic - the library of functions required by C compiler) /home (new - users each have their own subdirectory) /<your user name here> (user accounts by user name) /install /usr (major reorganization here) /bin (all standard Linux programs are here) /lib (lots of stuff. Generally a very messy directory) /spool (transient data used for printing) /proc (new - procedures live here)