7 Tips to Organize Files on Linux and Declutter Your PC
On Linux, a file does not only refer to regular files but also to directories, pipes, network sockets, devices, etc. Actually, the phrase “Everything is a file” is a common principle on Linux. Left unchecked, files can clutter your system and reduce productivity.
To improve your workflow and make it easy to navigate your PC, it is important to organize your files properly and be consistent and decisive in organizing files.
1. Give Meaningful Names to Files
Give your files and directories descriptive and meaningful names that reflect their content or purpose. This makes it easier to guess the folder or file content later on.
Remember that Linux is case-sensitive so the directoriesFolder1andfolder1are different even though they have the same name.
Avoid using spaces and special characters. The use of spaces in folders or filenames can cause issues with scripts or when working with the command line. you’re able to use ahyphen(-) or anunderscore(_) to separate words within a name.
Above all be consistent when naming your files. For example, I use thesnake_casefor all my filenames. It uses lowercase letters and words separated by an underscore. For example, a job application letter will have the namejob_application_letter.doc.
For directories, I usePascal_Snake_Case. Each word is capitalized, and the words are separated by an underscore. For instance, a repository of all my Python projects would bear the namePython_Projects.
Find or create a naming convention that suits your needs and use it consistently on your systems.
2. Always Use File Extensions
Related to the naming, use file extensions whenever possible and be consistent. For example, you can save all your Word documents in the Open Document Format extension, meaning all your Word documents will have the extension “.odt”.
It is easy to associate certain file types with a default program if you are consistent. This saves you time in the long term.
File extensions make it easier to search for files. In addition, you can easily run automation scripts or commands that target a specific file extension.
3. Structure Your Directories
We all know that particular person that literally has all their directories on the desktop or in some specific folder. What a mess! Avoid it at all costs and always keep your desktop clean.
Having too many directories in one place can overwhelm your eyes and makes it difficult to locate files, hampering productivity in the process.
By default, Linux comes with certain directories designed for specific files, e.g. the Pictures directory, Videos directory, or the Music directory. This goes to show the importance of grouping related items together, so follow the same principle when creating your directories.
Structure your directories such that they do not contain too many files and subdirectories. Group related items within specific directories and create further categories if necessary. Just make sure that your directories are not too deeply nested.
4. Location Is Key
Apart from properly structuring your directories, it is also important that you place all your files in the right location.
Learn best practices from Linux itself. It follows adirectory structure to organize files. So you should follow the same principles. For example, the/etc/directory is reserved for configuration files, whereas the/bin/directory is for user binaries or programs.
File locations are crucial for navigating and finding files quickly. It also plays an important part when carrying out backups or syncing data. For example, if you have all your photos within the Pictures directory, you can simply take a backup of the Pictures directory knowing fully that all your important memories are in there.
5. Sort Your Files
To further enhance your workflow, you should sort your directories and files according to your needs. You can sort files by date, name, type or date modified, or file size. All this will make it easier for you to find and locate files later.
Sorting files by date modified can help you to identify files that you often work with. On the contrary, the files that have not been modified in a long time may need to be deleted.
Overall, you benefit a lot by sorting files by certain parameters. It will improve your productivity and simplify file management.
6. Customize Directory Preferences
Linux comes with many customization options for your files and directories that might improve your workflow. For instance, you canchange directory iconsto make it easier to find items at a glance.
You can also create symbolic links for items that you access often. Make sure that all symbolic links are working properly, however. Occasionally, take some time tofix broken symbolic links.
Use the directory preferences menu to customize how you interact with files. For instance, you can customize whether you should double-click or single-click to open a file. You can also customize whether certain context menus should show when you right-click on a file or directory.
Further, you can customize your search preference and specify how deep you want a search to go.
7. Clear Unnecessary Files
Utilize the disk management utilities that come with Linux to learn about how much disk space you are using and to find out which files are taking up so much disk space.
Disk Usage Analyzer is a GUI tool that gives you an interactive graphical overview of disk usage. The red zones show which directories are taking up the most space.
You can alsouse the du commandanddfto find out directory sizes and disk usage. Thedf -hcommand will show disk usage in a human-readable format.
To identify large files or directories, you could run thesudo du / -h | sort -hcommand. It will show you all directories within the root (/) directory and how much disk space they are using. The-hflag means the output is in a human-readable format. The output is then piped to asortcommand to sort the directories by disk usage size.
Go through the output to identify the files that are consuming too much space and whether they are still relevant. Otherwise, you can clear them up.
Once in a while, clear your computer cache and delete temporary files that are no longer needed using the command:
Review log files and identify the ones that you no longer need. Most log files are located in the/var/logdirectory.
All deleted files go to the trash by default. However, they still consume disk space. Consider clearing the trash to remove clutter.
Exercise caution when using thermcommand. It permanently deletes files and can cause havoc if not used appropriately.
Organize Your Files and Improve Productivity on Linux
These tips will help you get the most from your Linux system. Use meaningful names, structure your directories, clear old files, and above all be consistent.
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