Linux Interview Question

1. What is Linux?

Linus Torvalds developed Linux, a Unix-like, free, open-source, and

kernel operating system. Mainly it is designed for systems, servers,
embedded devices, mobile devices, and mainframes and is also
supported on major computer platforms such as ARM, x86, and SPARC.

2. Explain the basic features of the Linux OS.

Some basic features of Linux are:

 Linux is free and easily available.
 It is more secure than other operating systems because it uses security
auditing and password authentication features.
 Linux has its personal software repository.
 It includes multiple languages throughout the world. Hence Linux
supports different language keyboards.
 It offers CLI and GUI to use different commands and applications such as
Firefox, VLC, etc.

3. Name some Linux Distros

There are various Linux distros but the following are the most commonly used:
 Ubuntu
 Debian
 CentOS
 Fedora
 RedHat
Ubuntu is free and open-source, which means it is free to use, modify, and distribute. It provides
a user-friendly and intuitive interface, making it easy to navigate and use, even for users who
are new to Linux. Ubuntu supports a wide range of software applications, with a large software
repository with thousands of free and open-source programs available for installation. It is
known for its strong security features, with regular security updates and a strong community
focus on keeping Ubuntu secure. Ubuntu is designed to be stable and reliable, offering better
performance and efficiency compared to some other operating systems, especially on older
hardware.
 4. What are the major differences between Linux and Windows?

The following table will help in understanding the differences between

Linux and Windows:

Comparison
Factor Linux Windows
It is a free and
It is not open-source and is free to
Free/Paid open-source
use.
OS.

Linux is highly Windows is less secure compared

Security
secure. to Linux.

As a path
separator, it Windows uses a backward slash
Path separator
uses a forward between the directories.
slash.

Linux is more
Efficiency efficient than Windows is less efficient.
Windows.

It uses a
Kernel type monolithic It uses a microkernel.
kernel.

Linux file
File system systems are Its file system is case-insensitive.
case-sensitive.
5. Define the basic components of Linux.

Majorly there are five basic components of Linux:

 Kernel: Linux kernel is a core part of the operating system that works as
a bridge between hardware and software.
 Shell: Shell is an interface between a kernel and a user.
 GUI: Offers different way to interact with the system, known as the
graphical user interface (GUI).
  Application programs: It is designed to perform a bundle of tasks
through a bundle of functions.
 System Utilities: It is the software functions through which users
manage the system.

6. Elaborate all the file permission in Linux.

There are three types of file permissions in Linux:

 Read: Users open and read files with this permission.
 Write: Users can open and modify the files.
 Execute: Users can run the file.

7. What is the Linux Kernel? Is it legal to edit it?

It is known as a low-level software system. The Linux kernel tracks the

resources and provides a user interface. This OS is released under GPL
(General Public License). Hence every project is released under it. So,
you can edit the Linux kernel legally.

8. Explain LILO

LILO, i.e., Linux Loader and is a Linux Boot loader. It loads the Linux
operating system into memory and starts the execution. Most operating
systems like Windows and macOS come with a bootloader. While in
Linux, you need to install a separate boot loader, and LILO is one of the
Linux boot loaders.
9. What is Shell in Linux?

A shell is a special user program that provides an interface for the user to use
operating system services. Shell accepts human-readable commands from users and
converts them into something which the kernel can understand. It is a command
language interpreter that executes commands read from input devices such as
keyboards or from files. The shell gets started when the user logs in or starts the
terminal

In Linux, five Shells are used:

 csh (C Shell): This shell offers job control and spell checking and is
similar to C syntax.]
 ksh (Korn Shell): A high-level shell for programming languages.
 ssh (Z Shell): This shell has a unique nature, such as closing comments,
startup files, file name generating, and observing logout/login watching.
  bash (Bourne Again Shell): This is the default shell for Linux.
 Fish (Friendly Interactive Shell): This shell provides auto-suggestion,
web-based configuration, etc.

10. What is a root account?

The root is like the user’s name or system administrator account in Linux.
The root account provides complete system control, which an ordinary
user cannot do.

11. Describe CLI and GUI in Linux.

CLI, i.e., command line interface. It takes input as a command and runs
the tasks of the system. The term GUI refers to the Graphical User
Interface or the human-computer interface. It uses icons, images, menus,
and windows, which can be manipulated through the mouse.

