How does the /data partition work if /home is on the / partition?

[CookDaddy816]

I currently have a separate partition for /home. Of course, all user files are on that partition. With /home on the / partition, I'll have a clean user directory. Do I symlink everything on /data to /home? I have config files for vivaldi browser under /.config, a sounds directory for my system sound themes under ./local/share, /.fonts, /.icons, /.themes, etc. What do I do with those? Copy or link? i doesn't make sense to me. Please enlighten me. Thank you to anyone that can help.

[hendrikL]

Well, I have an extra partition for my important files, like all that office things, the important files like gpg, rsa, mails and so on.
I symlinked them to my /home/directory/<right place>.
What you shouldn't is to use config files from another installation/second distribution or similar, that doesn't work or it will break soon or later, but it will, because this is debian sid/unstable and the library's are mostly different to other distributions like ubuntu, arch and so on.
Debian is a bit different, it is going its own way.
So color settings, behaviour and so on you have to calibrate again.

Now have fun with siduction, welcome!

[eriefisher]

I have a separate /data partition with Pictures, Documents Videos etc on it. All the folders you would normally see in /home. After an install I delete these folders in /home and symlink the ones in /data to take their place. The OS sees this as normal for saving a file or choosing a file. This /home I leave in / when I install and keep the size down since all it's for is a place for config files etc and a place for the symlinks. I don't worry about all the config files and dot files. If I need to reinstall for any reason I don't want them anyhow. If you do want to keep them you can just create a backup on the /data partition.

This scenario has worked well for me for years. I only back up the /data partition, locally and remote and can access it anytime from anywhere. I don't care about the OS and can use a live disc if needed. The OS is just the interface to your data and should be kept separate from your data. Worst case scenario I have access to my data in whatever time it takes to reinstall.

[dibl]

I do it similar to @eriefisher.

/ and /home are partitions on a SSD, along with /boot and swap.

/mnt/DATA is a pair of large WD hdds in a single BTRFS filesystem. Under /mnt/DATA are /DOCS, /IMAGES, /MUSIC, and /VIDEOS. Those directories are symlinked into /home. Those are my important legacy data, which I back up periodically. If I lose the SSD, or am forced to reinstall the OS, there's no risk to my data.

[CookDaddy816]

Thank you all for your replies. I did figure out how to handle the /data partition, symlinks and copied the few dot files I needed in /home, as y'all advised. Working out well. Thanks again.