diff --git a/bbin b/bbin
index 9665024..33d545d 100755
--- a/bbin
+++ b/bbin
@@ -22,6 +22,89 @@
 (ns babashka.bbin.meta)
 (def min-bb-version "This def was generated by the bbin build script." "0.9.162")
 (def version "This def was generated by the bbin build script." "0.2.0")
+(ns babashka.bbin.dirs
+  (:require [babashka.fs :as fs]
+            [clojure.string :as str]))
+
+(defn user-home []
+  (System/getProperty "user.home"))
+
+(defn print-legacy-path-warning []
+  (binding [*out* *err*]
+    (println (str/triml "
+WARNING: In bbin 0.2.0, we now use the XDG Base Directory Specification by
+WARNING: default. This means the ~/.babashka/bbin/bin path is deprecated in
+WARNING: favor of ~/.local/bin.
+WARNING:
+WARNING: To remove this message, run `bbin migrate` for further instructions.
+WARNING: (We won't make any changes without asking you first.)
+"))))
+
+(def ^:dynamic *legacy-bin-dir* nil)
+
+(defn- legacy-override-dir []
+  (some-> (or (System/getenv "BABASHKA_BBIN_DIR")
+              (some-> (System/getenv "XDG_DATA_HOME") (fs/file ".babashka" "bbin")))
+          (fs/canonicalize {:nofollow-links true})))
+
+(defn legacy-bin-dir-base []
+  (if-let [override (legacy-override-dir)]
+    (fs/file override "bin")
+    (fs/file (user-home) ".babashka" "bbin" "bin")))
+
+(defn legacy-bin-dir []
+  (or *legacy-bin-dir* (legacy-bin-dir-base)))
+
+(defn using-legacy-paths? []
+  (fs/exists? (legacy-bin-dir)))
+
+(def ^:dynamic *legacy-jars-dir* nil)
+
+(defn legacy-jars-dir-base []
+  (if-let [override (legacy-override-dir)]
+    (fs/file override "jars")
+    (fs/file (user-home) ".babashka" "bbin" "jars")))
+
+(defn legacy-jars-dir []
+  (or *legacy-jars-dir* (legacy-jars-dir-base)))
+
+(defn check-legacy-paths []
+  (when (using-legacy-paths?)
+    (print-legacy-path-warning)))
+
+(def ^:dynamic *xdg-bin-dir* nil)
+
+(defn xdg-bin-dir [_]
+  (or *xdg-bin-dir*
+      (if-let [override (System/getenv "BABASHKA_BBIN_BIN_DIR")]
+        (fs/file (fs/expand-home override))
+        (fs/file (user-home) ".local" "bin"))))
+
+(defn bin-dir [opts]
+  (if (using-legacy-paths?)
+    (legacy-bin-dir)
+    (xdg-bin-dir opts)))
+
+(def ^:dynamic *xdg-jars-dir* nil)
+
+(defn xdg-jars-dir [_]
+  (or *xdg-jars-dir*
+      (if-let [override (System/getenv "BABASHKA_BBIN_JARS_DIR")]
+        (fs/file (fs/expand-home override))
+        (fs/file (fs/xdg-cache-home) "babashka" "bbin" "jars"))))
+
+(defn jars-dir [opts]
+  (if (using-legacy-paths?)
