Directory

Organization folder keeping all the files in your computer. Directories are found in hierarchical file system such as DOS, OS/2, Unix, etc. When referring to a directory, a user commonly indicates the name of the directory. Other common names for directories are: root directory, home directory and current directory.

Below is an example of what a directory path would like like in MS-DOS.

C:\Windows\System32>

In the above example C: is the drive letter you're looking at and System32, which is in the Windows directory is the current directory you would be looking at.

Below is an example of what a directory may look like in a Linux / Unix variant.

/usr/bin

In the above example you're located in the bin directory that is a subdirectory of the usr directory.

To change a directory in MS-DOS, Linux, Unix and most other command line operating systems, use the "cd" command.

  • Additional information about the MS-DOS cd command can be found here.
  • Additional information about the Linux / Unix cd command can be found here.

To make a directory in MS-DOS, Linux, Unix, and most other command line operating systems, use the "mkdir" command.

  • Additional information about the MS-DOS mkdir and md commands can be found here.
  • Additional information about the Linux / Unix mkdir command can be found here.

Below is a listing of reserved characters that cannot be used when creating a file or directory in most operating systems.

\ / : * ? " < > |

Also see: Absolute path, Current directory, File, Folder, Hierarchical file system, Home directory, MRUD, Network directory, Operating system definitions, Parent, Path, root directory, Shared directory, Subdirectory, Wd