What is the file system hierarchy standard?(What is, Concept and Definition)

The file system hierarchy standard , or FHS , is a specification that defines the file system hierarchy of a Linux operating system.It specifies the minimum requirements for top-level subdirectories such as /usr and /bin , and what files and symbolic links should be located in those directories.On an FHS compliant operating system, all files and directories are rooted in a top-level directory called / (a single forward slash).

Originally called FSSTND ("file system standard"), the first version of the standard was released on February 14, 1994.Today, the Linux Foundation maintains and publishes FHS.Recent, FHS 3.0, was released on March 18, 2015.

For more information on directories and files on an FHS compliant operating system, see: Linux File Hierarchy.

Note

Most Linux operating systems are FHS compliant, but some are not.For example, NixOS uses a unique hierarchy to install Linux on the Nix package manager file system.