+    (legacy-jars-dir)
+    (xdg-jars-dir opts)))
+
+(defn ensure-bbin-dirs [cli-opts]
+  (fs/create-dirs (bin-dir cli-opts)))
+
+(defn ensure-xdg-dirs [cli-opts]
+  (fs/create-dirs (xdg-bin-dir cli-opts))
+  (fs/create-dirs (xdg-jars-dir cli-opts)))
+
 (ns babashka.bbin.protocols)
 
 (defprotocol Script
@@ -1092,6 +1175,153 @@
   (uninstall [_]
     (common/delete-files cli-opts)))
 
+(ns babashka.bbin.scripts
+  (:require
+    [babashka.bbin.scripts.common :as common]
+    [babashka.bbin.util :as util]
+    [babashka.bbin.dirs :as dirs]
+    [babashka.bbin.protocols :as p]
+    [babashka.bbin.scripts.git-dir :refer [map->GitDir]]
+    [babashka.bbin.scripts.local-file :refer [map->LocalFile]]
+    [babashka.bbin.scripts.local-dir :refer [map->LocalDir]]
+    [babashka.bbin.scripts.http-file :refer [map->HttpFile]]
+    [babashka.bbin.scripts.http-jar :refer [map->HttpJar]]
+    [babashka.bbin.scripts.local-jar :refer [map->LocalJar]]
+    [babashka.bbin.scripts.maven-jar :refer [map->MavenJar]]
+    [babashka.fs :as fs]
+    [clojure.edn :as edn]
+    [clojure.string :as str]
+    [rads.deps-info.summary :as deps-info-summary]
+    [selmer.filters :as filters]))
+
+;; selmer filter for clojure escaping for e.g. files
+(filters/add-filter! :pr-str (comp pr-str str))
+
+(defn parse-script [s]
+  (let [lines (str/split-lines s)
+        prefix (if (str/ends-with? (first lines) "bb") ";" "#")]
+    (->> lines
+         (drop-while #(not (re-seq (re-pattern (str "^" prefix " *:bbin/start")) %)))
+         next
+         (take-while #(not (re-seq (re-pattern (str "^" prefix " *:bbin/end")) %)))
+         (map #(str/replace % (re-pattern (str "^" prefix " *")) ""))
+         (str/join "\n")
+         edn/read-string)))
+
+(defn load-scripts [dir]
+  (->> (file-seq dir)
+       (filter #(.isFile %))
+       (map (fn [x] [(symbol (str (fs/relativize dir x)))
+                     (parse-script (slurp x))]))
+       (filter second)
+       (into {})))
+
+
+(defn ls [cli-opts]
+  (let [scripts (load-scripts (dirs/bin-dir cli-opts))]
+    (if (:edn cli-opts)
+      (util/pprint scripts cli-opts)
+      (do
+        (println)
+        (util/print-scripts (util/printable-scripts scripts) cli-opts)
+        (println)))))
+
+(defn bin [cli-opts]
+  (println (str (dirs/bin-dir cli-opts))))
+
+(defn- throw-invalid-script [summary cli-opts]
+  (let [{:keys [procurer artifact]} summary]
+    (throw (ex-info "Invalid script coordinates.\nIf you're trying to install from the filesystem, make sure the path actually exists."
+                    {:script/lib (:script/lib cli-opts)
+                     :procurer procurer
+                     :artifact artifact}))))
+
+(defn- new-script [cli-opts]
+  (let [summary (deps-info-summary/summary cli-opts)
+        {:keys [procurer artifact]} summary]
+    (case [procurer artifact]
+      [:git :dir] (map->GitDir {:cli-opts cli-opts :summary summary})
+      [:http :file] (map->HttpFile {:cli-opts cli-opts})
+      [:http :jar] (map->HttpJar {:cli-opts cli-opts})
+      [:local :dir] (map->LocalDir {:cli-opts cli-opts :summary summary})
+      [:local :file] (map->LocalFile {:cli-opts cli-opts})
+      [:local :jar] (map->LocalJar {:cli-opts cli-opts})
+      [:maven :jar] (map->MavenJar {:cli-opts cli-opts})
+      (throw-invalid-script summary cli-opts))))
+
+(defn install [cli-opts]
+  (if-not (:script/lib cli-opts)
+    (util/print-help)
+    (do
