We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Software

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Root Directory?

By Vanessa Harvey
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 17,631
Share

A root directory is the top-most directory in computer file systems. It sometimes is referred to as the parent directory or the home directory. In can contain many other directories or sub-directories.

The term "home directory" is not a completely accurate reference to the root directory when speaking of Unix or Unix-like computer file systems such as the numerous distributions or flavors of the Linux operating system. There are some Linux distributions that were developed to be used primarily by a single user who works as the root or master user at all times. Puppy Linux is an example of such a system. Most distributions, however, were developed for a production environment of multiple users, each having his or her own home directory. Individual home directories are not root directories in the same sense as the top-most directory in hierarchical computer file systems.

The root directory under the Microsoft (MS) Windows® operating system differs from that of a Linux distribution. Every partition is assigned a letter of the alphabet under MS Windows. For example, the local disk where the operating system is installed would be designated as C:\ which is called the root directory for that specific partition. Optical drives such as compact disc (CD) and digital versatile disk (DVD) drives typically are designated as D:\ or E:\. These are the root directories for those specific drives. Each one is a parent directory that can hold any number of sub-directories, so it can be said that there is more than one root directory under Windows.

Unix and Unix-based operating systems such as the various distributions of Linux employ a hierarchical file system in which the top-most directory is designated by a simple backslash; it is the only true top-most directory. All files and sub-directories are relative to the root directory regardless of the operating system in use. Sometimes the terms "working directory," "relative," and "absolute path" are used when specifying the exact location of a particular file. The relative path of a file is actually relative to another location; for example, a file in a sub-directory is relative to the parent directory in which that sub-directory sits. When pointing to files in a sub-directory, it usually is sufficient to indicate the relative path, not the absolute one.

There are times when the absolute path of a file needs to be indicated, which requires knowing what the root directory is. The working directory is a term often employed to indicate the directory or exact location in which a user is currently working. Directories can be thought of as electronic manila folders in which various files are kept, but unlike physical manila folders in which other folders are seldom placed, an electronic root directory can hold multiple folders known as sub-directories.

Share
EasyTechJunkie is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.easytechjunkie.com/what-is-a-root-directory.htm
Copy this link
EasyTechJunkie, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

EasyTechJunkie, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.