12. What is Swap Space?

Linux uses swap space to expand RAM. Linux uses this extra space to
hold concurrently running programs temporarily.

13. What is the difference between hard links and soft links?

Here is the table that shows the difference between soft links and hard links:
Hard Links Soft Links
It includes original
It includes the original file location.
content.

Hard links are faster as

Soft links are slower.
compared to soft links.

It shares similar inode

It shares different inode numbers.
numbers.

There is no relative
Relative paths are used for soft links.
path for hard links.

It didn’t link the

It links the directories.
directories.
 Hard Links Soft Links
Any change in this link
Every change in this link reflects its hard link
reflects other files
and the actual file directly.
directly.

It uses less memory. It uses more memory.

14. How do users create a symbolic link in Linux?

Symbolic links, symlink, or soft links are shortcuts to files and directories.
Users can create the symbolic link in Linux through the’ ln’ command.
The general command to create a symbolic link is as follows:
ln -s <existing_source file> <optional_symbolic link>

15. What do you understand about the standard streams?

Output and input in Linux OS are divided into three standard streams:
 Stdin (standard input)
 stdout(standard output)
 stderr (standard error)
Under Linux, these standard streams channel communication of output
and input between programs and their environment.

16. How do you mount and unmount filesystems in Linux?

In this case, you can use the ‘mount’ and ‘umount’ commands.
For mounting:
 First, identify the partition through the fdisk -l command. You can also
use the lsblk command for it.
 After identifying the partition, create the directory which will work as
the mount point. For example, running the mkdir /mnt/mountpnt will
create the mountpnt directory as the mount point.
 Finally, you can run sudo mount <partition> <mount_point_directory>
to complete the mounting.
For Unmounting:
Once you check if the specific filesystem is in use, you can run the `sudo
umount <mount_point_directory>` for unmounting. If you want to learn
more about the mount command in Linux, check out this brief guide.
 17. How do you troubleshoot network connectivity issues in Linux?

There are multiple ways to troubleshoot the network connectivity and find
the issue correctly:

Check the Internet Connectivity:

First of all, please check if the internet connection option is on
and also check the cables to find if there is any issue with it.

Verify the Network Configuration:

 Please check that your network is configured correctly and the
network interface has your IP address. You can check it by running
the ip addr or ifconfig commands.
 You can also run the ip route command to check if the default
gateway is set properly.
 Finally, verify the DNS server configuration in the /etc/resolv.conf
file.
Check the Firewall:
Sometimes, firewall rules block the internet connection for the
system’s security. Hence, you can run the ufw or iptables command
to modify the firewall rules.
Network Interface:
You can restart your network interface through the ifup and ifdown
commands. Once you restart the network interface, please reboot
the system to make changes successful.

18. How do you list all the processes running in Linux?

You can list the currently running process in Linux through various commands
such as:
ps Command:
The ps command displays brief information about the running processes.
You can use the ps -f or ps -f command because the -f option shows the full-
format result, and the -e option displays all processes. Moreover, you can use
the ps auxf command to get a detailed list of processes.

top and htop Command:

 The top command displays the real-time details about the system process
and the complete resource usage.
 The htop command is the improved version of the top command because it
displays the color-coded list with additional features such as sorting, filtering,
sorting, etc.
 19. What is the chmod command in Linux, and how do you use it?
19. What is the chmod command in Linux, and how do you use it?

You can use the chmod command to change the file permissions of
the directories. It offers a simple way to control the read and write permissions.
For instance, if you want to change the permission of the ABC.sh script and
give it the write and executable permission .
 You can use the chmod command to change the file permissions of the
directories. It offers a simple way to control the read
20. How do you check disk space usage?

There are some simple commands you can use to check disk space usage,
such as:

df Command:
The df or disk-free command shows the used and the available disk
space. You can use the additional options to check disk space differently. For
instance, you can use the df -h command to check the disk usage in the
human-readable format.

du Command:
The du or disk usage command estimates and shows the disk space
usage, so running the du command with no option shows the disk usage of
your current directory. However, you can run the following command to check
the disk usage of a specific directory:
du -sh ~/<directory>

ncdu Command:
The NCurses Disk Usage, or ncdu command, displays more interactive
disk usage. Similar to the du command, the ncdu command also requires the
path of the specific directory to check its space.

