Question

What are the standard installation directories for both Windows and Unix (Linux and Mac). I know that in Windows program files store executables and local shared libraries and that application data is where config files go and so on. But in Unix what is effected by the install prefix. I understand that depending on environment variables libraries can go anywhere and so can executables but do config files stay in etc. Are include files affect by the prefix? What other directories should I know in Windows and Unix and are they affected by the install path prefix.

Answer 1

For Windows, what you are looking for is probably the known folders system.

For Linux and other Unix-like OSes, the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard reflects much of the most common practices regarding the use of the various system directories.

That said, it’s usually up to the application developer to either follow or disregard the schemes suggested above – in most cases everything can be adjusted to work fine regardless of where it’s been installed.