8 ms·

Android File System Hierarchy

73 points by anantshri 15y ago

A simple page of Android File System Hierarchy view.

IgorPartola 15y ago
Does anyone know the reason for Android not following the LSB standard? Is this out of necessity or just to be different?
- anantshri 15y ago
  Not sure on that part this question might be best answered by google android dev team.
- Palomides 15y ago
  let's spin it the other way: what advantages would following the LSB have? there is little need for standard linux utilities to be easily ported to android, the standard utils are not included, and package management is dealt with in an android-specific way
  - a3_nm 15y ago
    > there is little need for standard linux utilities to be easily ported to android There is need for that. I've been trying to ssh to my Android and use it like I would use a regular computer, and it's a nightmare to set up.
    - Lammy 15y ago
      I had no trouble setting this up with QuickSSHd (not affiliated): https://market.android.com/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.quicksshd https://market.android.com/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.quicks...
      - a3_nm 15y ago
        The problem isn't getting ssh access (Cyanogen ships with the dropbear ssh server), but getting decent userland tools and possibly some form of package management. This is hard precisely because Android doesn't obey the LSB and assumes that mostly everything will be done in Java. It would be very nice to have an OS designed for phones which would be a standard Linux with additional stuff on top. Sadly, Android is more of a Linux kernel without standard tools but with a bulky alien Java-based stuff to do everything.
        nitrogen 15y ago
        It would be very nice to have an OS designed for phones which would be a standard Linux with additional stuff on top. Sadly, Android is more of a Linux kernel without standard tools but with a bulky alien Java-based stuff to do everything. Maemo/Meego is/was exactly that: Debian Linux complete with apt, with a tablet and phone UI.
        cpeterso 15y ago
        Has anyone tried creating a Debian/Android distribution (like Debian/kFreeBSD)? Mozilla's B2G (Boot To Gecko) OS uses the Android kernel without the Dalvik VM or frameworks. I don't know what B2G's userland looks like. A Debian/kAndroid distro could be what Maemo/Meego wanted to be, but benefit from Debian's popular userland and Android device support provided by Google and device manufacturers.
    - deleted 15y ago
      [deleted]
    - ibisum 15y ago
      Android is a regular computer, only one where the app frameworks are limited by intent and with reason.
- 10100101001 15y ago
  Whatever the reasons for not following standards, no matter what company is doing it, I think they should be weighed against the advantages _to the computing community as a whole_ of following standards. Each user might ask themselves, "Is it more worth it for me to learn some nonstandard stuff that will only apply to one company's products, or to learn some standard stuff that applies to many companies' products." I see clear advantages to everyone who has ever learned UNIX (and everyone who learns it going forward) of UNIX-like systems having a standard set of UNIX utilities and keeping things in their expected locations. Namely, there's less to learn and potentially wider applicability across a range of products.
a3_nm 15y ago
This is a very good idea. However, the interface isn't very convenient (especially having to mouse over items to get the description).
- anantshri 15y ago
  I gave a thought of providing a description directly but then it was getting too messy, If you can suggest an alternate approach i am ready to try it out.
  - andrewflnr 15y ago
    It doesn't really work on iPad, if you're supposed to be able to open it like a tree view. I can get the mouse over descriptions by tapping, though. When I did something similar [1], I just put a summary right next to the folder name. Maybe it is a little messy, but I think it works pretty well. [1] http://andrewfleenor.users.sourceforge.net/fhs/fhs.xml http://andrewfleenor.users.sourceforge.net/fhs/fhs.xml
    - anantshri 15y ago
      looks ohk. I will try modelling a new version on this logic. also try clicking on the arrow for opening the tree.
      - andrewflnr 15y ago
        Huh. Expansion works now. I guess I was just missing the button. Sorry about that.
  - jerf 15y ago
    The tree controls just get in the way. There is not so much content here that it justifies needing to click 5 or 10 times just to see it all. When I first visited the page with NoScript, the tree was actually easier to see because it defaulted to fully open. I'd also consider just inlining the "details" too with a simple "dirname - details" scheme; maybe color them a little differently (I wouldn't even go nuts, just a dark grey vs. black will be fine, not bright red or anything). Unfortunately, you've gone through a lot of work to make the content on this page quite difficult to use :(
ryanbraganza 15y ago
I think it would be nicer if the folders were grouped together (at the top).
leoh 15y ago
Cool, but why can't I see this hierarchy when I plug my HTC Droid into my Mac? I certainly don't see a /data/data directory, even with ls -a. Do I have to root the thing?
- juliano_q 15y ago
  I dont know why it happens, but I "resolved" it by rooting the device and downloading the app Root Explorer.
- hahainternet 15y ago
  You are likely seeing the SD card or 'external storage' contents. The filesystem isn't exposed without extra work. Rooting of course, gives you access to write (and read some areas)
- yuliyp 15y ago
  If you want to look at the full hierarchy, get the android developer tools and use adb. If you just plug it into your mac, you'll see the SD card instead.
- leoh 15y ago
  I'll try the devkit. Right now, I do see two mounted devices (phone and sd).