21. How do you find the process ID (PID) of a running process?

You can use the following command to find the Process ID or PID of the
currently running process:
pgrep Command:
The pgrep command shows the PID of a process through its name or other
different attributes. For example, you can find the PID of process_1 using the
below command:
pgrep <process_1>

ps Command:
ps command not only displays the currently running process but also
shows the process’s PID. However, if you want to check the PID of a specific
process, you can combine the ps with the grep command:
ps -e | grep -i <process_1>

22. What is the rsync command, and how do you use this command for
synchronization?

The rsync command is used to synchronize and transfer the files in Linux. It
synchronizes files between two local systems, directories, or a network.
The basic rsync command contains the following:
rsync <options> <source> <destination>
For example, let’s synchronize between Documents and the Downloads
directory. For this, you need to run the following command:
rsync -av ~/Documents ~/Downloads
If you want to go one step further, then you can use the below command:
rsync -avz --delete ~/Documents ~/Downloads
In the above command:
 The -a option preserves all the permissions and other attributes
 The -v option displays the detailed output of the synchronization
 The -z allows compression that decreases the bandwidth use.
 The –delete option removes the file in the Downloads that do not exist in
the Documents directory.

23. How do you create a user account?

You can use adduser and useradd commands to create a user for the system.

useradd Command:
Let’s create a username, “Ron,” and provide a password for accessing the
system:
useradd Ron
passwd Ron
You can also explore the useradd command’s additional options to modify the
new user’s permissions and privileges.
adduser Command:

The adduser command is similar to the useradd command, so let’s create a

username “Shawn”:
adduser Shawn
passwd Shawn

24. How do you format a disk in Linux?

The mkfs or make file system command helps format the disk in the Linux
system. All you need to do is use the following method to format the disk:
First, run the lsblk command to list the available partitions and identify which
disk you want to format.
If the selected disk is mounted, then unmount it through the following
command:
umount <partition>

Now, find the file system type of the disk, like EXT4, NTFS, or XFS. Once you
are done then, run one of the following commands according to the file system
type:
mkfs.ext4 <partition>
mkfs.xfs <partition>
mkfs.ntfs <partition>
Finally, mount the disk again through the mount command after the successful
format. Moreover, please ensure that you have created a complete disk backup
to eliminate the chances of data loss.

25. How do you change the password for a user account?

Changing the password of a user account is simple because all you need to do
is use the passwd command:
passwd username
For example, let’s change the password of a user “Ron” through the below
command:
passwd Ron
Once you run the command, the system will ask you to enter and confirm the
new password.
26. What is the difference between a process and a thread?

In Linux, processes are the independent program, while a thread is the unit of
execution. So here are the complete differences between process and thread:
Comparison
Factors Process Thread
Creation time
Creation time Creation time is less.
is higher

It is
independent It depends on other threads because
Dependency because it they share some memory with other
does not share threads.
memory.

Resource use
Resource Requires lesser resources
is higher

The
Termination
termination The termination time is less.
time
time is higher

27. What is the ulimit command, and how do you use it?

The ulimit command controls the resource limit for the user process. You
can use the ulimit command to set the limit on the system resource to prevent
consuming the higher resources. This command contains multiple options to
set the limit. For example, you can use the u option to set a maximum number
of processes to 50:
ulimit -u 50
You can explore more options of the ulimit command by following this guide.

28. What is the find command, and how do you use it?

The find command searches for files based on different factors

such as name, size, permissions, etc. Here is the basic command:
find <directory> <file>
For example, let’s find a Linux.txt file located in the Downloads directory
through the below command:
find ~/Downloads -name Linux.txt
Once you run the above command, the find command will start finding the
Linux.txt in the Downloads directory and subdirectories.

29. What is RAID in Linux?

The full form of RAID is the Redundant Array of Independent

Disk that allows the system to combine the different physical disk drives into a
logical unit. RAID is used to improve the system’s disk performance and data
integrity. There are different RAID levels you can configure according to the
requirements. Here is the detailed information about the RAID levels:
RAID Level Description
It is called striping, which allows you to split the
RAID 0 data into multiple disks without redundancy.

