Root

/rüt/

[UNIX]

n.

#root

1. The superuser account that ignores permission bits, user number 0 on a UNIX system. This account has the user name root. The term avatar is also used.

   #root: Refers to the prompt sign when logged in as the root user.

   Meaning: The # symbol is often used in the shell prompt to indicate that you are logged in as the root user. It signifies that the current user has superuser (or administrative) privileges.

   Example in a terminal prompt:

   When logged in as root, your prompt might look like this:

   root@machine:~# 

   The # symbol indicates you have administrative rights to execute privileged commands.

   Why it's important: The root user has unrestricted access to all commands, files, and the entire system. You should be careful when operating as root because any mistakes (such as deleting system files) can have severe consequences.

   Root User: The root user (or superuser) is a special account with full administrative privileges on Unix-like operating systems. The root user can modify any file, execute any command, and control system settings, which regular users cannot do without using sudo.

/root

1. The top node of the system directory structure (home directory of the root user).

   /root: The home directory of the root user, where personal root user files are stored.

   Meaning: /root is the home directory of the root user on a Unix-like system. It's where configuration files and other personal files specific to the root user are stored.

   Path: It is an absolute path, starting from the root of the filesystem (/).

   Example:

   • When the root user is logged in, their home directory is /root.
   • Other users typically have their home directories located under /home/username, but the root user has a dedicated /root directory.

   Why it's important: The /root directory is private to the root user, and regular users typically don't have permission to access it. It is different from the root directory (/, described next).

   / (Root Directory): / is the root directory of the entire file system. It is the topmost directory from which all other directories and files branch. For example, directories like /etc, /bin, /home, and /root are all contained within the / root directory.

~root

1. By extension, the privileged system-maintenance login on any OS.

   ~root: A shortcut reference to the root user's home directory, equivalent to /root.

   Meaning: ~root (also known as tilde root) is a shorthand reference to the home directory of the root user, i.e., /root.

   Example:

   1. Typing cd ~root in the terminal will take you to the root user’s home directory (/root).
   2. Similarly, if you were a regular user and typed cd ~yourusername, it would take you to your own home directory, which is typically /home/yourusername.

   Why it's important: The tilde (~) symbol is used as a shorthand in many Unix-like shells (such as Bash) to represent home directories:

   1. ~ by itself refers to the current user’s home directory.
   2. ~username refers to the home directory of the specified user.

   See root mode, go root.