Directory locations

Directory locations

Directory or file Property Description
wlp/ wlp.install.dir Root of installation
bin/
Scripts for managing the installation. For example, server.
clients/
Liberty profile client and thin client libraries. For example restConnector.jar.
   jython/
Jython-based scripts
dev/
Root for developer resources (APIs, SPIs, specifications, and tools)
   api/
Public APIs available for both compile and run time by default
     ibm/
APIs available in the Liberty profile
        javadoc/
Java document archives
     spec/
Public specification APIs available for both compile and run time by default
     third-party/
Third-party APIs available at compile time by default and must be specified in the configuration using the apiTypeVisibility attribute of the classloader element for applications at run time.
   spi/
Public SPIs available for both compile and run time by default
     ibm/
SPIs available in the Liberty profile
        javadoc/
Java document archives for SPI
     spec/
Public specification SPIs available for both compile and run time by default
   tools/
Ant plug-in
etc/
User customized server variables that apply to all servers (optional)
   server.env
Default server script environment variables (optional)
   jvm.options
Default jvm options (optional)
lafiles/
License information files
lib/
Platform runtime environment
templates/
Runtime customization templates and examples
   server/
Server template when creating a server
usr/ wlp.user.dir User directory
   extension/ usr.extension.dir User-developed features
   shared/

      apps/ shared.app.dir Shared applications
      config/ shared.config.dir Shared configuration files
      resources/ shared.resource.dir Shared resource definitions: adapters, data sources
   servers/
Shared servers directory
      server_name server.config.dir Server configuration directory. References server-specific configuration (applications).
         bootstrap.properties
Server bootstrap properties (optional)
         jvm.options
Server JVM options, which replace the values in wlp/etc/jvm.options (optional)
         server.env
Server script environment variables. Merged with wlp/etc/server.env (optional).
         server.xml
Server configuration overlays ( required)
         apps/
Server configuration for applications.
         dropins/
Server default application dropins. folder (optional)
            application_name
Application folder or archive (optional)
      server_name server.output.dir Server output directory. Describes artifacts generated by the server (log files and workarea).
         logs/
Server log files, including FFDC logs. Created after server is first run.
            console.log
Basic server status and operations messages.
            trace_timestamp.log
Time-stamped trace messages, with the level of detail determined by the current tracing configuration
            ffdc/
FFDC output directory.
               ffdc_timestamp/
FFDC output. Includes memory dumps of diagnostic data related to the request failures. p
         workarea/
Files created by the server as it operates (directory is present after server is first run).

We can use the properties that are associated with each directory, if any, to specify file locations when we configure the server. For an example, see Deploy applications to the Liberty profile.
To ensure configuration portability, use the most specific property that is appropriate, and do not rely on the relationship between resources. For example, in some configurations the installation location, ${wlp.install.dir} might not be the parent of the customized instance ${wlp.user.dir}.

Programmatic access to location properties

Location properties can be bound into the JNDI namespace under names of the choice, using the jndiEntry configuration elements in server.xml, for example:
<jndiEntry jndiName="serverName" value="${wlp.server.name}"/>

Such entries are accessible by any code that runs in the server (applications, shared libraries or features) through a JNDI lookup:
Object serverName = new InitialContext().lookup("serverName");

See Use JNDI binding for constants
Feature code can also use a system programming interface (SPI) provided by the kernel to resolve the values of these properties, for example:
ServiceReference <WsLocationAdmin>locationAdminRef = bundleContext.getServiceReference(WsLocationAdmin.class);
WsLocationAdmin locationAdmin = bundleContext.getService(locationAdminRef);
String serverName = locationAdmin.resolveString("${wlp.server.name}");
Parent topic: Set up the Liberty profile
Tasks:

Deploy applications to the Liberty profile
Specify Liberty profile bootstrap properties
Control dynamic updates
Use include elements in configuration files
Customize the Liberty profile environment
Tune the Liberty profile
Configure session persistence

Directory or file	Property	Description
wlp/	wlp.install.dir	Root of installation
bin/		Scripts for managing the installation. For example, server.
clients/		Liberty profile client and thin client libraries. For example restConnector.jar.
jython/		Jython-based scripts
dev/		Root for developer resources (APIs, SPIs, specifications, and tools)
api/		Public APIs available for both compile and run time by default
ibm/		APIs available in the Liberty profile
javadoc/		Java document archives
spec/		Public specification APIs available for both compile and run time by default
third-party/		Third-party APIs available at compile time by default and must be specified in the configuration using the apiTypeVisibility attribute of the classloader element for applications at run time.
spi/		Public SPIs available for both compile and run time by default
ibm/		SPIs available in the Liberty profile
javadoc/		Java document archives for SPI
spec/		Public specification SPIs available for both compile and run time by default
tools/		Ant plug-in
etc/		User customized server variables that apply to all servers (optional)
server.env		Default server script environment variables (optional)
jvm.options		Default jvm options (optional)
lafiles/		License information files
lib/		Platform runtime environment
templates/		Runtime customization templates and examples
server/		Server template when creating a server
usr/	wlp.user.dir	User directory
extension/	usr.extension.dir	User-developed features
shared/
apps/	shared.app.dir	Shared applications
config/	shared.config.dir	Shared configuration files
resources/	shared.resource.dir	Shared resource definitions: adapters, data sources
servers/		Shared servers directory
server_name	server.config.dir	Server configuration directory. References server-specific configuration (applications).
bootstrap.properties		Server bootstrap properties (optional)
jvm.options		Server JVM options, which replace the values in wlp/etc/jvm.options (optional)
server.env		Server script environment variables. Merged with wlp/etc/server.env (optional).
server.xml		Server configuration overlays ( required)
apps/		Server configuration for applications.
dropins/		Server default application dropins. folder (optional)
application_name		Application folder or archive (optional)
server_name	server.output.dir	Server output directory. Describes artifacts generated by the server (log files and workarea).
logs/		Server log files, including FFDC logs. Created after server is first run.
console.log		Basic server status and operations messages.
trace_timestamp.log		Time-stamped trace messages, with the level of detail determined by the current tracing configuration
ffdc/		FFDC output directory.
ffdc_timestamp/		FFDC output. Includes memory dumps of diagnostic data related to the request failures. p
workarea/		Files created by the server as it operates (directory is present after server is first run).