It is called mirroring, which allows you to create a

RAID 1 complete copy of data on multiple disks.

It distributes the parity information and data on

RAID 5 multiple disks.

It is the improved version of RAID 5 as it uses two

sets of parity information to provide higher data
RAID 6
redundancy.

It combines RAID 0 and RAID 1 to generate the set

RAID 10 of mirror disks to improve performance and
redundancy.

30. What are the challenges of using Linux?

There are numerous challenges that a user faces while using Linux:

 Linux shows hardware compatibility issues in certain devices because

manufacturers prioritize Windows compatibility.
 Learning Linux is not easy because the configuration and commands
require proper knowledge.
 Although Linux supports Steam, it still needs to be impressed regarding
game compatibility and availability.
 Sometimes users face driver and firmware-related issues.

31. What is the /proc file system?

/proc (Proc File System) is the virtual file system that shows information about
the system and the Kernel data structures. It is the essential interface to
access the system, perform debugging tasks, check the Kernel functioning, find
process-related information, and many more.
Therefore, you can use /proc file system in Linux to get information about the
system and modify the particular Kernel parameters at the runtime.

32. How do you secure a Linux server?

There are multiple methods to secure the Linux server and protect it from data
breaches, security threats, and unauthorized access. Here are some of these
methods:
 Create a strong password
 Update the server and apply security patches.
 Use secured protocols like SSH and configure it to use key-based
authentication for higher security.
 Use the intrusion detection system (IDS) to monitor network traffic and
prevent malicious activities.
 Configure the firewall to limit the inbound and outbound traffic on the server.
 Disable all unused network services.
 Create regular backups.
 Review logs and perform regular security audits.
 Encrypt network traffic and enable monitoring.

33. What is strace command?

The strace command is the diagnostic utility by which you can trace and
monitor the system calls generated by the process. It allows you to find how
programs interact with Kernel and can be used for debugging and
troubleshooting. For example, let’s find the system calls generated by the ls
command:
strace ls
Once you run the above command, the system will start tracing the list
command and show the system calls generated by it. Output from the above
command includes information like call name, argument, and return values.
34. How do you optimize Linux system performance?

You can optimize the Linux performance through various strategies to improve
resource usage and efficiency. So some of the strategies are:
 Updates the system as per the latest one available.
 Optimize the disk, enable the caching, and optimize the access pattern.
 Manage memory and CPU usage.
 Disable the necessary services and use lightweight alternatives of the
tools.
 Monitor the system resources regularly.
 Perform the Kernel parameter tune-up.
 Use tools like Performance Co-Pilot (PCP) to monitor system-level
performance.

35. How to administer Linux servers?

Administering a Linux server requires different strategies and management

to maintain the overall functionalities. Here are some major strategies you can
follow:
 Handle user account management and assign appropriate access
permissions.
 Configure the system to optimize the performance, improve the security
and maintain the network connectivity.
 Implement the backup strategy to perform regular backups of the server.
 Implement the monitoring tools to track resource usage, system
performance, and network.
 Set up monitoring tools to track system performance, resource usage,
and network activity.
 Configure firewall, set up intrusion detection, manage user permissions
and configure the SSH.
 Create a proper recovery planning that must include regular backup,
critical configuration documentation, recovery process testing, and
offsite storage.

36. What is a Linux virtual memory system?

Virtual memory is a great memory management utility in any OS. You

can use the virtual memory system as secondary memory. This memory is
used by both software and hardware in Linux so that your system can cope
with the lack of physical memory. Moreover, virtual memory is also used to
 compensate for the RAM usage by transferring the data temporarily from RAM
to disk storage.

37. What do you understand about process scheduling in Linux?

Process scheduling is the mechanism that identifies the order of processes

running on the system. In other words, process scheduling determines the
order and execution time of multiple processes running on the system
concurrently. This process scheduler of Linux is priority-based and uses a
preemptive algorithm. It allocates CPU time for different processes to ensure
efficient CPU resource usage. These processes are dynamic, and their order
can change depending on many factors, such as resource usage, process
behavior, and scheduling policies.

