What is the difference between dev, media and mnt?

Question

Hi there can someone tell me what is the difference between /dev, /media and /mnt? Are not they dictionaries for removable storage?

Answer 1

• /dev directory contains special files (device files) corresponding to physical devices or system components

• /media is a regular directory which by common practice is used to mount removable media like CD-ROMs, floppy disks, etc.

• /mnt is a regular directory which by common practice is used to mount other filesystems, usually for a short period of time

/dev is essential to the operating system and it cannot be removed

/media and /mnt are only a placeholder directories; removing them won't influence the operating system core operation, but might cause errors with certain applications; for example when a removable media is inserted, or when a process tries to mount a filesystem.

As an example of the difference: /dev contains a reference to a physical CD-ROM drive, /mount might contain a subdirectory through which you can access the files stored on the disc inserted to the same CD-ROM drive.