Purpose

This standard enables:

• Software to predict the location of installed files and directories, and

• Users to predict the location of installed files and directories.

We do this by:

• Specifying guiding principles for each area of the filesystem,

• Specifying the minimum files and directories required,

• Enumerating exceptions to the principles, and

• Enumerating specific cases where there has been historical conflict.

The FHS document is used by:

• Independent software suppliers to create applications which are FHS compliant, and work with distributions which are FHS complaint,

• OS creators to provide systems which are FHS compliant, and

• Users to understand and maintain the FHS compliance of a system.

The FHS document has a limited scope:

• Local placement of local files is a local issue, so FHS does not attempt to usurp system administrators.

• FHS addresses issues where file placements need to be coordinated between multiple parties such as local sites, distributions, applications, documentation, etc.