Lesson 15: Manage System Resources

Question 1

What are the four default top-level folders that are visible in the Finder?

Answer 1

The four default top-level folders visible in the Finder are the following:

1. Applications: Apps that local users can access
2. Library: System resources that local users can access
3. System: System resources
4. Users: Local user home folders

Question 2

What are 10 common system resources?

What purpose does each resource serve?

Answer 2

The following are 10 common system resources and the purposes they serve:

1. Application Support: Ancillary data that an app needs, such as help files or templates, might be in this folder.
2. Containers and Group Containers: These folders contain resources for sandboxed apps.
3. Extensions: Legacy system extensions — previously called kernel extensions or KEXTs — are found only in the /Library and /System/Library folders. Legacy system extensions are low-level drivers that attach themselves to the kernel, or core, of the operating system. Legacy system extensions provide driver support for hardware, networking, and peripherals. (macOS Catalina was the last version of macOS that supported third-party kernel extensions.)
4. Fonts: Files that describe typefaces used for both screen display and printing.
5. Frameworks: Shared code libraries that provide additional software resources for apps and system processes.
6. Keychains: Help securely store sensitive information, including passwords, certificates, keys, Safari AutoFill information, and notes.
7. LaunchDaemons:Processes that launchd starts. LaunchDaemons start processes thatalways run in the background.
8. LaunchAgents: Processes that launchd starts. LaunchAgents start up only when a user is logged in.
9. Preference files: App and system configuration information.
10. Logs: Text files that contain error and progress entries from nearly any app or system service.

Question 3

What are the three system resource domains?

What purpose does each domain serve?

Answer 3

The three system resource domains and the purpose they serve is as follows:

1. User: Contains apps and system resources that are specific to each user account
2. Local: Contains apps and system resources that are available to users on a local Mac
3. System: Contains apps and system resources that provide basic system functionality

Question 4

What purpose does the ~/Library/Containers folder serve?

What items are in this folder?

Answer 4

The ~/Library/Containers folder contains resources for sandboxed apps.

macOS Big Sur creates and maintains a separate container folder for each sandboxed app that a user can open.

A sandboxed app is more secure because it can access only items inside its container.

Only items intended for sharing are in the ~/Library/Group Containers folder.

Question 5

How does System Integrity Protection help ensure that macOS Big Sur system resources remain secure?

Answer 5

System Integrity Protection prevents users and processes with administrator or root access from modifying core macOS Big Sur items.

System Integrity Protection includes protection for these parts of the system:

• /System
• /usr
• /bin
• /sbin
• /var
• Apps that are pre-installed with macOS

Paths and apps that third-party apps and installers can continue to write to include:

• /Applications
• /Library
• /usr/local

Question 6

Which app should you use to enable, disable, or validate a font or to add a font to the local font library?

Answer 6

You can use Font Book to enable, disable, or validate a font, or to add a font to the local font library.

Question 7

How can you identify duplicate fonts?

Answer 7

The Font Book app shows a small dot next to the name of any font that has duplicate resources.