---
title: "SFTP directory structure"
description: "How your home directory and community-shared Data Store directories appear when you connect over SFTP."
type: Reference
tags:
  - SFTP
  - Data Store
generated:
  by: "claude/opus-5"
  at: "2026-09-11T00:00:00Z"
sources:
  - id: cyverse-learning-materials
    resource: "https://github.com/CyVerse-learning-materials/learning-materials-home/blob/b7392d21be4fd6a67d051847f98c81a18e058a12/docs/ds/sftp/structure.md"
    title: "CyVerse Learning Materials: docs/ds/sftp/structure.md"
    author: "team:cyverse"
    last_modified: "2025-03-27T12:34:29-07:00"
---

# SFTP directory structure

When accessing the Data Store via SFTP, you'll encounter a different directory structure compared to other tools like GoCommands and iCommands. SFTP users have access to following directories:

## :material-folder-multiple-outline: Home Directory

`/<username>`

- Maps to your iRODS home directory `/iplant/home/<username>`
- Read and write access for the owner
- Not provided to anonymous users

## :material-folder-multiple-outline: Community-shared Data Directory

`/shared`

- Maps to the iRODS community-shared data directory: `/iplant/home/shared`
- Read-only access

## :material-folder-multiple-outline: `.ssh` Directory

`/.ssh`

- Automatically generated by the SFTP service
- Not used and should be ignored
- Distinct from `/<username>/.ssh`

For password-less public-key authentication, use `/<username>/.ssh` instead.

<p class="carc-provenance" markdown>Adapted from [CyVerse Learning Materials](https://github.com/CyVerse-learning-materials/learning-materials-home/blob/b7392d21be4fd6a67d051847f98c81a18e058a12/docs/ds/sftp/structure.md){target=_blank} (last source update 2025-03-27), CC BY 4.0. Spotted a problem? [Open an issue](https://github.com/UNM-CARC/cyverse/issues){target=_blank}.</p>