Home directory

In computing, a home directory is a special directory (or location in the File system, Apple calls directories folders). Very often, there is one such home directory per user. Some users, which were created by the system and usually do not log in, do not have such a home directory.

A home directory is used to store personal files of the respective user, including written documents and settings for programs.

Different Implementations

Unix and Linux

On Unix and Linux-like operating systems, the directory is usually called like the username. It is usually in the /home hierarchy. A user fred would therefore his home directory in /home/fred.

It can be written as ~.

Microsoft Windows

Since Windows 95 there is a directory called My Documents. It was introduced together with My Computer. It helps the users locate their files. Since Windows 2000 it is in the user's profile directory Documents and Settings\username. So a user fred will find his files in Documents and Settings\fred\My Documents. In Windows Vista the directory has lost the My, and is simply called Documents. Other directories, which are similar, may exist. They are called My Music, My pictures and My videos. Since Windows 7 files of a user can be found at \Users\(username)\.

Mac OS X

In Mac OS X, the home directory is in /Users.