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3.

Directories and File Systems

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In Linux and Unix everything is a file. Directories are files, files are files, and devices are files. Devices are usually referred to as nodes; however, they are still files.

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Linux and Unix file systems are organized in a hierarchical, tree-like structure. The highest level of the file system is the <filename>/</filename> or root directory. All other files and directories exist under the root directory. For example, <filename>/home/jebediah/cheeses.odt</filename> shows the correct full path to the <filename>cheeses.odt</filename> file that exists in the <filename>jebediah</filename> directory, which is under the <filename>home</filename> directory, which in turn is under the root (<filename>/</filename>) directory.

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Underneath the root (<filename>/</filename>) directory is a set of important directories common to most Linux distributions. The following is a listing of common directories that are directly under the root (<filename>/</filename>) directory:

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<filename>/bin</filename> - important <emphasis>bin</emphasis>ary applications

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<filename>/boot</filename> - <emphasis>boot</emphasis> configuration files, kernels, and other files needed at <emphasis>boot</emphasis> time

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<filename>/dev</filename> - the <emphasis>dev</emphasis>ice files

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<filename>/etc</filename> - configuration files, startup scripts, <emphasis>etc</emphasis>.

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<filename>/home</filename> - <emphasis>home</emphasis> directories for different users

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<filename>/initrd</filename> - used when creating a customized <emphasis>initrd</emphasis> boot process