The SMF Files are organized in directories. Directories can also contain other directories, sometimes referred to as subdirectories. Complicated collections of directories and their subdirectories are often referred to as directory trees or directory structures. When placing or replacing files in an SMF installation, it is important to place them in the correct directories.

Directories are also sometimes referred to as folders, especially within some operating systems. When discussing the SMF software, the terms directory and folder mean exactly the same thing.