Linux File System

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In this lesson, we will focus on Linux File System. We will learn what is Linux File System? The files that resides in this file system one by one.

 

What is Linux File System?

 

Linux has different directories. These directory structure are defined by Linux File System Hierarchy Standard (FHS).  All these directories are defined under the root directory (/). Some of these directories are standard and some of them are added according to the installed sub systems. Here, we will focus on File System of Linux and we will learn what is Linux File System detailly.

 

We will cover common directories during the explanation of what is Linux File System.  These directories are given below:

 

  • / (root)
  • /bin
  • /boot
  • /dev
  • /etc
  • /home
  • /lib
  • /media
  • /mnt
  • /opt
  • /srv
  • /sbin
  • /tmp
  • /usr
  • /proc
  • /var

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Now, let’s focus on each of these directories used in Linux File System and learn what are they.

 


You can download Linux Cheat Sheet and you can test yourself on Linux Commands Questions Page!


 

/ (root)

 

The main answer of what is Linux File System quesiton is Root directory. Root directory (/) is the top of the all directories in this File System. All the other directories are connected to this directory. Only root user has write permission under root directory (/).

 

Below, you can see the directories under root directory in kali Linux.

 

kali@kali:/$ ls

bin   dev  home        initrd.img.old  lib32  libx32      media  opt   root  sbin  sys  usr  vmlinuz

boot  etc  initrd.img  lib             lib64  lost+found  mnt    proc  run   srv   tmp  var  vmlinuz.old

 


 

/bin

 

There are different binary programs that are needed during booting, upgrading, repairing etc. The executable binary programs are stored in /bin directory. It is also the directory of the basic Linux commands.

 

Below, you can see some parts of the content of /bin directory:

 

kali@kali:/bin$ ls

atobm                                gunzip                             pager                       systemd-resolve

attr                                 guymager                           pa-info                     systemd-run

autoexpect                           gv2gml                             pamon                       systemd-socket-activate

automat-visualize3                   gv2gxl                             paperconf                   systemd-stdio-bridge

autopasswd                           gvcolor                            paplay                      systemd-sysusers

autopsy                              gvgen                              parec                       systemd-tmpfiles

awk                                  gvmap                              parecord                    systemd-tty-ask-password-agent

axel                                 gvmap.sh                           parole                      systemd-umount

b2sum                                gvpack                             parse-edid                  sz

base32                               gvpr                               partx                       tabs

base64                               gxl2dot                            passmass                    tac

basename                             gxl2gv                             passwd                      tail

bash                                 gzexe                              paste                       tapestat

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/boot

 

/boot directory holds the important files for boot-up process. In other words it includes boot loader files. It is one of the other answer of what is Linux File System question.

 

Below, you can see the content of /boot directory.

 

kali@kali:/boot$ ls

config-5.4.0-kali2-amd64  grub                          initrd.img-5.4.0-kali3-amd64  System.map-5.4.0-kali3-amd64  vmlinuz-5.4.0-kali3-amd64

config-5.4.0-kali3-amd64  initrd.img-5.4.0-kali2-amd64  System.map-5.4.0-kali2-amd64  vmlinuz-5.4.0-kali2-amd64

 


/dev

 

/dev directory includes all the device files. These devices can be any physical devices like cpu, usb, storages etc.

 

Below you can see some parts of the content of /dev directory.

 

kali@kali:/dev$ ls

agpgart        cpu_dma_latency  hidraw1       mqueue    rfkill    snd     tty13  tty23  tty33  tty43  tty53  tty63    vcs    vcsa3  vcsu6

autofs         cuse             hpet          net       rtc       sr0     tty14  tty24  tty34  tty44  tty54  tty7     vcs1   vcsa4  vcsu7

block          disk             hugepages     null      rtc0      stderr  tty15  tty25  tty35  tty45  tty55  tty8     vcs2   vcsa5  vfio

bsg            dmmidi           initctl       nvram     sda       stdin   tty16  tty26  tty36  tty46  tty56  tty9     vcs3   vcsa6  vga_arbiter

linux-file-system-boot-dev-ipcisco.com


/etc

 

/etc directory is another important directory of Linux File System. This file contains configuration files of the applications and different start and stop scritpts.

