Does Linux have folders like %appdata% and ProgramData?

Question

On Windows, these folders get filled up with all kinds of nonsense that programs you uninstalled left behind. ProgramData is a hidden C folder, and %appdata% is usually accessed via search. They contain savegames, configuration files, etc. As time passes, most of it becomes trash which plugs up your drive.

Does Linux have such hidden folders where programs leave their files without asking you? I know about usr/share/applications, and about the hidden ctrl+H folder .local/share/applications. I dont relly know the difference between those two, I only know that if you put something in the latter, that it will change your settings. Please educate me. Where do programs put their files, and do some stay behind after you uninstall them?

Solution

If you turn on show hidden folders at your Home location there are a bunch of folders indeed like ~/.thunderbird etc. I find all my needed saves and settings there.

In most file managers including GNOME Files (a. k. a. Nautilus) you can press Ctrl+H to toggle the display of hidden files.

Comments

[You'reAGitForNotUsingGit]

Well, there's ~/.cache

[You'reAGitForNotUsingGit]

But there's no "standard" location. For example, Thunderbird stores stuff in ~/.thunderbird and Firefox stores stuff in ~/.mozilla/firefox

[You'reAGitForNotUsingGit]

Also, there's ~/.config

[Jos]

Files in your home directory will remain until you do a purge of the package that created them. That is useful. If you want to move your Ubuntu system to another device, all you need to do is to copy /home and install the package. Your old data and settings will automatically be picked up. There may be exceptions, but this is what I notice.

[Thia]

@Jos , aha, so, if I do a sudo apt-get purge <package-name> , then not do I only delete, but I also delete all the trash that a program leaves, right?

[Jean-Marie]

@Jos, purge will not remove anything in your /home. It will only remove global settings.