# How does /export dir work?

**URL:** <https://community.unix.com/t/how-does-export-dir-work/145608>\
**Category:** UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers\
**Created:** [April 2, 2003, 2:18pm UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/how-does-export-dir-work/145608 "2003-04-02T14:18:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![gillbates](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/gillbates/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@gillbates](https://community.unix.com/u/gillbates)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 2:18pm UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/how-does-export-dir-work/145608/1 "2003-04-02T14:18:22Z")

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In solaris I can switch to /export/appl/home or /appl/home to get to my home dir. If I switch to /export/apps as oppose to just /apps I see lots of other stuff. Can someone tell me the difference? Thanks

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**Author:** ![norsk\_hedensk](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/norsk_hedensk/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@norsk\_hedensk](https://community.unix.com/u/norsk_hedensk)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/how-does-export-dir-work/145608/2 "2003-04-02T15:57:58Z")

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in the case of your home directory one is either a simlink to the other, or (if you can do this) one is an NFS exported directory, and the other is mounted, ( from the same host though ) or maybe i am completley wrong....  
use the command 'mount' to see how your home directory is mounted.