The Portadir  Specification

This is a vocabulary for directories as seen by an application in a context where a specific “user” is specified.

Stable Directories

The following directories names are stable. It is expected that they will be needed by applications and that they can be provided by implementations of this specification.

»user directory«

The user directory contains files created by the user who started the application.

An application should not place files into this directory, unless the user has told it so.

If there is no other choice, an application might create a single subdirectory here for its data.

Examples are »Documents and Folders« under Microsoft® Windows and the user home directory.

»temporary data directory«

A directory to be used for temporary data that might be deleted after the termination of the application.

The files should not be readable for parties other than the current user.

»current directory«

The current directory is the current directory of the shell in the moment the application was started.

If this does not apply or can not be determined, it is the »temporary data directory«.

Experimental Directories

The following directories names are experimental. It is unknown whether they will be needed by applications and whether they can be provided by implementations of this specification.

Cache
»cache data directory«

A directory to be used for temporary data that might be deleted after the termination of the application, but should be kept if possible.

The files should not be readable for parties other than the current user.

Configuration
»user conf directory«

A directory for configuration data of this application that apply only to the current user.

»system conf directory«

A directory for configuration data of this application that are specific to the system (host, site). For example, the host name.

Variable Data
»user var directory«

A directory for data of this application with information belonging to the user.

These data should not be modified or deleted by anyone else than the application.

»user redundant var directory«

A directory for data of this application with information belonging to the user.

These data should not be modified or deleted by anyone else than the application.

These are data that can easily be generated (again) by the application from other user data, so it contains redundant information, whose loss would not cause major problems.

»system var directory«

A directory for data of this application with information related to the system.

These data should not be modified or deleted by anyone else than the application.

Static Data
»system world directory«

A directory for data of this application with static information related to the world.

These information describe read-only (except for updates) information about the world relevant for everyone, so that one copy can be shared among all applications and users.

Locks
»user lock directory«

Lock files for shared resources of the user.

»system lock directory«

Lock files for shared resources of the system.

Spool Data
»user spool directory«

User data awaiting processing.

»system spool directory«

System data awaiting processing.

Log Data
»user log directory«

A directory for logs of this application that are intended for the eye of the current user.

»system log directory«

A directory for logs of this application that are intended for the eye of the system administrator.

Plug-Ins
»user plugin directory«

A directory for plug-ins of this application that are maintained by the current user.

»system plugin directory«

A directory for plug-ins of this application that are maintained by the system administrator.

Backups
»user backup directory«

A directory for backup copies of user documents.

»system backup directory«

A directory for backup copies of system specific (host specific, site specific) application data.

Packages
»private system packages«

A directory for software packages, be it executable programs, data, or both, that are maintained by the system administrator and should not be visible to users and not be usable by users.

»public system packages«

A directory for software packages, be it executable programs, data, or both, that are maintained by the system administrator and should be visible to users and usable by users.

»user packages«

A directory for software packages, be it executable programs, data, or both, that are maintained by the user and should not be visible to other users.

Work Archives
»user works archive directory«

A directory for archive copies of application documents and application data created by the user.

»system works archive directory«

A directory for archive copies of system specific (host specific, site specific) application data created by the system administrator.

Archives
»private system archive«

A directory for any data and that are not required for any regular processes and should not be visible to users. This directory is maintained by the system administrator.

»public system archive«

A directory for any data that are not required for any regular processes and should be visible to users. This directory is maintained by the system administrator.

»user archive«

A directory for any data that are not required for any regular processes and should be visible to the user only. This directory is maintained by the user.