Question - Explain the types of pathnames that can be used in UNIX.
Answer -
In a file system for any operating system, there exists the hierarchy of directories, there ‘Path’ is defined as the unique location to a file/ directory to access it.
There are basically two types of a path that are used in Unix. These can be defined as follows:
a) Absolute Pathname: It defines a complete path specifying the location of a file/ directory from the beginning of the actual file system i.e. from the root directory (/).
Absolute pathname addresses system configuration files that do not change location. It defines a complete path specifying the location of a file/ directory from the beginning of the actual file system i.e. from the root directory (/). Absolute pathname addresses system configuration files that do not change location.
b) Relative Pathname: It defines the path from the current working directory where the user is i.e. the present working directory (pwd). Relative pathname signifies current directory, parent directory as well as also refers to file that are either impossible or inconvenient to access. It defines the path from the current working directory where the user is i.e. the present working directory (pwd).
Relative pathname signifies current directory, parent directory as well as also refers to file that are either impossible or inconvenient to access.