🐧 Diving Into the Linux Filesystem Structure
Utsav LamichhaneIf you’ve just started exploring Linux, you’ve probably run into a bunch of folders with weird names like /etc, /var, or /usr. At first glance, it might look confusing — even intimidating — but once you understand the structure, it all starts to make sense.
This post is here to break it down for you in a simple, friendly way. By the end, you'll know your way around the Linux filesystem like a local.
📁 So, What’s the Linux Filesystem Anyway?
In Linux, everything lives under a single directory: /, known as the root directory (not to be confused with the root user). It’s kind of like the trunk of a tree. All other directories branch out from it.
Unlike Windows, which uses drive letters like C:\ or D:\, Linux uses one unified directory tree — your hard drive, USBs, system files, everything gets “mounted” into this tree somewhere.
🌳 The Filesystem Tree (With Real-World Analogies)
Here’s a rundown of the key directories you’ll find in Linux, along with a bit of what they’re for. I’ll keep the tech talk light and sprinkle in a few analogies to make it stick.
| Directory | What It’s For |
/ | The root of it all. Everything on your system starts here. |
/binor /usr/bin | Essential user commands like ls, cp, and rm. If something breaks here, you're in trouble. |
/boot | All the files needed to boot up your system, including the Linux kernel. |
/dev | Represents your devices. Disks, USBs, even your mouse — all show up as files here. |
/etc | System configuration files live here. If /etc was a room, it’d be the server closet full of switches and settings. |
/home | This is where your stuff goes. Every user gets a personal directory, like /home/utsav |
/lib or /usr/lib | Shared libraries that help software run. Like C standard Library files needed by commands and application |
/media | When you plug in a USB stick or insert a CD, it gets mounted here. |
/mnt | A generic mount point — used mostly by system admins for mounting extra stuff manually. Mounts external file system |
/opt | Optional software or add-on applications lives here — stuff that isn’t part of the core OS. |
/proc | A strange one — it's a virtual filesystem that gives you info about running processes and the kernel, processes that only exist in the memory. |
/root | The home directory of the root user (i.e., the system's superadmin). It is not the same as / |
/run | Stores temporary runtime data for system processes and daemons that start very early in the boot process — like systemd and udevd. It holds things like PID files, sockets, and other state information needed while the system is running. |
/sbin | Similar to /bin, but specifically for system binaries used by admins. |
/srv | Data for services like web or FTP servers. Kind of like /var, but service-specific. |
/sys | Another virtual filesystem that gives info about hardware and kernel modules. |
/tmp | A place for temporary files. Gets cleaned up automatically. Think of it as a scratchpad. |
/usr | Short for “Unix System Resources” — basically where most of the user-installed software lives. |
/var | Stands for variable — because this data changes often. Logs, emails, and such go here. |
🧠 Think of It Like a House
If the Linux filesystem was your house:
/is the front door./homeis your bedroom./etcis the electrical panel — full of wires and switches./binand/sbinare your toolboxes./tmpis the sticky note on your fridge./devis your collection of power outlets connected to devices./var/logis your diary — it records everything.
✨ Wrapping Up
The Linux filesystem might seem intimidating at first glance, but it’s actually pretty logical once you break it down. Everything has its place and purpose. Bookmark this post, explore a bit using cd, ls, and tree, and don’t be afraid to poke around (carefully!).
Got questions? Drop them in the comments — or let me know if you'd like a deeper dive into any of the folders we covered.
Happy exploring! 🐧
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