+      (dirs/ensure-bbin-dirs cli-opts)
+      (when-not (util/edn? cli-opts)
+        (println)
+        (println (util/bold "Starting install..." cli-opts)))
+      (let [cli-opts' (util/canonicalized-cli-opts cli-opts)
+            script (new-script cli-opts')]
+        (p/install script)))))
+
+(defn- default-script [cli-opts]
+  (reify
+    p/Script
+    (install [_])
+    (upgrade [_]
+      (throw (ex-info "Not implemented" {})))
+    (uninstall [_]
+      (common/delete-files cli-opts))))
+
+(defn- load-script [cli-opts]
+  (let [script-name (:script/lib cli-opts)
+        script-file (fs/file (fs/canonicalize (fs/file (dirs/bin-dir cli-opts) script-name) {:nofollow-links true}))
+        parsed (parse-script (slurp script-file))]
+    (cond
+      (-> parsed :coords :bbin/url)
+      (let [summary (deps-info-summary/summary {:script/lib (-> parsed :coords :bbin/url)})
+            {:keys [procurer artifact]} summary]
+        (case [procurer artifact]
+          [:git :dir] (map->GitDir {:cli-opts cli-opts :summary summary :coords (:coords parsed)})
+          [:http :file] (map->HttpFile {:cli-opts cli-opts :coords (:coords parsed)})
+          [:http :jar] (map->HttpJar {:cli-opts cli-opts :coords (:coords parsed)})
+          [:local :dir] (map->LocalDir {:cli-opts cli-opts :summary summary})
+          [:local :file] (map->LocalFile {:cli-opts cli-opts})
+          [:local :jar] (map->LocalJar {:cli-opts cli-opts})
+          (throw-invalid-script summary cli-opts)))
+
+      (-> parsed :coords :mvn/version)
+      (map->MavenJar {:cli-opts cli-opts :lib (:lib parsed)})
+
+      (-> parsed :coords :git/tag)
+      (let [summary (deps-info-summary/summary {:script/lib (:lib parsed)
+                                                :git/tag (-> parsed :coords :git/tag)})]
+        (map->GitDir {:cli-opts cli-opts :summary summary :coords (:coords parsed)}))
+
+      (-> parsed :coords :git/sha)
+      (let [summary (deps-info-summary/summary {:script/lib (:lib parsed)
+                                                :git/sha (-> parsed :coords :git/sha)})]
+        (map->GitDir {:cli-opts cli-opts :summary summary :coords (:coords parsed)}))
+
+      :else (default-script cli-opts))))
+
+(defn upgrade [cli-opts]
+  (if-not (:script/lib cli-opts)
+    (util/print-help)
+    (do
+      (dirs/ensure-bbin-dirs cli-opts)
+      (let [script (load-script cli-opts)]
+        (p/upgrade script)))))
+
+(defn uninstall [cli-opts]
+  (if-not (:script/lib cli-opts)
+    (util/print-help)
+    (do
+      (dirs/ensure-bbin-dirs cli-opts)
+      (let [script-name (:script/lib cli-opts)
+            script-file (fs/canonicalize (fs/file (dirs/bin-dir cli-opts) script-name) {:nofollow-links true})]
+        (when (fs/delete-if-exists script-file)
+          (when util/windows? (fs/delete-if-exists (fs/file (str script-file common/windows-wrapper-extension))))
+          (fs/delete-if-exists (fs/file (dirs/jars-dir cli-opts) (str script-name ".jar")))
+          (println "Removing" (str script-file)))))))
+
 (ns babashka.bbin.migrate
   (:require [babashka.bbin.dirs :as dirs]
             [babashka.bbin.scripts :as scripts]
@@ -1316,153 +1546,6 @@ Otherwise, you can either a) migrate manually or b) override:
      :root (migrate-help cli-opts)
      :auto (migrate-auto cli-opts))))
 
-(ns babashka.bbin.scripts
-  (:require
-    [babashka.bbin.scripts.common :as common]
-    [babashka.bbin.util :as util]