38. What are the most important Linux commands?

There are a ton of useful commands in Linux, and here are some of the
commonly used commands:
 ls: Display directory contents such as folders and files.
 mkdir: Used to create a new directory.
 pwd: Shows the current directory.
 top: Display system running processes and resource usage.
 grep: Search a specific pattern in a file.
 cat: Through this command, users can add multiple files and also display the
content of the files.
 tar: Archives directories and files into a tarball.
 wget: Download files from the browser or web.
 free: Shows memory usage.
 df: Shows disk space usage.
 man: Gives a manual page for a specific command that displays instructions
and details.

39. What is the iptables command, and how to use it for network filtering?

The iptables command configures Netfilter firewall rules providing the

network address translation, packet filtering, etc. iptables inspects the network
packet and then manages them according to the defined rules. Here is how
you can use the iptables command for network filtering:
 Run the below command to display the current iptables rules, including
policies, chains, and other actions for the network:
iptables -L
The iptables configuration uses the predefined set of chains to process the
network packages at different stages. So you can define rules to these chains
for manipulating the network packets:
iptables -A <chain> <options> -j <target>
In the above command:
 <chain>: Specifies the chain where you want to define a new rule.
 <options>: Defines the conditions for the rule, like ports, protocols, etc.
 -j <target>: Defines the target action when the packet matches the rule.
By default, iptables rules get automatically removed after the system reboot,
but you can use the following command to make the rules persistent:
iptables-save > /etc/iptables/rules.v4

40. How do you troubleshoot a Linux OS that fails to boot?

In case of the system boot failure, you can follow various approaches
such as:
 Check the warning and error messages you get during the boot
process because it can help you diagnose the issues.
 Check the boot logs to find the exact reason behind the boot error.
 Open the GRUB bootloader and check the boot options to solve the
booting problems.
 Check the hardware connections like cables, RAM, cooling fan, etc.
 If the system shows an error message related to the Kernel, try to
boot it with the older Kernel version from GRUB.
 Identify the last changes you made in the system before the boot.

41. What is the init process in Linux?

The init or also called the initialization process is the first process that
begins during the system boot. It is responsible for initializing and
processing the system in its functional state. Hence, init works as the parent
process because its process ID is 1. Originally Linux systems used to have
SysV init, but now it is developed as the systemd init (an improved version of
SysV).
 42. What is SMTP?

SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. This set of communication
guidelines allows the software to transmit electronic mail online. The main aim
of SMTP is to set communication rules between servers. There are two models
of SMTP:
 End-to-end model: This model is used to connect different organizations.
 Store-and-forward model: This model is used within an organization.

43. What is LVM in Linux?

The full form of LVM is Logical Volume Manager, which provides an

advanced disk management approach in Linux. It is a subsystem that allows a
user to efficiently allocate the disk space on the physical storage device.
You can use the LVM to create the logical volume for easy storage
management through various features like resizing, volume mirroring, and
snapshots. LVM is a powerful utility for disk management where you need
dynamic storage allocations.

44. What is the difference between UDP and TCP?

The following table shows the difference between UDP and TCP:
Factors UDP TCP

UDP does not

TCP is connection-oriented because it
Connection- establish a
establishes a connection between the
oriented proper
sender and receiver.
connection.

UDP does not

It guarantees reliable data delivery by
provide a
Reliability retransmitting corrupt packets or lost
reliability
packets.
mechanism.

Usage It is used in low It is used where ordered data is

overhead, delivered, and reliable data must be
 Factors UDP TCP
speed, and
real-time
delivered.
communication
applications.

Video/voice
conferencing,
DNS, online File transfers, email, web browsing,
Applications
gaming, database transactions, etc.
streaming
media, etc.

45. What is /etc/resolv.conf file

The /etc/resolv.conf is the config file used for the DNS server resolution
process. This config file is used to specify the DNS server, set up the search
directive for domains, and configure the resolver options.

46. What is the difference between absolute and relative paths in Linux?

Absolute path = It specifies the exact location of a file or directory from the root
directory (“/”). We will notice that they always start with a forward slash (“/”).
For Example: `/home/user/jayesh/geeksforgeeks.txt`
Relative paths = It specifies the location relative to the current working
directory. In this we do not start with a forward slash (“/”).
For Example: `documents/file.txt`

47. What is the grep command used for in Linux?

The grep command is used to search for specific patterns within files or input
streams. It allows us to find and print lines that we give to match the pattern.
For example: If we want to search `test` in a text file name “file.txt”. We use
the following command
grep "test" file.txt
This command will search for the word `test` in the file named “file.txt” and print
the matching lines.

