▲ 121 ▼ What is the /opt directory? (lemmy.zip) submitted 2 years ago by AlexPewMaster@lemmy.zip to c/linux@lemmy.ml 46 comments fedilink hide all child comments I've seen a lot of self-hosted software wanting to store their data in /opt, is there any reason why?
[–] caseyweederman@lemmy.ca 20 points 2 years ago (5 children) Add-on application software packages How are applications that go into /opt different than any other packages? Even after reading that spec, it seems arbitrary. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 10 child comments replies: [–] catloaf@lemm.ee 31 points 2 years ago (1 child) Yes, it's arbitrary. Packages that bundle a bunch of stuff, or otherwise make a mess, should go into /opt. Well-behaved packages that integrate with the system should be fine to install to /usr. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] caseyweederman@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 years ago (2 children) Who gets the final call on that, the developer or the maintainer? I've noticed that Landscape goes into /opt, and Canonical is both developer and maintainer there. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] catloaf@lemm.ee 9 points 2 years ago The developer could do one thing, but whoever builds the package could change it, so the packager. permalink fedilink source parent [–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 years ago (2 children) The system admin. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] FigMcLargeHuge@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 years ago Especially when some dumbass app starts writing log files to /opt. permalink fedilink source parent [–] caseyweederman@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 years ago (1 child) Sure, but in the case of dpkg? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] kevincox@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 years ago The packager. permalink fedilink source parent [–] Strit@lemmy.linuxuserspace.show 19 points 2 years ago It is very arbitrary. Some/most non-free applications usually drop stuff into /opt, so it does not spread all over the filesystem. It makes sense if the application was not developed with Linux in mind, like Discord, Teamviewer etc. permalink fedilink source parent [–] orsetto@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 2 years ago I think it refers to applications that do not respect the standard directories like /usr/bin, /usr/share/man, /etc permalink fedilink source parent [–] aniki@lemm.ee 9 points 2 years ago On all the work servers I maintain we pretty much install anything that's not in the base repo to /opt/ permalink fedilink source parent [–] 0x0@programming.dev 4 points 2 years ago If you didn't get it through your distro's package manager, it probably should go into /opt. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 31 points 2 years ago (1 child) Yes, it's arbitrary. Packages that bundle a bunch of stuff, or otherwise make a mess, should go into /opt. Well-behaved packages that integrate with the system should be fine to install to /usr. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] caseyweederman@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 years ago (2 children) Who gets the final call on that, the developer or the maintainer? I've noticed that Landscape goes into /opt, and Canonical is both developer and maintainer there. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] catloaf@lemm.ee 9 points 2 years ago The developer could do one thing, but whoever builds the package could change it, so the packager. permalink fedilink source parent [–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 years ago (2 children) The system admin. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] FigMcLargeHuge@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 years ago Especially when some dumbass app starts writing log files to /opt. permalink fedilink source parent [–] caseyweederman@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 years ago (1 child) Sure, but in the case of dpkg? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] kevincox@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 years ago The packager. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] caseyweederman@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 years ago (2 children) Who gets the final call on that, the developer or the maintainer? I've noticed that Landscape goes into /opt, and Canonical is both developer and maintainer there. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] catloaf@lemm.ee 9 points 2 years ago The developer could do one thing, but whoever builds the package could change it, so the packager. permalink fedilink source parent [–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 years ago (2 children) The system admin. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] FigMcLargeHuge@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 years ago Especially when some dumbass app starts writing log files to /opt. permalink fedilink source parent [–] caseyweederman@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 years ago (1 child) Sure, but in the case of dpkg? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] kevincox@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 years ago The packager. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 9 points 2 years ago The developer could do one thing, but whoever builds the package could change it, so the packager. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 years ago (2 children) The system admin. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] FigMcLargeHuge@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 years ago Especially when some dumbass app starts writing log files to /opt. permalink fedilink source parent [–] caseyweederman@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 years ago (1 child) Sure, but in the case of dpkg? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] kevincox@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 years ago The packager. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] FigMcLargeHuge@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 years ago Especially when some dumbass app starts writing log files to /opt. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] caseyweederman@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 years ago (1 child) Sure, but in the case of dpkg? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] kevincox@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 years ago The packager. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Strit@lemmy.linuxuserspace.show 19 points 2 years ago It is very arbitrary. Some/most non-free applications usually drop stuff into /opt, so it does not spread all over the filesystem. It makes sense if the application was not developed with Linux in mind, like Discord, Teamviewer etc. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] orsetto@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 2 years ago I think it refers to applications that do not respect the standard directories like /usr/bin, /usr/share/man, /etc permalink fedilink source parent
[–] aniki@lemm.ee 9 points 2 years ago On all the work servers I maintain we pretty much install anything that's not in the base repo to /opt/ permalink fedilink source parent
[–] 0x0@programming.dev 4 points 2 years ago If you didn't get it through your distro's package manager, it probably should go into /opt. permalink fedilink source parent