Data directory default location
If GeoServer is running in standalone mode (via an installer or a binary) the data directory is located at <installation root>/data_dir.
| Standalone platform | Default/typical location |
|---|---|
| Windows (except XP) | C:\Program Files\GeoServer 2.24.2\data_dir |
| Windows XP | C:\Program Files\GeoServer 2.24.2\data_dir |
| Mac OS X | /Applications/GeoServer.app/Contents/Resources/Java/data_dir |
| Linux (Tomcat) | /var/lib/tomcat9/webapps/geoserver/data |
If GeoServer is running as a web archive inside of a custom-deployed application server, the data directory is by default located at <web application root>/data.
Creating a new data directory
The easiest way to create a new data directory is to copy an existing one.
Once the data directory has been located, copy it to a new location. To point a GeoServer instance at the new data directory proceed to the next section Setting the data directory location.