48. How do you check the status of a service or daemon in Linux?

 To check the status of a service or daemon, we can use the `systemctl`
command followed by the service name.
For example: If we want to display the status of the Apache Web server. We
use the following command.
systemctl status apache2
It will show whether the service is running, stopped, or in an error state.

49. What is the difference between /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow files?

The /etc/passwd file stores essential user information like usernames,
user IDs, home directories, and default shells. Each line in the file represents a
user account.
The /etc/shadow file contains encrypted passwords and other security-related
information. It is only accessible by the root user or privileged processes

50. How do you compress and decompress files in Linux?

To compress files in Linux, you can use the tar command along with gzip
compression.
For example: If we want to create a file name “jayesh” with gzip compression.
We use the following command.
tar -czvf jayesh.tar.gz files
This command will create a compressed archive file containg the specified
“files”
To decompress the same, we use the following command.
tar -xzvf jayesh.tar.gz

51. What is the difference between a process and a daemon in Linux?

A process is an executing instance of a program. It can be a foreground
process that interacts with the user or a background process started by a user
or another process.
A daemon is a background process that runs independently of user sessions. It
is typically started at system boot time and performs system tasks or provides
services. Daemons often have no user interaction and continue running even
when users log out.

52. How do you schedule recurring tasks in Linux?

We can use `crontab` command for performing recurring tasks in Linux. By
adding entries to the crontab file, we can specify when and how frequently a
command or script should be executed
For Example: If we want to execute a script name “geeks.sh” every day at
3:30 AM. We use the following command.
crontab -e
This command opens the crontab file in an editor.
30 3 * * * /path/to/geeks.sh

53. What is the sed command used for in Linux?

The sed command is used to perform text transformations on files. It can
search for specific patterns and replace them with desired text.
For Example:
sed `s/foo/bar/g` file.txt
This command replaces all occurrences of “foo” with “bar” in the file name
“file.txt”
54. What are runlevels in Linux?
Runlevels in Linux define different system states, such as single-user mode or
multi-user mode with or without a GUI. They determine which services start or
stop during system startup and shutdown. The default runlevel is often set to a
multi-user mode with a GUI (runlevel 5). Runlevel 3 is commonly used for a
multi-user mode without a GUI.
Bonus Linux Interview Questions
The next 5 Linux interview questions are the most common ones recruiters
ask.
55. What is sudo in Linux?
The word “sudo” is the short form of “Superuser Do” that allows you to run the
command with system privileges. With this command, you can get the system’s
administrative access to perform various tasks. The sudo command requires a
password before the execution to verify the user’s authorization.
56. What is umask?
It is used for user file creation mode. When a user creates any file, then it has
default file permission. Umask specifies restrictions for these permissions on
the file, i.e., controls the permissions.
57. How to find and kill a process in Linux?
You can use different commands to kill a process, but first, you must find the
PID of that specific process. So, please run the below command:
ps aux | grep <process>
Once you get the PID of the process then run the kill command to end it:
kill <PID>
If you don’t want to find the PID, then you can use the pkill command to kill a
process by its name:
pkill <process>
The pkill command sends a signal (by default, SIGTERM) to the matched
processes, causing them to terminate.
58. What is network bonding in Linux?
Network bonding is the process of creating a single network by combining two
or more network interfaces. This combination of networks improves
redundancy and performance by increasing bandwidth and throughput. The
major benefit of network bonding is that the overall network works fine even if a
single network in the bonding does not work properly.
59. What is SELinux?
SELinux or also known as Security-Enhanced Linux, is the security
framework. It offers an additional layer of security to improve access control
and strengthen security. SELinux was developed to improve the security
policies to prevent unauthorized access and exploitation. However, learning
about SELinux is essential before working on it can create serious security
issues.
60. What is the purpose of the SSH protocol in Linux, and how do you
securely connect to a remote server using SSH?
The Secure Shell (SSH) is a protocol in Linux which is used to establish a
secure encrypted connection between a local and remote machine. It allows to
securely access and manage remote servers. If we want to connect to a
remote server using SSH. We can use the following command.
ssh username@remote_ip
Here replace the `username` with the desired username of the remote server
and replace the `remote_ip` with the IP address of the remote server.
61. How do you check the contents of a file without opening it in Linux?
In Linux we can use the `cat` command to view the content of a file without
opening it in an editor form.
For example: If we want to check content of a file with file_name = `geeks.txt`
cat geeks.txt
62. What is the purpose of the crontab file in Linux, and how do you
schedule recurring tasks using cron jobs?
The crontab file in Linux is used to schedule recurring tasks or cron jobs. It
contains a list of commands or scripts that are executed at specified time
intervals. To edit the crontab file, you can use the crontab -e command.
For example: If we want to run a script name `jayesh.sh` every day at 5 AM,
we can use the following procedure.
First, we need to open the crontab in editorial format.
crontab -e
Secondly, add the entries in the crontab file.
0 5 * * * /path/to/jayesh.sh
63. How do you find and replace text in a file using the sed command in
Linux?
The sed command (stream editor) can be used to find and replace text in a file.
The basic syntax is sed ‘s/pattern/replacement/g’ filename.
For example: to replace all occurrences of “true” with “False” in a file
sed 's/true/False/g' file_name
64. What is the purpose of the sudoers file in Linux, and how do you
configure sudo access for users?
The sudoers file in Linux controls the sudo access permissions for users. It
determines which users are allowed to run commands with superuser (root)
privileges. To configure sudo access, you can edit the sudoers file using the
visudo command.
For example:
sudo visudo
Now add this line anywhere in the file. For instance, if we want to grant a user
full sudo access.
user_name ALL=(ALL) ALL
65. How do you change the ownership of a file or directory in Linux using
the chown command?
In Linux, you can change the ownership of a file or directory using the chown
command. The basic syntax is chown new_owner: new_group filename.
For example: If we want to change the ownership of a file to user “Jayesh” and
group “users”.
chown jayesh:users file_name
66. What is the purpose of the ping command in Linux, and how do you
test network connectivity to a remote host?
Ping command is used to test the network connectively between the local and
remote hosts. It basically sends an ICMP echo request packet to the remote
host and waits for the corresponding echo reply packet.
For example: If we want to check the connectivity to a remote host, we use the
following command.
ping remote_host_ip
Here replace `remote_host_ip` with the Ip address of the host
67. How do you recursively copy files and directories in Linux using the
cp command?
In linxux we can simply use `-R` option with the `cp` command to recursively
copy the file and directories.
For example:
 cp -R sourece_durectory destination_directory
68. What is the purpose of the netstat command in Linux, and how do you
view network connections and listening ports?
The netstat command in Linux is used to display active network connections,
routing tables, and listening ports. To view network connections and listening
ports, use the netstat command with appropriate options.
For example: If we want to display all listening TCP ports, we can use the
following command.
netstat -tuln
69. How do you set up a static IP address in Linux using the command-
line interface?
