diff --git a/base/src/main/java/de/staropensource/engine/base/utility/FileAccess.java b/base/src/main/java/de/staropensource/engine/base/utility/FileAccess.java
index 53a4c7c..6b8f5f8 100644
--- a/base/src/main/java/de/staropensource/engine/base/utility/FileAccess.java
+++ b/base/src/main/java/de/staropensource/engine/base/utility/FileAccess.java
@@ -62,18 +62,78 @@ public final class FileAccess {
 
     /**
      * Contains a {@link FileAccess} instance to
-     * a cache directory provided by the engine.
+     * a temporary cache directory provided by the engine.
      *
-     * @since v1-alpha8
+     * @since v1-alpha9
      * -- GETTER --
      * Returns a {@link FileAccess} instance to
-     * a cache directory provided by the engine.
+     * a temporary cache directory provided by the engine.
      *
-     * @return cache directory
-     * @since v1-alpha8
+     * @return temporary cache directory
+     * @since v1-alpha9
      */
     @Getter
-    private static FileAccess cacheDirectory;
+    private static FileAccess temporaryCacheDirectory;
+
+    /**
+     * Contains a {@link FileAccess} instance to
+     * the persistent cache directory of the system.
+     *
+     * @since v1-alpha9
+     * -- GETTER --
+     * Returns a {@link FileAccess} instance to
+     * the persistent cache directory of the system.
+     *
+     * @return persistent cache directory
+     * @since v1-alpha9
+     */
+    @Getter
+    private static FileAccess persistentCacheDirectory;
+
+    /**
+     * Contains a {@link FileAccess} instance
+     * to the user's home directory.
+     *
+     * @since v1-alpha9
+     * -- GETTER --
+     * Returns a {@link FileAccess} instance
+     * to the user's home directory.
+     *
+     * @return home directory
+     * @since v1-alpha9
+     */
+    @Getter
+    private static FileAccess homeDirectory;
+
+    /**
+     * Contains a {@link FileAccess} instance
+     * to the user's configuration directory.
+     *
+     * @since v1-alpha9
+     * -- GETTER --
+     * Returns a {@link FileAccess} instance
+     * to the user's configuration directory.
+     *
+     * @return configuration directory
+     * @since v1-alpha9
+     */
+    @Getter
+    private static FileAccess configDirectory;
+
+    /**
+     * Contains a {@link FileAccess} instance
+     * to the user's data directory.
+     *
+     * @since v1-alpha9
+     * -- GETTER --
+     * Returns a {@link FileAccess} instance
+     * to the user's data directory.
+     *
+     * @return data directory
+     * @since v1-alpha9
+     */
+    @Getter
+    private static FileAccess dataDirectory;
 
     // -----> Instance variables
     /**
@@ -167,8 +227,15 @@ public final class FileAccess {
      * @since v1-alpha8
      */
     public static void initializeInstances() throws IOException {
-        if (Engine.getInstance().getState() == EngineState.EARLY_STARTUP)
-            cacheDirectory = new FileAccess(System.getProperties().getProperty("java.io.tmpdir").replace("\\", "/") + "/sosengine-cache-" + ProcessHandle.current().pid()).createDirectory().deleteOnShutdown();
+        // TODO add support for non-default and/or non-unix directories here
+
+        if (Engine.getInstance().getState() == EngineState.EARLY_STARTUP) {
+            temporaryCacheDirectory = new FileAccess(System.getProperties().getProperty("java.io.tmpdir") + "/sosengine-cache-" + ProcessHandle.current().pid()).createDirectory().deleteOnShutdown();
+            homeDirectory = new FileAccess(System.getProperties().getProperty("user.home")).createDirectory();
+            persistentCacheDirectory = homeDirectory.traverse( ".cache").createDirectory();
+            configDirectory = homeDirectory.traverse(".config").createDirectory();
+            dataDirectory = homeDirectory.traverse(".local/share").createDirectory();
+        }
     }
     /**
      * Deletes all files scheduled for deletion.
@@ -207,6 +274,7 @@ public final class FileAccess {
     public static @NotNull Path formatPath(@NotNull String path) {
         return Path.of(
                 path
+                        .replace("\\", "/")
                         .replace("/./", "/")
                         .replace("/", File.separator)
         );