73 points by anantshri 15y ago

A simple page of Android File System Hierarchy view.

Does anyone know the reason for Android not following the LSB standard? Is this out of necessity or just to be different?

anantshri 15y ago
Not sure on that part this question might be best answered by google android dev team.
Palomides 15y ago
let's spin it the other way: what advantages would following the LSB have? there is little need for standard linux utilities to be easily ported to android, the standard utils are not included, and package management is dealt with in an android-specific way
- a3_nm 15y ago
  > there is little need for standard linux utilities to be easily ported to android There is need for that. I've been trying to ssh to my Android and use it like I would use a regular computer, and it's a nightmare to set up.
  - Lammy 15y ago
    I had no trouble setting this up with QuickSSHd (not affiliated): https://market.android.com/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.quicksshd https://market.android.com/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.quicks...
    - a3_nm 15y ago
      The problem isn't getting ssh access (Cyanogen ships with the dropbear ssh server), but getting decent userland tools and possibly some form of package management. This is hard precisely because Android doesn't obey the LSB and assumes that mostly everything will be done in Java. It would be very nice to have an OS designed for phones which would be a standard Linux with additional stuff on top. Sadly, Android is more of a Linux kernel without standard tools but with a bulky alien Java-based stuff to do everything.
      - nitrogen 15y ago
        It would be very nice to have an OS designed for phones which would be a standard Linux with additional stuff on top. Sadly, Android is more of a Linux kernel without standard tools but with a bulky alien Java-based stuff to do everything. Maemo/Meego is/was exactly that: Debian Linux complete with apt, with a tablet and phone UI.
        cpeterso 15y ago
        Has anyone tried creating a Debian/Android distribution (like Debian/kFreeBSD)? Mozilla's B2G (Boot To Gecko) OS uses the Android kernel without the Dalvik VM or frameworks. I don't know what B2G's userland looks like. A Debian/kAndroid distro could be what Maemo/Meego wanted to be, but benefit from Debian's popular userland and Android device support provided by Google and device manufacturers.
  - deleted 15y ago
    [deleted]
  - ibisum 15y ago
    Android is a regular computer, only one where the app frameworks are limited by intent and with reason.
10100101001 15y ago
Whatever the reasons for not following standards, no matter what company is doing it, I think they should be weighed against the advantages _to the computing community as a whole_ of following standards. Each user might ask themselves, "Is it more worth it for me to learn some nonstandard stuff that will only apply to one company's products, or to learn some standard stuff that applies to many companies' products." I see clear advantages to everyone who has ever learned UNIX (and everyone who learns it going forward) of UNIX-like systems having a standard set of UNIX utilities and keeping things in their expected locations. Namely, there's less to learn and potentially wider applicability across a range of products.

a3_nm 15y ago

This is a very good idea. However, the interface isn't very convenient (especially having to mouse over items to get the description).

anantshri 15y ago
I gave a thought of providing a description directly but then it was getting too messy, If you can suggest an alternate approach i am ready to try it out.
- andrewflnr 15y ago
  It doesn't really work on iPad, if you're supposed to be able to open it like a tree view. I can get the mouse over descriptions by tapping, though. When I did something similar [1], I just put a summary right next to the folder name. Maybe it is a little messy, but I think it works pretty well. [1] http://andrewfleenor.users.sourceforge.net/fhs/fhs.xml http://andrewfleenor.users.sourceforge.net/fhs/fhs.xml
  - anantshri 15y ago
    looks ohk. I will try modelling a new version on this logic. also try clicking on the arrow for opening the tree.
    - andrewflnr 15y ago
      Huh. Expansion works now. I guess I was just missing the button. Sorry about that.
- jerf 15y ago
  The tree controls just get in the way. There is not so much content here that it justifies needing to click 5 or 10 times just to see it all. When I first visited the page with NoScript, the tree was actually easier to see because it defaulted to fully open. I'd also consider just inlining the "details" too with a simple "dirname - details" scheme; maybe color them a little differently (I wouldn't even go nuts, just a dark grey vs. black will be fine, not bright red or anything). Unfortunately, you've gone through a lot of work to make the content on this page quite difficult to use :(

ryanbraganza 15y ago

I think it would be nicer if the folders were grouped together (at the top).

leoh 15y ago

Cool, but why can't I see this hierarchy when I plug my HTC Droid into my Mac? I certainly don't see a /data/data directory, even with ls -a. Do I have to root the thing?

juliano_q 15y ago
I dont know why it happens, but I "resolved" it by rooting the device and downloading the app Root Explorer.
hahainternet 15y ago
You are likely seeing the SD card or 'external storage' contents. The filesystem isn't exposed without extra work. Rooting of course, gives you access to write (and read some areas)
yuliyp 15y ago
If you want to look at the full hierarchy, get the android developer tools and use adb. If you just plug it into your mac, you'll see the SD card instead.
leoh 15y ago
I'll try the devkit. Right now, I do see two mounted devices (phone and sd).