To set up a static IP address in Linux using the command-line interface, you
need to modify the network configuration file. The location and name of the file
may vary depending on the Linux distribution, but commonly it is
/etc/network/interfaces. Open the file with a text editor and modify the
configuration to set a static IP address, subnet mask, gateway, and DNS
servers.
For example:
iface eth0 inet static
address 192.168.1.100
netmask 255.255.255.0
gateway 192.168.1.1
dns-nameservers 8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4
Save the file and restart the network service or reboot the system for the
changes to take effect.
70. How to copy a file to multiple directories in Linux?
We can copy a file to multiple directories in Linux by these methods and
command xargs, find, tee and shell loop.
 xargs command on Unix/Linux operating system converts input from
standard input into an argument list for a specified command.
 The command find initiates a search and allows actions to be performed
based on the search results.
 The tee command reads standard input and copies it to both standard
outputs and to one or more files.
Linux Admin Interview Questions
71.How are files organized in Linux?
Linux follows a hierarchical file system structure. The root directory is denoted
by “/”, and files are organized in directories or folders within the root directory.
72.How can you find the IP address of a Linux system?
The ‘ifconfig’ or ‘ip addr show’ command can be used to display the IP address
of a Linux system.
73.What is the distinction between a hard link and a symbolic link in
Linux?
A hard link is a direct reference to a file, whereas a symbolic link is a reference
to the file’s path. Deleting a hard link does not affect the file, but deleting a
symbolic link breaks the link between the file and its path.
74.How do you check the amount of disk space being used in Linux?
The ‘df’ command displays information about the disk space usage on Linux,
including the total, used, and available space on filesystems.
75.How do you start and stop a service in Linux?
The ‘systemctl start <service>’ command is used to start a service, and
‘systemctl stop <service>’ is used to stop a service in Linux.
76.What are common causes of file permission issues in Linux?
Common causes of file permission issues in Linux include incorrect ownership,
improper permissions set for users or groups, and conflicts between different
users’ permissions.
77.How do you troubleshoot a Linux system that cannot connect to a
remote server?
Possible troubleshooting steps include checking network connectivity using
tools like ‘ping’, verifying firewall rules, checking DNS settings, and examining
relevant log files for error messages.
Linux Troubleshooting Interview Questions:
78.What steps would you take to fix a network connectivity issue in
Linux?
Steps would include checking physical connections, verifying IP configuration,
checking firewall settings, ensuring DNS resolution is working, and using
network troubleshooting tools like ‘ping’, ‘traceroute’, or ‘tcpdump’.
79.How do you check the system logs in Linux?
System logs can be checked using the ‘tail’ or ‘less’ command to view the
contents of log files located in the ‘/var/log’ directory, such as ‘syslog’,
‘messages’, or ‘auth.log’.
80.What are the possible reasons for a Linux system running out of
memory?
Possible reasons include memory leaks in applications, excessive memory
usage by running processes, inadequate memory allocation, or high memory
demands from large datasets.
81.How would you troubleshoot a slow-performing Linux server?
Troubleshooting steps might involve checking system resource usage with
tools like ‘top’ or ‘htop’, monitoring disk I/O, analyzing network traffic,
identifying memory or CPU bottlenecks, and reviewing application logs.
82.What are common causes of a Linux system running out of disk
space?
Common causes include large log files, excessive data storage, uncontrolled
growth of temporary files, improper cleanup of old files, or runaway processes
generating excessive output.
83.How can you identify and terminate a process that is using a lot of
CPU in Linux?
The ‘top’ or ‘htop’ command can display the processes using the most CPU. To
terminate a process, the ‘kill’ command followed by the process ID (PID) can
be used.
84.How would you troubleshoot a Linux system that cannot boot up?
Troubleshooting steps might include checking hardware connections, verifying
BIOS/UEFI settings, booting into a recovery mode or live system, analyzing
boot logs, and diagnosing disk or file system errors.
Linux Networking Interview Questions:
85.What does the ‘ifconfig’ command do in Linux?
The ‘ifconfig’ command is used to configure or display network interfaces in
Linux. It can be used to view or modify IP addresses, netmasks, and other
network interface parameters.
86.How do you set up a fixed IP address in Linux?
A fixed IP address can be set up in Linux by editing the network configuration
file (e.g., ‘/etc/network/interfaces’ or ‘/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-
<interface>’) and assigning the desired IP address to the interface.
87.How do you configure a DNS server in Linux?
DNS server configuration involves editing the ‘/etc/named.conf’ (BIND) or
‘/etc/named/named.conf.options’ (ISC BIND) file to specify the server’s zone
information, name resolution options, and defining forwarders or root hints.
88.What is a firewall in Linux, and how do you set it up?
A firewall is a network security system that filters and controls network traffic.
In Linux, ‘iptables’ or newer ‘nftables’ can be used to set up firewall rules by
defining filtering criteria, network zones, and desired actions.

89.How do you check the network connectivity between two Linux

systems?

Network connectivity between two Linux systems can be checked using tools
like ‘ping’ or ‘traceroute’, which send packets to the target system and report on
the round-trip time and the path taken.

90.What is the purpose of the ‘route’ command in Linux?

The ‘route’ command is used to view or modify the IP routing table on a Linux
system. It displays information about the network routes and allows adding or
deleting routes.
91.How do you configure a Linux system to act as a router?

To configure a Linux system as a router, IP forwarding must be enabled by

setting the appropriate value in the ‘/proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward’ file.
Additionally, network interfaces and routing tables need to be configured
accordingly.