It may look like a small addition, but standardizing something many Linux users already do can improve workflows, application behavior, and even documentation over time.

If you are using a rolling release distro like Arch, you might have noticed that your home directory now has a new member, a new folder called “Projects”.

For as long as I remember, Linux has always had a set of default folders under the home directory. Usually they are Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos and Downloads. Templates, Desktop and Public folders are also there.

Now we have a new addition in the form of “Projects”.

  • AnimalsDream@slrpnk.netEnglish
    6·
    10 hours ago

    I already make my own Projects folder. Does this mean programs are going to start being tuned to make changes to it? Leave my adhd folder alone plz.

  • MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip
    7·
    11 hours ago

    The article should also mention the new XDG variable itself, please.

    And also, the XDG people should’ve thought of a more flexible way, that allows unlimited custom icon-directory associations. Now, we have some file managers, that do it their own way, most don’t allow custom directory icons.

  • Dr. Moose@lemmy.worldEnglish
    191·
    15 hours ago

    Now make all of default XDG directories lowercase. Nothing else is capitalized in the file system - why do these directories get an exception?

  • ApertureUA@lemmy.todayEnglish
    5·
    14 hours ago

    Idk, XDG is weird.
    “Music”, “Documents”, “Downloads”, “Public” and “Templates” are in Ukrainian;
    “Public” and “Downloads” are duplicated in English;
    “Desktop” is just English;
    “Images” is in Russian for me for some reason.

    No Projects despite me updating recently, I guess it just gave up.

  • jcrFrançais
    4·
    18 hours ago

    Even if I am against this kind of “defaults”, today I learned how you customize this for any folder in the home directory !

    For linux based system, you do like told in https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/xdg-user-dirs/

    ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs specifies the current set of directories for the user. This file can also be modified by users (manually or via applications) to change the directories used. Note: To disable a directory, point it to the homedir. If you delete it it will be recreated on the next login.

    So at last I disabled Music, Templates, Pictures and Videos . Cleaner Home !

  • loiakdsf@discuss.tchncs.de
    12·
    1 day ago

    how about first getting programs to put dotfiles into the .config folder (opposed to .programname) instead of adding more folders that are inconsistent over distros for multiple years before the point of a default for IDEs and CAD programs can even be meaningfully made?

    • daeraxa@programming.dev
      2·
      12 hours ago

      Ugh yeah this is a real point of annoyance for me, we have the XDG basedir spec for a reason but everything just ignores it. I’d settle for even the config part, let alone state, data dirs and the rest. Just throw it all in home…

  • thedeadwalking4242@lemmy.world
    22·
    2 days ago

    Honestly I say just let the user decide what goes in their home directory. I always get annoyed at all the random garbage in there. There should be a specific place that is user owned that isn’t filled with cruft and configuration files

    • RamenJunkie@midwest.socialEnglish
      4·
      1 day ago

      Yeah, I have essentially never used these folders unless a program sticks something there by default (mostly pictures).

        • SkaveRat@discuss.tchncs.de
          3·
          23 hours ago

          A thing I started doing years ago, to combat trashing to ~/Desktop or ~/Downloads:

          Set /tmp as your default download directory.

          At least for me, almost everything I download is just ephemeral and would collect dust

          Putting it there causes it to be cleaned up on the next reboot. No more piles of junk on the desktop (the virtual one at least. Don’t ask about my physical desktop)

          • Sneezycat@sopuli.xyz
            2·
            14 hours ago

            That’s a good idea until you download a 10GB file and you wonder why you’re out of RAM :P

            I use /tmp as a temp folder for yt-dlp (it is faster than an HDD when adding metadata and subs to the video), and I’ve ran out of RAM before by downloading a video too big… Silly me, my laptop only has 8GB.

      • EddoWagt@feddit.nl
        1·
        1 day ago

        I relocated the default folders that are useful to another drive, I pretty much don’t use the home folder at all apart from some random github pulls or some shit

    • TheV2@programming.dev
      11·
      1 day ago

      The user does decide, XDG user directories are optional and configurable. Since they are already established, user-friendly distros / desktop environments already pre-install them.

      And what speaks against just using a new directory within your home directory as your “specific place that is user owned that isn’t filed with cruft and configuration files”?

      • thedeadwalking4242@lemmy.world
        2·
        12 hours ago

        It’s only optional and configurable if it’s respected. Which often times it’s not due to convention.

        And I do already actually, it’s just weird that I have to.

        It’s 100% one of those carry overs from earlier days of computing and Linux not having great standards only great conventions. Like /bin vs /usr/bin

  • sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    19·
    1 day ago

    Hah, thats funny, I… literally have a ‘Projects’ folder, though I’m running Bazzite.

    hoists suspenders

    Yep, made that folder on my own, gets the job done, mhrm.

    … lol

    (pleasedonotlookinsidetheProjectsfolderdeargoditissuchamess)