Location of Linux programs
- Thread starter CompGee
- Start date
Solution
skittle
Splendid
- Dec 27, 2006
- 4,036
- 3
- 23,960
Most program binaries are stored in /bin or /usr/bin
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LinuxFilesystemTreeOverview
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LinuxFilesystemTreeOverview
The actual location of programs is really distribution dependent. The package manager will install libraries and executables into various locations, including:
/bin/ - system-wide non-superuser binaries
/sbin/ - system-wide superuser (root only) binaries
/lib/ - 32-bit libraries
/lib64/ - 64-bit libraries
/usr/bin - user binaries
/usr/lib - user 32-bit libraries
/usr/lib64 - user 64-bit libraries
/usr/sbin - some distros use this directory, but many modern distros have dropped it
More info: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3519952
Some distros will also change their directory layouts, like ArchLinux did.
EDIT: forgot to mention /usr/share/bin and /opt/ (which is used for non-package-managed binaries)
Ijack
Splendid
- Jul 30, 2008
- 7,099
- 0
- 28,010
You also forgot to mention /usr/local/bin, /usr/local/sbin, and /usr/local/lib which many distros will install non-standard programs to. A good rule of thumb is to look at what directories are specified in the PATH environment variable.
Any particular reason for asking? There are easy ways to discover where a particular file is located.
Any particular reason for asking? There are easy ways to discover where a particular file is located.
- Aug 24, 2012
- 16,248
- 1,517
- 87,240
A little Google searching would answer your question: http://www.howtogeek.com/112888/3-ways-to-access-your-linux-partitions-from-windows/
onichikun :
Good point
I don't think I've used a distro that takes advantage of those locations for awhile!
No distro should ever take advantage of /usr/local. It should always be an empty directory after a fresh install (or a skeleton directory containing only other directories). /usr/local is considered to be a safe place for the system administrator to install software that will not be interfered with by the distribution. Installing additional distribution packages, upgrading packages, and upgrading the distribution itself should never affect the contents of this directory.
/usr/local is the default installation prefix for many (perhaps even most) upstream free software. For example, a distribution may ship with libSDL version 1.x installed in /usr/lib. If the user wishes to install libSDL version 2.x using the library's sources (rather than the distribution's sources if the distribution even has libSDL version 2.x) the administrator may install it to /usr/local/lib.
The same is more or less true with /opt, it's a location that should be left alone by the distribution's software maintenance programs.
Ijack
Splendid
- Jul 30, 2008
- 7,099
- 0
- 28,010
That's too prescriptive, and in practice is not useful. The simple fact is that a Linux system may have programs installed to /usr/local/bin, and a BSD system certainly will have. It is a location you need to check.
As I said before, the easiest thing to do is to look at which directories are in your PATH variable.
As I said before, the easiest thing to do is to look at which directories are in your PATH variable.
TRENDING THREADS
-
-
News Windows 11 will reportedly display a watermark if your PC does not support AI requirements- Started by Admin
- Replies: 17
-
-
Question Can I plug a docking station to a USB-C 2.0 port to have video output?- Started by jameli
- Replies: 2
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram