XDG Base Directory Specification

Implement standardized directory paths for configuration, data, cache, and state files following the XDG Base Directory Specification.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

Creating CLI tools or applications that store user-specific files
Implementing configuration file management for Linux/Unix applications
Building cross-platform Python applications requiring standardized directory paths
Migrating legacy applications from ~/.appname to XDG-compliant paths
Designing file storage architecture for Python packages
Implementing proper environment variable handling for user directories
Writing applications that respect user-configured directory preferences
Testing applications with custom XDG directory overrides