Application Place¶

Overview¶

The Filesystem Hierarchy Standard specifies where to put files.

If you're installing files outside of the package manager, always put them under /usr/local or under /opt. Never touch anything under /usr except via the package manager, except for things under /usr/local.

/usr/local/bin: executables intended to be executed by users (interactively or from scripts) /usr/local/lib: libraries available to many programs, not just yours /usr/local/lib/YOUR-PROGRAM-NAME: any other architecture-dependent files /usr/local/share/doc: documentation (except in man and info format) /usr/local/share/info: documentation in info format /usr/local/share/man/man*: man pages /usr/local/share/YOUR-PROGRAM-NAME: any other architecture-independent files These days, the separation of the share area which contains architecture-independent files isn't very important. It was devised back when hard disks were smaller and it was important to save space by not storing architecture-independent files twice in heterogeneous networks. You can skip this distinction if you like and put everything under lib/YOUR-PROGRAM-NAME.

If you prefer to use /opt, put everything under /opt/YOUR-PROGRAM-NAME, and make symbolic links in /usr/local/bin (and /usr/local/share/man/man* and /usr/local/share/info if you provide documentation in man and info format) so that users can invoke your program.

If you make deb or rpm packages, put files under /usr instead of /usr/local. Check each distribution's documentation for its particularities.

Reference¶

ref: https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/114480