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.