The Linux file system is organized as a single inverted tree with the root directory / at the top. Everything—files, directories, devices, and even processes—resides under this root.
| Directory | Description |
|---|---|
/ |
Root directory of the entire file system. |
/home |
User home directories (e.g., /home/user1) |
/bin |
Essential user binaries (e.g., ls, cp, mv) |
/sbin |
System binaries (e.g., shutdown, mount) |
/etc |
System-wide configuration files |
/var |
Variable data (e.g., logs, cache, spool) |
/tmp |
Temporary files (cleared on reboot) |
/usr |
User-installed software and libraries |
/lib, /lib64 |
Shared libraries needed for system programs |
/dev |
Device files (e.g., hard drives, USBs) |
/proc, /sys |
Virtual filesystems for kernel and system process info |
/boot |
Bootloader files including kernels |
You're managing a Linux server that suddenly becomes very slow. You suspect a full disk.
- Check disk usage:
df -h
/usr/bin contains user installed programs