Magento 2 Directory Structure

Magento 2 follows a modular and scalable directory structure that helps developers manage code efficiently. Here’s a breakdown of the most important folders in the Magento 2.4.8 codebase.

📁 Root Directory Overview

magento2/
├── app/
├── bin/
├── dev/
├── generated/
├── lib/
├── pub/
├── setup/
├── var/
├── vendor/
├── composer.json

📂 Key Directories Explained

app/

Contains custom code, configuration, and modules.

  • app/code/ – Custom modules
  • app/design/ – Themes and frontend designs
  • app/etc/ – Global configuration files (e.g., env.php, config.php)

bin/

Contains the magento CLI tool used for setup, deployment, and maintenance commands.

php bin/magento setup:upgrade

dev/

Used for development tools, tests, and debugging utilities.

generated/

Stores generated classes, factories, proxies, and interceptors created at runtime. Do not edit this folder manually.

lib/

Contains core libraries used by Magento for processing and framework operations.

pub/

Publicly accessible files (entry point). Contains:

  • pub/index.php – Frontend entry point
  • pub/static/ – Static assets (CSS, JS)
  • pub/media/ – Uploaded images and media files

setup/

Contains Magento’s installation scripts and deployment tools.

var/

Stores cache, logs, and temporary files. Can be cleared during maintenance.

  • var/cache/ – Magento cache
  • var/log/ – Log files
  • var/report/ – Exception reports

vendor/

Composer-managed packages. Core Magento modules and libraries are stored here. Do not modify directly.

composer.json

Defines the project dependencies and autoloading rules using Composer.

📝 Best Practices

  • Do not modify vendor/ or generated/ directly
  • Keep custom code in app/code/
  • Use version control for app and pub changes
  • Regularly clear the var and generated folders in dev environments

📌 Summary

The Magento 2 directory structure supports modular development, making it easier to customize, maintain, and scale your store. Understanding this structure is essential before working with modules, themes, or customizations.