---
name: "file-hierarchy"
section: "7"
platform: "linux"
package: "systemd"
version: "262.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/file-hierarchy"
---

# file-hierarchy(7)

systemd file system hierarchy requirements

## NAME

file-hierarchy - systemd file system hierarchy requirements

## DESCRIPTION

Operating systems using the [**systemd**(1)](/systemd/1.md) system and service manager are organized based on a file system hierarchy inspired by UNIX, as described in **UAPI.9 Linux File System Hierarchy**\[1\]. Additional requirements on *when* given parts of the hierarchy must be available during boot are listed in **Mount Requirements**\[2\].

Many of the paths described here can be queried with the [**systemd-path**(1)](/systemd-path/1.md) tool.

## SEE ALSO

[**hier**(7)](/hier/7.md)

**File System Hierarchy**\[3\]

**XDG Base Directory Specification**\[4\]

**XDG User Directories**\[5\]

## NOTES

- 1\.

  UAPI.9 Linux File System Hierarchy

  https://uapi-group.org/specifications/specs/linux\_file\_system\_hierarchy/

- 2\.

  Mount Requirements

  https://systemd.io/MOUNT\_REQUIREMENTS/

- 3\.

  File System Hierarchy

  http://refspecs.linuxfoundation.org/FHS\_3.0/fhs-3.0.html

- 4\.

  XDG Base Directory Specification

  https://standards.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/basedir-spec-latest.html

- 5\.

  XDG User Directories

  https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/xdg-user-dirs