ARCHIVED: In Unix, what are some common dot files?
In Unix, files and directories beginning with a period
(.
) typically hold settings for programs.
Here are brief descriptions of many common dot files, generally stored
in the root directory of your account:
.addressbook |
Email address information |
.addressbook.lu |
Email address information |
.article |
Most recently edited news posting |
.bash_history |
Previously executed commands for
bash shell
|
.bashrc |
Initialization for bash shell
|
.cshrc |
Initialization for csh and
tcsh shells
|
.elm/ |
Directory for Elm mail program
configuration
|
.emacs |
Initialization and key-mappings for
Emacs editor
|
.exrc |
Settings used by vi and ex editors
|
.forward |
Mail forwarding destination |
.gopherrc |
Gopher information, including
bookmarks
|
.hushlogin |
Suppress message-of-the-day during login
|
.iscreenrc |
Initialization file for
screen program
|
.login |
Startup commands for login shell
|
.logout |
Commands to execute upon exiting shell
|
.lynxrc |
Configuration for Lynx web browser
|
.mh_profile |
Mail Handler configuration information
|
.ncftp/ |
|
.news_sig |
Alternate signature file, included in
editing
|
.newsrc |
Newsgroup and article information for
newsreaders
|
.nn/ |
Configuration directory for nn
newsreader
|
.oldnewsrc |
Backup of previous copy of
.newsrc file
|
.pgp/ |
Configuration directory for PGP
|
.pinerc |
Configuration information for
Pine mail program
|
.plan |
File of information displayed by
finger
|
.profile |
Initialization file for ksh ,
bash , and sh shells
|
.project |
Brief line of information displayed by
finger
|
.rhosts |
Users not requiring password to log in
|
.rnlast |
Information from last session of newsreader
|
.rnsoft |
Soft-pointer information for newsreaders
|
.signature |
Brief file appended to email and news
postings
|
.ssh/ |
Configuration directory for ssh1
and openssh
|
.ssh2/ |
Configuration directory for
ssh2
|
.tcshrc |
Initialization for tcsh shell
|
.telnetrc |
Configuration for telnet |
.tin/ |
Configuration directory for tin
newsreader
|
.zlogin |
Initialization for zsh run
upon login after .zshrc
|
.zlogout |
Commands to execute upon exiting
zsh shell
|
.zshenv |
Initialization for all zsh
invocations
|
.zshrc |
Initialization for all interactive
zsh sessions
|
Note: zsh
and rsh
are not
available any UITS systems.
You can include dot files in a directory listing by using the
-a
option with the ls
command, which will
list all of the files in the current directory, including the dot
files. At the Unix prompt, enter:
ls -a
To list all of the dot files in your home directory, at the Unix prompt, enter:
ls -lad ~/.*
At Indiana University, for personal or departmental Linux or Unix systems support, see Get help for Linux or Unix at IU.
This is document afyy in the Knowledge Base.
Last modified on 2018-01-18 10:00:00.