NAME

hier − file system hierarchy

DESCRIPTION

The following outline gives a quick tour through a representative directory hierarchy. 

/root

/vmunix
the kernel binary (UNIX itself)

/lost+found
directory for connecting detached files for fsck(8)

/dev/devices, see section 4

console
main console, tty(4)

tty∗terminals, tty(4)

xy∗disks, xy(4S)

rxy∗raw disks, xy(4S)

...

/bin/utility programs, cf /usr/bin/ (described in sect. 1)

asassembler

ccC compiler executive, cf /lib/ccom, /lib/cpp, /lib/c2

cshC shell

...

/lib/object libraries and other stuff, cf /usr/lib/

libc.asystem calls, standard I/O, etc. (described in sect. 2, 3, 3S, 3C, 3N)

...

ccomC compiler proper

cppC preprocessor

c2C code improver

...

/etc/essential data and maintenance utilities; described in section 8

dumpdump program dump(8)

passwd
password file, passwd(5)

groupgroup file, group(5)

motdmessage of the day, login(1)

termcap
description of terminal capabilities, termcap(5)

ttytype
table of what kind of terminal is on each port, ttytype(5)

mtabmounted file table, mtab(5)

dumpdates
dump history, dump(8)

fstabfile system configuration table fstab(5)

ttysproperties of terminals, ttys(5)

gettypart of login, getty(8)

initthe parent of all processes, init(8)

rcshell script to bring the system up

cronthe clock daemon, cron(8)

mountmount(8)

wallwall(1)

...

/tmp/temporary files, cf /usr/tmp/

e∗used by ed(1)

ctm∗used by cc(1)

...

/usr/general-pupose directory, usually a mounted file system

adm/administrative information

wtmplogin history, utmp(5)

messages
hardware error messages

bin/utility programs, to keep /bin/ small

etc/administrative programs, to keep /etc/ small

tmp/temporaries, to keep /tmp/ small

stm∗used by sort(1)

dict/word lists, etc. 

wordsprincipal word list, used by look(1)

spellhist
history file for spell(1)

games/

hangman

lib/library of stuff for the games

quiz.k/
what quiz(6) knows

indexcategory index

africacountries and capitals

...

...

...

include/
standard #include files

a.out.h
object file layout, a.out(5)

stdio.hstandard I/O, stdio(3S)

math.h
(3M)

...

sys/system-defined layouts, cf /sys/h

lib/object libraries and stuff, to keep /lib/ small

atrunscheduler for at(1)

lint/utility files for lint

lint[12]
subprocesses for lint(1)

llib-lcdummy declarations for /lib/libc.a, used by lint(1)

llib-lmdummy declarations for /lib/libc.m

...

struct/
passes of struct(1)

...

tmac/macros for troff(1)

tmac.an
macros for man(7)

tmac.smacros for ms(7)

...

font/fonts for troff(1)

ftRTimes Roman

ftBTimes Bold

...

uucp/programs and data for uucp(1C)

L.sysremote system names and numbers

uucicothe real copy program

...

unitsconversion tables for units(1)

eignlist of English words to be ignored by ptx(1)

/usr/

man/Pages for major manuals — User’s Guide to Commands, UNIX Programmer’s Manual, and System Manager’s Guide.  man(1)

man0/general

introintroduction to Sun System Manuals, in ms(7) format

xxtemplate for manual page

man1/chapter 1

as.1

spline.1g

...

...

cat1/preformatted pages for section 1

...

preserve/
editor temporaries preserved here after crashes/hangups

spool/delayed execution files

at/used by at(1)

lpd/used by lpr(1)

lockpresent when line printer is active

cf∗copy of file to be printed, if necessary

df∗daemon control file, lpd(8)

tf∗transient control file, while lpr is working

uucp/work files and staging area for uucp(1C)

LOGFILE
summary log

LOG.∗log file for one transaction

...

mail/mailboxes for mail(1)

name mail file for user name

name.lock
lock file while name is receiving mail

secretmail/
like mail/

wd initial working directory of a user, typically wd is the user’s login name

.profile
set environment for sh(1), environ(5)

.cshrc startup file for csh(1)

.exrc startup file for ex(1)

.mailrc
startup file for mail(1)

calendar
user’s datebook for calendar(1)

ucb/binaries of programs developed at University of California at Berkeley. 

...

editeditor for beginners

excommand editor for experienced users

...

mailmail reading/sending subsystem

manon line documentation

...

piPascal translator

pxPascal interpreter

...

vivisual editor

SEE ALSO

ls(1), whatis(1), whereis(1), which (1), ncheck(8), find(1), grep(1)

BUGS

The position of files is subject to change without notice. 

Sun Release 2.0  —  Last change: 1 February 1985