# Persistent directories

Certain directories require persistent storage to ensure data integrity and availability across system restarts or scaling events. These persistent directories serve as essential components for storing application data, logs, media files, and maintenance flags.

To facilitate data persistence and maintain consistency across deployments, symbolic links (symlinks) are utilized to connect application directories to their corresponding persistent storage locations. These symlinks ensure that essential data is stored in designated directories on the underlying filesystem.

#### Symlinks Configuration

The following symlinks are established within the application's directory structure to map to persistent storage locations:

**Media Files**:

`/var/www/public/pub/media` -> `/mnt/media` 

`/home/magento/media` or (`~/media` ) -> `/mnt/media`

**Debug Logs**: 

`/var/www/public/var/debug` -> `/mnt/var/debug`

**Exported Data**: 

`/var/www/public/var/export` -> `/mnt/export`

**Imported Data**: 

`/var/www/public/var/import` -> `/mnt/import`

**Log Files**: 

`/var/www/public/var/log` -> `/mnt/var/log`

**Error Reports**:

`/var/www/public/var/report` -> `/mnt/var/report`

#### Special Maintenance Flags

In addition to the persistent directories, the applications can utilize special maintenance flags for managing system maintenance operations. These flags are stored in the following locations:

**Maintenance Flag**:

 `/var/www/public/var/.maintenance.flag` -> `/mnt/var/.maintenance.flag`

**Maintenance IP Whitelist**: 

`/var/www/public/var/.maintenance.ip` -> `/mnt/var/.maintenance.ip`

For detailed information on maintenance flags and their usage, refer to this [reference](https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/commerce-operations/installation-guide/tutorials/maintenance-mode).