Installation directories

The Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS) is part of the Linux Standard Base (LSB) specifications, and does a pretty good job of laying out where software should be installed, depending on whether the files are coming from the distribution vendor, ISV, or they’re installed by the local admin.

For instance, distributions should install software under /usr. If you’re administering a Linux system and want to install packages from source, they should be installed under /usr/local, and ISVs should install software under /opt.

But, there are times when it’s not crystal clear where software should be installed. For example, where do browser plugins live? This topic came up recently on the lsb-discuss mailing list.

If you’re confused by the finer details of the FHS, there’s also a fhs-discuss mailing list for questions about the FHS, and you might also be able to find good tips in the fhs-discuss archive.