TMPDIR

TMPDIR is the canonical Unix environment variable that should be used to specify a temporary directory for scratch space. Most Unix programs will honor this setting and use its value to denote the scratch area for temporary files instead of the common default of /tmp^[1]^[2] or /var/tmp.^[3]

Other forms sometimes accepted are TEMP, TEMPDIR and TMP, but these alternatives are used more commonly by non-POSIX operating systems or non-conformant programs.

TMPDIR is specified in various Unix and similar standards, e.g. per the Single UNIX Specification.^[4]

References

^ "The Open Group Base Specifications Issue 7, IEEE Std 1003.1-2008, Base Definitions volume: Directory Structure and Files: /tmp". The Open Group. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
^ "Filesystem Hierarchy Standard, version is 2.3: /tmp: Temporary files". Linux Foundation. Retrieved 2010-06-13.
^ "Filesystem Hierarchy Standard, version is 2.3: /var/tmp: Temporary files preserved between system reboots". Linux Foundation. Retrieved 2010-06-13.
^ "The Open Group Base Specifications Issue 7, IEEE Std 1003.1-2008, Base Definitions volume: Environment Variables: Other Environment Variables: TMPDIR". The Open Group. Retrieved 2011-04-02.

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[1] "The Open Group Base Specifications Issue 7, IEEE Std 1003.1-2008, Base Definitions volume: Directory Structure and Files: /tmp". The Open Group. Retrieved 2011-04-02.

[2] "Filesystem Hierarchy Standard, version is 2.3: /tmp: Temporary files". Linux Foundation. Retrieved 2010-06-13.

[3] "Filesystem Hierarchy Standard, version is 2.3: /var/tmp: Temporary files preserved between system reboots". Linux Foundation. Retrieved 2010-06-13.

[4] "The Open Group Base Specifications Issue 7, IEEE Std 1003.1-2008, Base Definitions volume: Environment Variables: Other Environment Variables: TMPDIR". The Open Group. Retrieved 2011-04-02.

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