Ubuntu Unleashed 2014 Edition: Covering 13.10 and 14.04,Ninth Edition

Navigating the Linux File System

In the Linux file system, as with its predecessor UNIX, everything is a file: data files, binary files, executable programs, even input and output devices. These files are placed in a series of directories that act like file folders. A directory is nothing more than a special type of file that contains a list of other files/directories. These files and directories are used to create a hierarchical structure that enables logical placement of specific types of files. Later this chapter discusses the standard hierarchy of the Linux file system. First, you learn how to navigate and interact with the file system.

Note

A directory with contents is called a parent, and its contents are called children, as in “/home/matthew/Documents ...