Solaris Directory Structure (File System Structure) Explained with Examples

Critical Directories

1. / – Root

• Every single file and directory starts from the root directory.
• Only root user has write privilege under this directory.
• / is also the root account home directory.

2. /dev – Device files.

• Contains device files.
• These include terminal devices, usb, or any device attached to the system.
• For example: /dev/tty1, /dev/usbmon0

3. /etc – Configuration files

• Contains configuration files required by all programs.
• This also contains startup and shutdown shell scripts used to start/stop individual programs.
• For example: /etc/services, /etc/resolv.conf, /etc/inetd.conf

4. /home – Home Directories

• Home directories for all users to store their personal files.
• For example: /home/john, /home/nikita

5. /kernel – Kernel Components

• Contains kernel components common to all platforms within a particular instruction set that are needed for booting the system.

6. /sbin – System Binaries

• Just like /bin, /sbin also contains binary executables.
• But, the commands located under this directory are used typically by system administrator, for system maintenance purpose.
• For example: fdisk, mount, swapadd

7. /bin – User Binaries

• this points to /usr/bin
• All binaries are located under /usr/bin.

8. /lib – System Libraries

• Contains library files that supports the binaries located under /bin and /sbin
• Library filenames are lib*.so.*
• For example: libmtsk.so, libncurses.so.5.7

9. /mnt – Mount Directory

• Empty folder generally used for mounting file systems.

10. /opt – Optional add-on Applications

• opt stands for optional.
• Contains add-on applications from individual vendors.
• add-on applications should be installed under either /opt/ or /opt/ sub-directory.

11. /platform – Platform Definition files

• Contains platform definition files.
• For example: /platform/SUNW,SPARC-Enterprise-T3120, /platform/SUNW,Sun-Blade-T6340

12. /proc – Process Information

• Contains information about system process.
• This is a pseudo filesystem contains information about running process. For example: /proc/{pid} directory contains information about the process with that particular pid.
• This is a virtual filesystem with text information about system resources. For example: /proc/uptime

13. /tmp – Temporary files

• Directory that contains temporary files created by system and users.
• Files under this directory are deleted when system is rebooted.

14. /usr – User Programs

• Contains /usr/bin which is been linked from /bin.
• Contains certain other links such as spool, news, man, mail.

15. /var – Variable files

• var stands for variable files.
• Content of the files that are expected to grow can be found under this directory.
• This includes system log files (/var/log); packages and database files (/var/lib); emails (/var/mail); print queues (/var/spool); temp files needed across reboots (/var/tmp);

16. /vol – Volumes directory

• Disk volumes mounted under this directory.