List of "dot files" that may appear in a user's home directory on Debian systems, what they are, and what to do with them.

File name

Program (Package)

Type

Confidential

Documentation

Notes

.autom4te.cfg

autom4te (autoconf)

config

info Autoconf

also used by automake, libtool

.bash_history

bash

history

bash(1)

.bash_logout

bash

config

bash(1)

optional

.bash_profile

bash

config

bash(1)

.bashrc

bash

config

bash(1)

.cvsrc

cvs

config

cvs(1)

almost mandatory for sensible use of cvs

.devscripts

(devscripts)

config

various man pages via devscripts(1)

.dput.cf

dput

config

dput.cf(5)

.dupload.conf

dupload

config

dupload.conf(5)

.emacs

(emacs*)

config

?

can also be modified from within Emacs

.gitconfig

git (git-core)

config

git-config(1)

.hushlogin

login

config

login(1)

should have length zero

.kernel-pkg.conf

make-kpkg (kernel-package)

config

kernel-pkg.conf(5)

.lessfilter

lesspipe (less)

config

lesspipe(1)

should be executable

.lesshst

less

history

yes

less(1)

history of searches in less

.nano_history

nano

history

yes

nano(1)

history of searches in nano

.nanorc

nano

config

nanorc(5)

.netrc

ftp, mc

config

yes

netrc(5)

.pbuilderrc

pbuilder, cowbuilder

config

pbuilderrc(5)

.psql_history

psql (postgresql-client)

history

psql(1)

.psqlrc

psql (postgresql-client)

config

psql(1)

.pulse/

(pulseaudio)

config

pulse-daemon.conf(5)

.pulse-cookie

(pulseaudio)

data

yes

pulse-client.conf(5)

.pylintrc

pylint

config

pylint(1)

.quiltrc

quilt

config

quilt(1)

.recently-used

(GTK+ <2.10?)

data

yes

?

.recently-usex.xbel

(GTK+ >=2.10?)

data

yes

?

.reportbugrc

reportbug

config

reportbug.conf(5)

.rnd

openssl (openssl/libssl*)

cache

yes

rand(1)

confidential because it might be used in creating key material

.svn-buildpackage.conf

svn-buildpackage

config

svn-buildpackage(1)

.synergy.conf

synergy

config

synergys(1)

.twidgerc

twidge

config

yes

twidge(1)

.wgetrc

wget

config

maybe

wget(1)

might contain passwords

.Xauthority

(X)

config

Xsecurity(7)

.xscreensaver

xscreensaver

config

xscreensaver(1)

typically edited using xscreensaver-demo program

.xsession-errors

(x11-common)

log

Xsession(5)

can be deleted, but will reappear with next X login

.xsessionrc

(x11-common)

config

Xsession(5)

.zcompdump

zsh

cache

zshcompsys(1)

.zlogin

zsh

config

zsh(1)

.zlogout

zsh

config

zsh(1)

.zprofile

zsh

config

zsh(1)

.zshenv

zsh

config

zsh(1)

.zshrc

zsh

config

zsh(1)