-    [babashka.bbin.dirs :as dirs]
-    [babashka.bbin.protocols :as p]
-    [babashka.bbin.scripts.git-dir :refer [map->GitDir]]
-    [babashka.bbin.scripts.local-file :refer [map->LocalFile]]
-    [babashka.bbin.scripts.local-dir :refer [map->LocalDir]]
-    [babashka.bbin.scripts.http-file :refer [map->HttpFile]]
-    [babashka.bbin.scripts.http-jar :refer [map->HttpJar]]
-    [babashka.bbin.scripts.local-jar :refer [map->LocalJar]]
-    [babashka.bbin.scripts.maven-jar :refer [map->MavenJar]]
-    [babashka.fs :as fs]
-    [clojure.edn :as edn]
-    [clojure.string :as str]
-    [rads.deps-info.summary :as deps-info-summary]
-    [selmer.filters :as filters]))
-
-;; selmer filter for clojure escaping for e.g. files
-(filters/add-filter! :pr-str (comp pr-str str))
-
-(defn parse-script [s]
-  (let [lines (str/split-lines s)
-        prefix (if (str/ends-with? (first lines) "bb") ";" "#")]
-    (->> lines
-         (drop-while #(not (re-seq (re-pattern (str "^" prefix " *:bbin/start")) %)))
-         next
-         (take-while #(not (re-seq (re-pattern (str "^" prefix " *:bbin/end")) %)))
-         (map #(str/replace % (re-pattern (str "^" prefix " *")) ""))
-         (str/join "\n")
-         edn/read-string)))
-
-(defn load-scripts [dir]
-  (->> (file-seq dir)
-       (filter #(.isFile %))
-       (map (fn [x] [(symbol (str (fs/relativize dir x)))
-                     (parse-script (slurp x))]))
-       (filter second)
-       (into {})))
-
-
-(defn ls [cli-opts]
-  (let [scripts (load-scripts (dirs/bin-dir cli-opts))]
-    (if (:edn cli-opts)
-      (util/pprint scripts cli-opts)
-      (do
-        (println)
-        (util/print-scripts (util/printable-scripts scripts) cli-opts)
-        (println)))))
-
-(defn bin [cli-opts]
-  (println (str (dirs/bin-dir cli-opts))))
-
-(defn- throw-invalid-script [summary cli-opts]
-  (let [{:keys [procurer artifact]} summary]
-    (throw (ex-info "Invalid script coordinates.\nIf you're trying to install from the filesystem, make sure the path actually exists."
-                    {:script/lib (:script/lib cli-opts)
-                     :procurer procurer
-                     :artifact artifact}))))
-
-(defn- new-script [cli-opts]
-  (let [summary (deps-info-summary/summary cli-opts)
-        {:keys [procurer artifact]} summary]
-    (case [procurer artifact]
-      [:git :dir] (map->GitDir {:cli-opts cli-opts :summary summary})
-      [:http :file] (map->HttpFile {:cli-opts cli-opts})
-      [:http :jar] (map->HttpJar {:cli-opts cli-opts})
-      [:local :dir] (map->LocalDir {:cli-opts cli-opts :summary summary})
-      [:local :file] (map->LocalFile {:cli-opts cli-opts})
-      [:local :jar] (map->LocalJar {:cli-opts cli-opts})
-      [:maven :jar] (map->MavenJar {:cli-opts cli-opts})
-      (throw-invalid-script summary cli-opts))))
-
-(defn install [cli-opts]
-  (if-not (:script/lib cli-opts)
-    (util/print-help)
-    (do
-      (dirs/ensure-bbin-dirs cli-opts)
-      (when-not (util/edn? cli-opts)
-        (println)
-        (println (util/bold "Starting install..." cli-opts)))
-      (let [cli-opts' (util/canonicalized-cli-opts cli-opts)
-            script (new-script cli-opts')]
-        (p/install script)))))
-
-(defn- default-script [cli-opts]
-  (reify
-    p/Script
-    (install [_])
-    (upgrade [_]
-      (throw (ex-info "Not implemented" {})))
-    (uninstall [_]
-      (common/delete-files cli-opts))))
-
-(defn- load-script [cli-opts]
