Paths in Linux are used to navigate the file system. Here’s a structured explanation with a simple diagrammatic representation →

Key Definitions:

1. Root (/):

   • The topmost directory in the Linux file system.
   • All files and directories are organized under /.

2. Absolute Path:

   • A complete path from the root (/) to a specific file or directory.

   • Starts with a /.

   • Example: This command navigates directly to fo1 inside /bin.

     cd /bin/fo1
     

3. Relative Path:

   • A path relative to the current directory.

   • Does not start with /.

   • Example: This command navigates to fo2 relative to the current directory.

     cd fo2
     

File System Example:

• Root Directory: / Contains directories like bin, etc, apps, etc.

File Structure Tree:

/      -> Root
|-- bin
|    |-- f1
|    |-- fo1
|         |-- f2
|         |-- fo2

Commands Example:

1. Absolute Path:

   Navigate to fo1 from anywhere in the system:

   cd /bin/fo1
   

2. Relative Path:

   Navigate to fo2 when already inside /bin/fo1:

   cd fo2
   

Diagrammatic Representation:

Here’s a simple diagram for better visualization:

Root (/)
├── bin
│   ├── f1
│   ├── fo1
│   │   ├── f2
│   │   └── fo2
├── etc
└── apps

• Absolute Path: /bin/fo1