 

kali@kali:/etc$ ls

adduser.conf              default                 hosts               localtime       openvpn            request-key.conf  subgid-

adjtime                   deluser.conf            hosts.allow         logcheck        opt                request-key.d     subuid

alsa                      dhcp                    hosts.deny          login.defs      os-release         resolv.conf       subuid-

alternatives              dictionaries-common     idmapd.conf         logrotate.conf  PackageKit         resolvconf        subversion

apache2                   discover.conf.d         ifplugd             logrotate.d     pam.conf           responder         sudoers

 


/home

 

/home is the home directory of all users. Each user’s personal files are stored in this directory in Linux Directory System. /home directory contains user directories like downloads, documents, desktop etc.

linux-file-system-etc-home-ipcisco.com


/lib

 

/lib directory contains library files that support binaries that resides in /bin and /sbin. Kernel modules and shared library images are also stored here.

 

 

kali@kali:/lib$ ls

apache2                   file                                  libDeployPkg.so.0                 libvmtools.so.0      pppd

apparmor                  firefox-esr                           libDeployPkg.so.0.0.0             libvmtools.so.0.0.0  proxychains3

apt                       firmware                              libdiscover.so.2                  linux-boot-probes    pulse-13.0

arj                       galera                                libdiscover.so.2.0.1              llvm-8               python2.7

aspell                    gcc                                   libdlrpc.so                       locale               python3

….

 


/media

 

/media directory is used as a temporary mount directory for removable devices.  For example, this can be a cdrom.

 

ali@kali:/media$ ls

cdrom  cdrom0

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/mnt

 

/mnt directory is the temporary directory where we can mount filesystems in Linux Directory systems.

 


/opt

 

/opt directory contains the 3th party applications. These applications can be installed directly under /opt or under any other sub directory under /opt.

 


/srv

 

/srv directory contains server specific services data. Srv is the abbreviation of service.

 

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/sbin

 

/sbin is the directory in Linux directory systems that includes system binary executable programs. This can be ifconfig, reboot, iptables, init, route etc.

 

Some part of the /sbin directory content is given below:

 

kali@kali:/sbin$ ls

a2disconf               e2label                   ip6tables-nft-restore        nftl_format                 sm-notify

a2dismod                e2mmpstatus               ip6tables-nft-save           nginx                       snmpd

a2dissite               e2scrub                   ip6tables-restore            nmbd                        split-logfile

a2enconf                e2scrub_all               ip6tables-restore-translate  nologin                     sshd

a2enmod                 e2undo                    ip6tables-save               ntfsclone                   ssldump

a2ensite                e4crypt                   ip6tables-translate          ntfscp                      sslh

a2query                 e4defrag                  ipmaddr                      ntfslabel                   sslh-select

 


 

/sys

 

/sys directory includes virtual filesystem that stores the modifications that we do on the connected devices.

 

kali@kali:/sys$ ls

block  bus  class  dev  devices  firmware  fs  hypervisor  kernel  module  power

linux-sbin-sys-directories-ipcisco.com


/tmp

 

/tmp directory is another directory used in Linux File System. /tmp directory stores temporary files of the user and the system. After a reboot it id deleted. In other words, it stores the files between reboots.

 

kali@kali:/tmp$ ls

ssh-9PRk0TbKpfXN

systemd-private-438ccfd1b3cc45c29360c9e07e301483-colord.service-Nom75M

systemd-private-438ccfd1b3cc45c29360c9e07e301483-haveged.service-VSbA2Z

systemd-private-438ccfd1b3cc45c29360c9e07e301483-ModemManager.service-fZtQMG

systemd-private-438ccfd1b3cc45c29360c9e07e301483-systemd-logind.service-jliJ45

systemd-private-438ccfd1b3cc45c29360c9e07e301483-upower.service-HKYMJ8

VMwareDnD

vmware-root_564-2965382482

 


/usr

 

/usr directory contains executable libraries, documentation, binaries for second level program.

 

kali@kali:/usr$ ls

bin  games  include  lib  lib32  lib64  libexec  libx32  local  sbin  share  src

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/proc

 

/proc directory is another directory of Linux File System.  It includes the system process information. It is a virtual filesystem with tect information about system resoruces.

 


/var

 

/var directory stores all variable files and temporary files created by users. For examle this can be a log file.

 

kali@kali:/var$ ls

backups  cache  lib  local  lock  log  mail  opt  run  spool  tmp  www

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Last Word on Linux File System

 

In this lesson, we have talked about what is Linux File System detailly with the main Linux File directories. You will use these directories in your Linux System Administration.

Back to: Kali Linux Course

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