-  (let [script-name (:script/lib cli-opts)
-        script-file (fs/file (fs/canonicalize (fs/file (dirs/bin-dir cli-opts) script-name) {:nofollow-links true}))
-        parsed (parse-script (slurp script-file))]
-    (cond
-      (-> parsed :coords :bbin/url)
-      (let [summary (deps-info-summary/summary {:script/lib (-> parsed :coords :bbin/url)})
-            {:keys [procurer artifact]} summary]
-        (case [procurer artifact]
-          [:git :dir] (map->GitDir {:cli-opts cli-opts :summary summary :coords (:coords parsed)})
-          [:http :file] (map->HttpFile {:cli-opts cli-opts :coords (:coords parsed)})
-          [:http :jar] (map->HttpJar {:cli-opts cli-opts :coords (:coords parsed)})
-          [:local :dir] (map->LocalDir {:cli-opts cli-opts :summary summary})
-          [:local :file] (map->LocalFile {:cli-opts cli-opts})
-          [:local :jar] (map->LocalJar {:cli-opts cli-opts})
-          (throw-invalid-script summary cli-opts)))
-
-      (-> parsed :coords :mvn/version)
-      (map->MavenJar {:cli-opts cli-opts :lib (:lib parsed)})
-
-      (-> parsed :coords :git/tag)
-      (let [summary (deps-info-summary/summary {:script/lib (:lib parsed)
-                                                :git/tag (-> parsed :coords :git/tag)})]
-        (map->GitDir {:cli-opts cli-opts :summary summary :coords (:coords parsed)}))
-
-      (-> parsed :coords :git/sha)
-      (let [summary (deps-info-summary/summary {:script/lib (:lib parsed)
-                                                :git/sha (-> parsed :coords :git/sha)})]
-        (map->GitDir {:cli-opts cli-opts :summary summary :coords (:coords parsed)}))
-
-      :else (default-script cli-opts))))
-
-(defn upgrade [cli-opts]
-  (if-not (:script/lib cli-opts)
-    (util/print-help)
-    (do
-      (dirs/ensure-bbin-dirs cli-opts)
-      (let [script (load-script cli-opts)]
-        (p/upgrade script)))))
-
-(defn uninstall [cli-opts]
-  (if-not (:script/lib cli-opts)
-    (util/print-help)
-    (do
-      (dirs/ensure-bbin-dirs cli-opts)
-      (let [script-name (:script/lib cli-opts)
-            script-file (fs/canonicalize (fs/file (dirs/bin-dir cli-opts) script-name) {:nofollow-links true})]
-        (when (fs/delete-if-exists script-file)
-          (when util/windows? (fs/delete-if-exists (fs/file (str script-file common/windows-wrapper-extension))))
-          (fs/delete-if-exists (fs/file (dirs/jars-dir cli-opts) (str script-name ".jar")))
-          (println "Removing" (str script-file)))))))
-
 (ns babashka.bbin.cli
   (:require [babashka.cli :as cli]
             [babashka.bbin.scripts :as scripts]
diff --git a/dev/babashka/bbin/gen_script.clj b/dev/babashka/bbin/gen_script.clj
index bc212fc..4a5fafd 100644
--- a/dev/babashka/bbin/gen_script.clj
+++ b/dev/babashka/bbin/gen_script.clj
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 (def all-scripts
   [prelude-str
    meta-str
+   (slurp "src/babashka/bbin/dirs.clj")
    (slurp "src/babashka/bbin/protocols.clj")
    (slurp "src/babashka/bbin/specs.clj")
    (slurp "src/babashka/bbin/util.clj")
@@ -58,8 +59,8 @@
    (slurp "src/babashka/bbin/scripts/local_file.clj")
    (slurp "src/babashka/bbin/scripts/local_jar.clj")
    (slurp "src/babashka/bbin/scripts/maven_jar.clj")
-   (slurp "src/babashka/bbin/migrate.clj")
    (slurp "src/babashka/bbin/scripts.clj")
+   (slurp "src/babashka/bbin/migrate.clj")
    (slurp "src/babashka/bbin/cli.clj")])
 
 (defn gen-script []