Re: Using /home for application directories

As Jim already wrote - there is no real / fact-based reason to use or not use the /home tree for application based directories - just best practices.

Here something to read that explains a lot of the typical *nix / Linux directory layout:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filesystem_Hierarchy_Standard

Normally - under *nix-like operation systems - you would use /var for "variable" or "changing" data based on applications (like /var/www as the home for the webserver) - and to avoid conflicts between package-based installations and own directories, one would use /var/local/... for applications.

Or you would create a completely new directory tree for applications - like /app or /..your.company.name... Just to not collide with filesystem standards.

The only reason to not use /home would be, that you reserve a part of the /home name space that wouldn't be available to users. Like you create /home/myapp and later have a user called "MYAPP" and cannot assign its home directory because the name is already used.

But seems a bit "esoteric" as you wouldn't have users named "FINANCE" or "SALES" - other than as a group profile.

HTH
Daniel

Am 19.02.2025 um 02:53 schrieb Jim Oberholtzer <midrangel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

One could argue that if you use root you open up security concerns, but those exist in /home as well.

Ther is no systemic reason to use either other than exposing the root to much.

In the end it’s a design decision. A shallower root is a slight bit faster to back up/restore but with current equipment that’s not much of a reason

I’m afraid there are not any real facts to support one approach or the other.

Proper security is the key.


Jim Oberholtzer
Agile Technology Architects

On Feb 18, 2025, at 7:05 PM, smith5646midrange@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

My client has been creating directories in the /home directory for
applications such as /home/finance. This seems wrong to me. Although
obviously not a system requirement, I was taught that /home is the root for
user folders such as /home/jsmith and applications should have their own
directory not in /home.



Is there a reason why they should quit using /home or a reason why they
should continue this practice? I know that question seems subject to
opinions but I am not looking for opinion.I am after facts. Does using
/home cause any type of problems? Does creating individual application
folders in root (such as /finance, /sales, /inventory, etc.) cause any
problems?

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