Find System Files and Place Files in the Correct Location Part 1 FHS

Introduction

The Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS) defines a common directory layout and its contents for Unix-like operating systems. Maintained by the Linux Foundation and detailed in the FHS 3.0 specification, this standard ensures that users and administrators can predict where to find system files, binaries, and configuration data. While FHS compliance is not mandatory, most Linux distributions follow it closely.

FHS compliance guarantees a consistent directory layout, simplifying system administration, backups, and package management.

Top-Level Directory Overview

Path	Purpose	Common Contents / Examples
`/`	Root of the filesystem hierarchy	Everything lives under `/`
`/bin`	Essential command binaries available to all users	`ls`, `cp`, `mv`
`/boot`	Static files for the bootloader	Kernel images (`vmlinuz`), initrd
`/dev`	Device nodes for hardware & virtual devices	`/dev/sda`, `/dev/null`
`/etc`	Host-specific configuration files	`fstab`, `hosts`, service configs
`/home`	User home directories	`/home/alice`, `/home/bob`
`/lib`	Shared libraries needed by `/bin` and `/sbin`	`libc.so.6`, kernel modules
`/media`	Mount points for removable media (USB, CD/DVD)	`/media/usb`, `/media/cdrom`
`/mnt`	Temporary mount points for administrators	`/mnt/shared`
`/opt`	Optional or third-party software packages	`/opt/google`, `/opt/mysql`
`/root`	Superuser’s home directory	`/root/.bashrc`, `/root/.ssh/`
`/run`	Runtime data (PID files, sockets)	`/run/docker`, `/run/sshd.pid`
`/sbin`	System binaries for booting & maintenance	`fsck`, `ip`, `iptables`
`/srv`	Data served by system services	`/srv/www/`, `/srv/ftp/`
`/tmp`	Temporary files cleared at reboot	`/tmp/session_12345`
`/usr`	Secondary hierarchy for read-only user applications	`/usr/bin`, `/usr/lib`, `/usr/share`
`/proc`	Virtual filesystem for process & kernel information	`/proc/cpuinfo`, `/proc/<pid>/`
`/var`	Variable data files (logs, spools, caches)	`/var/log`, `/var/spool/mail`
`/var/tmp`	Temporary files preserved between reboots	`/var/tmp/install_cache`

The image displays a list of directories from the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard, commonly used in Unix-like operating systems.

Summary Tree

/
├── bin
├── boot
├── dev
├── etc
├── home
├── lib
├── media
├── mnt
├── opt
├── root
├── run
├── sbin
├── srv
├── tmp
├── usr
├── proc
└── var
    └── tmp

Introduction

System Architecture

Linux Installation and Package Management

GNU and Unix Commands

Devices, Linux Filesystems, Filesystem Hierarchy Standard

Conclusion and Mock Exam

Find System Files and Place Files in the Correct Location Part 1 FHS

Introduction

Top-Level Directory Overview

Summary Tree

Further Reading

Watch Video

​Introduction

​Top-Level Directory Overview

​Summary Tree

​Further Reading

Watch Video

Introduction

Top-Level Directory Overview

Summary Tree

Further Reading