---
title: InfluxDB file system layout
description: The InfluxDB file system layout depends on the operating system, package manager, or containerization platform used to install InfluxDB.
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb/v1/concepts/file-system-layout/
estimated_tokens: 1994
product: InfluxDB OSS v1
version: v1
publisher: InfluxData
canonical: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb/v1/concepts/file-system-layout/
date: '2025-07-28T09:47:31-06:00'
lastmod: '2025-07-28T09:47:31-06:00'
---

This page documents an earlier version of InfluxDB OSS.[InfluxDB 3 Core](/influxdb3/core/) is the latest stable version.

The InfluxDB file system layout depends on the operating system, installation method,
or containerization platform used to install InfluxDB.

* [InfluxDB file structure](#influxdb-file-structure)
* [File system layout](#file-system-layout)

## InfluxDB file structure

The InfluxDB file structure includes of the following:

### Data directory

Directory path where InfluxDB stores time series data (TSM files).
To customize this path, use the [`[data].dir`](/influxdb/v1/administration/config/#dir-1)configuration option.

### WAL directory

Directory path where InfluxDB stores Write Ahead Log (WAL) files.
To customize this path, use the [`[data].wal-dir`](/influxdb/v1/administration/config/#wal-dir)configuration option.

### Metastore directory

Directory path of the InfluxDB metastore, which stores information about users,
databases, retention policies, shards, and continuous queries.
To customize this path, use the [`[meta].dir`](/influxdb/v1/administration/config/#dir)configuration option.

## InfluxDB configuration files

Some operating systems and package managers store a default InfluxDB configuration file on disk.
For more information about using InfluxDB configuration files, see[Configure InfluxDB](/influxdb/v1/administration/config/).

## File system layout

#### macOS ####

#### macOS default directories

|                   Path                    |      Default      |
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------|
|     [Data directory](#data-directory)     |`~/.influxdb/data/`|
|      [WAL directory](#wal-directory)      |`~/.influxdb/wal/` |
|[Metastore directory](#metastore-directory)|`~/.influxdb/meta/`|

#### Homebrew default directories

|                   Path                    |             Default              |
|-------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|     [Data directory](#data-directory)     |`/opt/homebrew/var/influxdb/data/`|
|      [WAL directory](#wal-directory)      |`/opt/homebrew/var/influxdb/wal/` |
|[Metastore directory](#metastore-directory)|    `/opt/homebrew/var/meta/`     |

#### macOS file system overview

* \~/.influxdb/
  * data/
    * *TSM directories and files*

  * wal/
    * *WAL directories and files*

  * meta/
    * meta.db

When installing InfluxDB on Linux, you can download and install the `influxd` binary,
or you can use a package manager.
Which installation method you use determines the file system layout.

* [Installed as a standalone binary](#installed-as-a-standalone-binary)
* [Installed as a package](#installed-as-a-package)

### Installed as a standalone binary

#### Linux default directories (standalone binary)

|                   Path                    |      Default      |
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------|
|     [Data directory](#data-directory)     |`~/.influxdb/data/`|
|      [WAL directory](#wal-directory)      |`~/.influxdb/wal/` |
|[Metastore directory](#metastore-directory)|`~/.influxdb/meta/`|

#### Linux file system overview (standalone binary)

* \~/.influxdb/
  * data/
    * *TSM directories and files*

  * wal/
    * *WAL directories and files*

  * meta/
    * meta.db

### Installed as a package

InfluxDB 2.0 supports **.deb-** and **.rpm-based** Linux package managers.
The file system layout is the same with each.

