Where Does GNU Stow Store Packages?
Where GNU Stow keeps packages on computers, symlink farm layout explained. See the folder table below.
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GNU Stow is symlink farming without state. Your dotfiles live in package folders like vim or bash. Stow links them into home on demand.
Same package folders mean same home anywhere Stow runs. There are no config files to migrate beyond the packages themselves. Keep packages in version control rather than cloning whole home folders. For moves, copy the stow directory, then link per package on the new machine. When in doubt, verify paths inside the app before trusting a remembered folder. Screenshots of settings help when support asks for reproduction steps later.
Where GNU Stow stores this, by platform
~/dotfiles (stow packages, links into home)
Dotfiles live in the stow package folders you made. Copy them for moves, then link per package. No database or cloud exists. Match home paths.
Frequently asked questions
How do I move Stow packages to a new computer?
Copy the stow package directories to the new machine over USB, then run stow per package to relink. Dotfiles live in the packages themselves, not in a database. Match target home paths, since absolute links break across usernames.
Does Stow keep a database?
No. Stow links package files into place without a central database. Your dotfiles live in the package folders you made. The tool holds no state beyond command flags. Back up the package directories themselves for moves.
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