title: Recursive PATH variable?
body: <p>This is more of a curiosity question, but I feel it's worth asking.</p>
  
  <p>Frequently when downloading software on Linux, I'm used to using <code>sudo apt-get install [package]</code> or whatever package manager is available, but for some projects like sbt, they don't have a repository (so I can't just type <code>sudo apt-get install sbt</code> and use it out of the box). I have to download the binaries and add them to PATH.</p>
  
  <p>What I like to do is create a directory specific to programs like sbt, specifically <code>~/Programs</code>. I move the unpacked directory into it, and add it to PATH. However, I'm always a little wary about moving the binary out of the directory it came in, so I don't want to remove it.</p>
  
  <p>Is there such a thing as a recursive PATH variable, so that not only <code>~/Programs</code> is added but also <code>~/Programs/sbt</code>, <code>~/Programs/other_program</code>, etc.? And if not, is it a good idea to make it recursive? I've tinkered with the Linux kernel before as part of a university class, I wonder if it's worth experimenting with.</p>