For computer operating systems that support a hierarchial file system, the working directory is the directory path that a user or program has designated to be the directory for files referenced by name only, or by a relative path (as contrasted with using both a file's name and a designation of the location using a fully resolved file path).

In DOS and Unix, a user may use the cd command to change your current working directory.

The POSIX C function chdir() can be used to set the current working directory.