Where Does GRASS GIS Store Projects and Settings?
Where GRASS GIS keeps its grassdata projects, mapsets, settings and addons on Windows, Mac and Linux.
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GRASS GIS organizes work as a database with projects and mapsets nested inside. The database root is called grassdata and sits in the home folder on Mac and Linux, or under Documents on Windows. Settings live in a small rc file beside it.
Addons follow the same per OS split, with a versioned folder name that changes across major releases. Create new locations from the command line rather than by hand to keep projections consistent. Copying a project means copying its whole directory tree. Region settings ride inside each mapset, so zipping the location folder carries the full analysis setup.
Where GRASS GIS stores this, by platform
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\grassdata
Project database root with one folder per project and mapsets inside. Addons install through the extension manager. Create locations from the CLI for consistent projections.
~/grassdata
Same grassdata layout under the home folder. Settings live in the dot grass folder beside it with the rc file and addons.
~/grassdata
Same grassdata layout under home. Settings in the dot grass folder, addons beneath it. Override addon base with the environment variable when needed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create a new GRASS project database?
Run the grass command with a coordinate reference and a fresh path, pointing at Documents grassdata on Windows or home grassdata elsewhere. Each project holds its own mapsets beneath it. The first launch can auto create the database when none exists.
Where do GRASS GIS addons install?
Addons install through the extension manager into the addons folder for your OS. Override the base with the GRASS_ADDON_BASE variable when sharing one toolchain across machines. The rc file beside it holds environment defaults.
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