User script location linux (debian etch) [closed]

Question

In the linux file system, where should user scripts be placed?

I'm thinking specifically python scripts to be called by cron.

Answer 1

the information i got:

/usr/local/sbin     custom script meant for root
/usr/local/bin      custom script meant for all users including non-root

chatlog snips from irc.debian.org #debian:

(02:48:49) c33s: question: where is the _correct_ location, to put custom scripts
for the root user (like a script on a webserver for createing everything needed 
for a new webuser)? is it /bin, /usr/local/bin,...? /usr/local/scripts is 
mentioned in (*link to this page*)
(02:49:15) Hydroxide: c33s: typically /usr/local/sbin
(02:49:27) Hydroxide: c33s: no idea what /usr/local/scripts would be
(02:49:32) Hydroxide: it's nonstandard
(02:49:53) Hydroxide: if it's a custom script meant for all users including 
non-root, then /usr/local/bin
(02:52:43) Hydroxide: c33s: Debian follows the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard, 
with a very small number of exceptions, which is online in several formats at 
http://www.pathname.com/fhs/ (also linked from http://www.debian.org/devel/ and 
separately online at http://www.debian.org/doc/packaging-manuals/fhs/fhs-2.3.html)
(02:53:03) Hydroxide: c33s: if you have the debian-policy package installed, it's 
also in several formats at /usr/share/doc/debian-policy/fhs/ on your system
(02:53:37) Hydroxide: c33s: most linux distributions follow that standard, though 
usually less strictly and with more deviations than Debian.

thanks go out to Hydroxide

Answer 2

If you're talking about scripts created by a user that will be run from that users crontab, I typically put those in either a bin or scripts folder in the home directory, or if they're intended to be shared between users, a /usr/local/scripts directory.

Answer 3

For whom it interests, the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS) is a standards document and still a very good read. I describes the foundation for almost any Linux distribution and is officially endorsed e.g. by Debian and the Linux Standards Base (LSB).

You won't find any positive answer for that question, though, since ... it's not defined ;-). Only thing I can say: Don't put in /bin (neither in /usr/bin). /usr/local/scripts is unusual as well. $HOME/bin seems to be an acceptable place, iff the script is only used by this single user.

Answer 4

I'm a strong beleiver that if a file is made by a user, it goes in his user directory (/home/username) if he didn't make it then it gets more complicated. I have in the past just put them in either /usr/local/bin, /bin, or /usr/local/scripts, I'm not sure about etch, but you need to check to make sure that /usr/local/scripts is actually in Cron's $PATH.

Answer 5

The Debian guide can be quite useful when it comes to Ubuntu:

Normally, programs install themselves in the /usr/local subdirectories. But, Debian packages must not use that directory, since it is reserved for system administrator's (or user's) private use

/usr/local/bin seems to be acceptable according to the guide.

Personally I put my scripts in $HOME/.scripts.

I wish that LSB would specifically address this question though.

Answer 6

How about /home/username/bin?

Add ~/bin to $PATH and make the script executable with chmod +x filename.

Answer 7

personally I prefer

/home/username/.bin

This way the bin folder is hidden but you can still add it to the PATH and execute all scripts with the x-bit inside.

I like my home directory to be clean (at first glance) with very few folders.

Answer 8

You can also add paths to your crontab file as shown in a previous cron-related question.