What does the /private prefix on an iOS file path indicate?

Question

I have a bug when my app runs on the iPhone but not when it runs on the simulator. I was using the length of the home directory path to extract the relative path of a file

Answer 1

1. In my case while using FileManager.default.fileExists to check whether the file already exists but i was using .absoluteString/"()". instead of .path for passing URL as String.
2. When i printed the paths of the files in Documents Directory using

let fileURLs = try fileManager.contentsOfDirectory(at:

it printed as /private/var

let DocumentDirURL = try! FileManager.default.url(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask, appropriateFor: nil, create: true)

it printed as /var

3. This difference in path made me confused.
4. As explained Above its just symlink. ie both the paths are same.

:)