Common Linux Configuration File Names and Primary Purpose
|
| FILE LOCATIOIN |
FILE PURPOSE |
/etc/profile |
System wide environment variables for all users. |
/etc/fstab |
List of devices and their associated mount points. Edit this file to add CD-ROMs, DOS partitions, and floppy drives at startup. |
/etc/motd |
Message of the day broadcast to all users at login. |
etc/rc.d/rc.local |
Bash script that is executed at the end of the login process. It is similar to autoexec.bat in DOS. |
/etc/HOSTNAME |
Conatins full hostname, including domain. |
/etc/cron.* |
There are 4 directories that automatically execute all scripts within the directory at intervals of hour, day, week, or month. |
/etc/hosts |
A list of all know host names and IP addresses on the machine. |
/etc/httpd/conf |
Paramters for the Apache web server. |
/etc/skel |
Template files for new users. |
/etc/default |
Default location for certain commands. |
/etc/redhat-release |
RedHat version info (Linux kernel version with uname –a) |
/etc/inittab |
Specifies the run level into which the machine should boot. |
/etc/group
/etc/passwd
/etc/shadow |
User account information (groups and passwords). |
/etc/bashrc
/etc/profile
$HOME/.bashrc
$HOME/.bash_profile |
BASH system wide and personal user init files. |
/etc/csh.cshrc
/etc/csh.login
$HOME/.cshrc
$HOME/.tcshrc
$HOME/.login |
TSCH system wide and personal user init files. |
/etc/resolv.conf |
Defines IP addresses of DNS servers. |
/etc/smb.conf |
Config file for the SAMBA server. Allows file and print sharing with Microsoft clients. |
/etc/X11/XF86Config |
Config file for X-Windows.
~/.xinitrc Defines the windows manager loaded by X.
~ refers to user’s home directory. |
