Common Linux Dot Files
Tags: linux, beginners, tutorial, bash
Published: 2021-11-05 09:16:11

Typically, dotfiles are simply configuration files where software programs store their configuration settings in plain, text-based files or directories. 

```
Syntax: 
Dot File Name 
	Format Purpose

.bash_history 
	File History of commands typed at a Bash command prompt.

.bash_logout 
	File Script that's run when logging out of a text-mode Bash shell.

.bash_profile 
	File Script that's run when starting up a text-mode Bash shell.

.bashrc
	File Script that's run when starting up a text-mode Bash shell.

.DCOPServer_*
	Filename varies with the computer's name; status file for the Desktop Communication Protocol (DCOP), which is used by KDE to help manage interprogram communications.

.dmrc 
	File KDE Display Manager (KDM) configuration file; specifies what desktop 
	environment to run when logging in via KDM.

.emacs.d
	Directory Settings for Emacs, a popular text editor.  

.esd_auth
	Housekeeping file for the Enlightened Sound Daemon (ESD), which is part of Linux's sound subsystem.

.fonts 
	Directory User-installed font files.

.fonts.cache-1 
	File Listing of user-installed fonts in .fonts.

.fonts.conf
	File Xft font configuration file.

.gconf
	Directory Configuration files used by GConf, a centralized configuration tool associated with GNOME.

.gconfd
	Directory Status files used by GConf.  

.gimp-1.2 or.gimp-2.0
	Directory Configuration file, and perhaps temporary storage space, for the GIMP. 
Precise filename depends on the version of  GIMP being used.

.gnome, .gnome2, and .gnome2_private
	Directory Configurations for GNOME applications.

.gtkrc
	File Configuration information for the GIMP Toolkit (GTK+), which is a GUI development tool used by the GIMP, GNOME, and many other programs.

.kde
	Directory Configuration files for KDE applications.

.macromedia
	Directory Configuration files for Macromedia products, such as Flash Player.

.mail or .Mail
	Directory Mail messages; best managed with your mail program.

.metacity
	Directory Configuration files for the Metacity window manager, which is most commonly used by GNOME.

.mozilla
	Directory Configuration files and cache for the Mozilla and Mozilla Firefox Web browsers.

.nautilus
	Directory Configuration files for the Nautilus file browser used by GNOME.

.rhn-applet
	Directory Housekeeping files for Red Hat.s Update Agent program.

.rhn-applet.conf
	File Configuration file for Red Hat.s Update Agent.

.signature
	File Traditional name for a signature file, which is a few (typically 1.4) lines of text appended to mail messages and newsgroup posts.

.ssh
	Directory Files associated with the Secure Shell (SSH) client program.

.themes
	Directory Themes for desktop environments.

.wine
	Directory Configuration and other files related to the WINE Is Not an Emulator (WINE) tool for running Windows programs in Linux.

.Xauthority
	File Automatically generated file that helps manage connections to the X server (Linux.s GUI environment).

.Xclients and .Xclients-default
	File Script that.s sometimes run when logging into a GUI session. (Not all GUI login methods use this script.)

.Xdefaults
	File Settings file that.s used by certain X programs; can be used to set program defaults.

.xfce4
	Directory Configuration files for the XFce desktop environment.

.xinitrc
	File Script run when starting X from a text-mode login.

.xmms
	Directory Configuration file associated with the X Multimedia System (XMMS). 
```

Granted, this is not a comprehensive list of all available dotfiles, but more so a general overview of associated file types.

Enjoy!