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What is the TDS?

TDS stands for the TeX Directory Structure, which is a standard way of organising all the TeX-related files on a computer system.

Most modern distributions conform to the TDS, which provides for both a ‘distribution’ and a (set of) ‘local’ directory trees containing TeX-related files. The TDS reserves the name texmf as the name of the root directory (folder) of the hierarchies, and most distributions use that name for their ‘own’ trees. Files supplied as part of the distribution are put into the distribution’s tree. The location of the distribution’s hierarchy is system dependent, but on a Unix system it might be at /usr/share/texmf or /opt/texmf, or a similar location, but in each case the TeX files will be in the tree starting at the /texmf subdirectory.

There may be more than one ‘local’ hierarchy in which additional files can be stored. In the extreme an installation can have a local hierarchy and each user can also have an individual local hierarchy. The location of any local hierarchy is not only system dependent but also user dependent. Again, though, all files should be put under a local /texmf directory.

The TDS itself is published as the output of a TUG Technical Working Group. You may browse an on-line version of the standard, and copies in several other formats (including source) are available on CTAN.

TDS specification

tds (or browse the directory); catalogue entry