#### Linux default directories (package)

|                          Path                           |           Default           |
|---------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|            [Data directory](#data-directory)            |  `/var/lib/influxdb/data/`  |
|             [WAL directory](#wal-directory)             |  `/var/lib/influxdb/wal/`   |
|       [Metastore directory](#metastore-directory)       |  `/var/lib/influxdb/meta/`  |
|[Default config file path](#influxdb-configuration-files)|`/etc/influxdb/influxdb.conf`|

#### Linux file system overview (package)

* /var/lib/influxdb/
  * data/
    * *TSM directories and files*

  * wal/
    * *WAL directories and files*

  * meta/
    * meta.db

* /etc/influxdb/
  * influxdb.conf *(influxd configuration file)*

#### Windows default paths

|                   Path                    |            Default            |
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|     [Data directory](#data-directory)     |`%USERPROFILE%\.influxdb\data\`|
|      [WAL directory](#wal-directory)      |`%USERPROFILE%\.influxdb\wal\` |
|[Metastore directory](#metastore-directory)|`%USERPROFILE%\.influxdb\meta\`|

#### Windows file system overview

* %USERPROFILE%\\.influxdb\\
  * data/
    * *TSM directories and files*

  * wal/
    * *WAL directories and files*

  * meta/
    * meta.db

#### Docker default directories

|                   Path                    |         Default         |
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------|
|     [Data directory](#data-directory)     |`/var/lib/influxdb/data/`|
|      [WAL directory](#wal-directory)      |`/var/lib/influxdb/wal/` |
|[Metastore directory](#metastore-directory)|`/var/lib/influxdb/meta/`|

#### Docker Hub file system overview

* /var/lib/influxdb/
  * data/
    * *TSM directories and files*

  * wal/
    * *WAL directories and files*

  * meta/
    * meta.db

#### Kubernetes default paths

|                   Path                    |         Default         |
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------|
|     [Data directory](#data-directory)     |`/var/lib/influxdb/data/`|
|      [WAL directory](#wal-directory)      |`/var/lib/influxdb/wal/` |
|[Metastore directory](#metastore-directory)|`/var/lib/influxdb/meta/`|

#### Kubernetes file system overview

* /var/lib/influxdb/
  * data/
    * *TSM directories and files*

  * wal/
    * *WAL directories and files*

  * meta/
    * meta.db

## Directory permissions

The user running the `influxd` process should have the following permissions for
directories in the [InfluxDB file system](#file-system-layout):

|   Directory path   |Permission|
|--------------------|----------|
|  `.../influxdb/`   |   755    |
|`.../influxdb/data/`|   755    |
|`.../influxdb/meta/`|   755    |
|`.../influxdb/wal/` |   700    |
| Path | Default |
| --- | --- |
| Path | Default |
| Data directory | ~/.influxdb/data/ |
| WAL directory | ~/.influxdb/wal/ |
| Metastore directory | ~/.influxdb/meta/ |

| Path | Default |
| --- | --- |
| Path | Default |
| Data directory | /opt/homebrew/var/influxdb/data/ |
| WAL directory | /opt/homebrew/var/influxdb/wal/ |
| Metastore directory | /opt/homebrew/var/meta/ |

| Path | Default |
| --- | --- |
| Path | Default |
| Data directory | ~/.influxdb/data/ |
| WAL directory | ~/.influxdb/wal/ |
| Metastore directory | ~/.influxdb/meta/ |

| Path | Default |
| --- | --- |
| Path | Default |
| Data directory | /var/lib/influxdb/data/ |
| WAL directory | /var/lib/influxdb/wal/ |
| Metastore directory | /var/lib/influxdb/meta/ |
| Default config file path | /etc/influxdb/influxdb.conf |

| Path | Default |
| --- | --- |
| Path | Default |
| Data directory | %USERPROFILE%\.influxdb\data\ |
| WAL directory | %USERPROFILE%\.influxdb\wal\ |
| Metastore directory | %USERPROFILE%\.influxdb\meta\ |

| Path | Default |
| --- | --- |
| Path | Default |
| Data directory | /var/lib/influxdb/data/ |
| WAL directory | /var/lib/influxdb/wal/ |
| Metastore directory | /var/lib/influxdb/meta/ |

| Path | Default |
| --- | --- |
| Path | Default |
| Data directory | /var/lib/influxdb/data/ |
| WAL directory | /var/lib/influxdb/wal/ |
| Metastore directory | /var/lib/influxdb/meta/ |

| Directory path | Permission |
| --- | --- |
| Directory path | Permission |
| .../influxdb/ | 755 |
| .../influxdb/data/ | 755 |
| .../influxdb/meta/ | 755 |
| .../influxdb/wal/ | 700 |