Application directory

The application directory stores

• the saves (every save is a zip-file)
• the Mods
• scenarios
• configuration.

The directory structure is self-explaining.

You can delete for example the configuration-file, it will be generated new with the defaults. It is recommended to create backups from this directory, before you install a new version.

Zip-package

Zip package is just one Factorio directory that doesn't need to be installed, all the saves are there locally easy to find.

Installer

Windows

Installation package follows UAC. For that case the factorio directory is where you install it (Program files by default) and the user data (saves, player data etc) are stored in

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Factorio

Windows Vista and newer (UAC activ):

%appdata%\factorio

MacOSx

~/Library/Application Support/factorio

Which is equivalent to

/users/<username>/Library/Application Support/factorio

Linux

~/.factorio