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Speaking UNIX, Part 11: Ramble around the UNIX file system

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The core man pages for your UNIX system reside in /usr/man

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usually end with the suffix .conf.

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repository for files that typically grow in size over time.

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Chances are that if the file is useful but not mandatory for system operation, you'll find it in /usr.

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standard location to mount hard disk drive partitions and other devices

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/bin typically contains utilities that are essential to system operation

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file-manipulation commands

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programs found in /sbin can be executed only by superusers

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all the hardware installed on your system

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/etc directory contains configuration files for the system daemons, startup scripts, system parameters, and more

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All files here are vital

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coffer for essential system libraries.

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/bin is but one of many directories that contain applications and utilities. However, /bin typically contains utilities that are essential to system operation. Hence, the shells, file-manipulation commands such as cp and chmod, compression and decompression, and diagnostics reside in /bin.

/sbin also contains utilities crucial to system operation and maintenance. However, the programs found in /sbin can be executed only by superusers—hence, "superuser-bin" or /sbin.

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/etc (often pronounced "etsee") is dedicated to system configuration. The /etc directory contains configuration files for the system daemons, startup scripts, system parameters, and more.

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  • /usr is the umbrella for a great number of files. End-user applications—from editors, games, and interfaces, to system features—are here, as is the library of man pages along with much more. Chances are that if the file is useful but not mandatory for system operation, you'll find it in /usr.
  • /var —short for "variable"—is the repository for files that typically grow in size over time. Mailboxes, log files, printer queues, and databases can be found in /var. It's commonplace also for Web sites to be kept in /var because a Web site tends to amass data preternaturally over time.

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    MANPATH="/usr/man"
MANPATH="/usr/local/man:$MANPATH"
MANPATH="/usr/local/mysql/man:$MANPATH
MANPATH="$HOME/man:$MANPATH"
export MANPATH

    Here, $HOME/man is searched first (it's leftmost, or first), followed by /usr/local/mysql/man, and so on. By the way, the first four commands above could be simplified to the statement: 

    MANPATH="/usr/man:/usr/local/man:\
/usr/local/mysql/man:$HOME/man"

    Yet, keeping the additions separate allows you to reorder the entries quickly and add new directories just as simply. Moreover, if you have a lot of paths, editing the latter MANPATH (and by extension, the PATH) variable becomes tedious.

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    thers use /opt or "optional," because the software isn't required to run the system. Further, some administrators dump all executables in /usr/local/bin or /opt/bin, all libraries in /usr/local/lib or /opt/lib, and so on.

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