#root ( http://www.linfo.org/root.html ) Wed, 22 Jun 2022 09:13:48 GMT 2022-06-22T09:13:48Z <p><em>root</em> is the user name or account that by default has access to all <a href="http://www.linfo.org/command.html">commands</a> and <a href="http://www.linfo.org/file.html">files</a> on a <a href="http://www.linfo.org/linuxdef.html">Linux</a> or other <a href="http://www.linfo.org/unix-like.html">Unix-like</a> <a href="http://www.linfo.org/operating_system.html">operating system</a>. It is also referred to as the <em>root account</em>, <em>root user</em> and the <em>superuser</em>. <br /><em><br />Root privileges</em> are the powers that the root account has on the system. The root account is the most privileged on the system and has absolute power over it (i.e., complete access to all files and commands). Among root's powers are the ability to modify the system in any way desired and to grant and revoke <a href="http://www.linfo.org/permissions.html"><em>access permissions</em></a> (i.e., the ability to read, modify and execute specific files and directories) for other users, including any of those that are by default reserved for root. </p> <br><p>The word <em>root</em> also has several additional, related meanings when used as part of other terms, and thus it can be a source of confusion to people new to Unix-like systems.</p> <br><p>One of these is the <a href="http://www.linfo.org/root_directory.html"><em>root directory</em></a>, which is the <em>top level directory</em> on a system. That is, it is the <a href="http://www.linfo.org/directory.html">directory</a> in which all other directories, including their subdirectories, and files reside. The root directory is designated by a <a href="http://www.linfo.org/forward_slash.html">forward slash</a> ( / ).</p> <br><p>Another is <a href="http://www.linfo.org/slash_root.html"><em>/root</em></a> (pronounced <em>slash root</em>), which is the root user's <a href="http://www.linfo.org/home_directory.html"><em>home directory</em></a>. A home directory is the primary repository of a user's files, including that user's configuration files, and it is usually the directory in which a user finds itself when it <a href="http://www.linfo.org/login_def.html">logs into</a> a system. /root is a subdirectory of the root directory, as indicated by the forward slash that begins its name, and should not to be confused with that directory. Home directories for users other than root are by default created in the <a href="http://www.linfo.org/home.html"><em>/home</em></a> directory, which is another standard subdirectory of the root directory.</p> Info Lectio :: Neal Stephenson :: In the beginning was a command line 2020-05-26 23:27:06