Root directory

In a computer file system, and primarily used in the Unix and Unix-like operating systems, the root directory is the first or top-most directory in a hierarchy.

Description

It can be likened to the trunk of a tree, as the starting point where all branches originate from.

The root file system is the file system contained on the same disk partition on which the root directory is located; it is the filesystem on top of which all other file systems are mounted as the system boots up.

See also

• Directory (computing)
• File system
• Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS)
• Home directory
• Parent directory
• Working directory

External links

• Root directory @ Wikipedia