Mac 101: The two Applications folders

Mac users quickly come to know the /Applications/ directory, where you will find all of the default applications that come with OS X (Safari, Mail, iChat, Preview, iCal and so on), as well as the Utilities folder (/Applications/Utilities/), where more advanced users get to know Activity Monitor, Terminal, Network Utility, Airport Utility, Spaces and more.

If you have run an installer -- such as for iLife, iWork, Microsoft Office and so on‚ more than likely that installer has added programs to the /Applications/ folder. The /Applications/ folder is also usually linked to when you mount a disk image (those files that end with .dmg), encouraging you to drag applications to the /Applications/ directory. The Applications folder is also in the sidebar of the Finder.

But some other users use a second Applications directory in their Home folder: ~/Applications/. Why keep two separate sets of Applications?

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Mac 101: The two Applications folders originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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