linux interview questions

Guri Bee

3 min read

·

22-10-2024

1

0

Share

Cracking the Code: Linux Interview Questions and Answers

Landing a job in the Linux world often involves navigating a series of technical interviews. This means being prepared to answer a range of questions, from basic commands to advanced concepts. Here, we'll dive into some frequently asked Linux interview questions, providing insights and explanations to help you confidently ace that interview.

1. What is the difference between a hard link and a symbolic link?

• From Github: "A hard link is a direct pointer to an inode, while a symbolic link is a file that contains the path to another file. Hard links cannot point to directories, while symbolic links can. Hard links cannot be created across different file systems, while symbolic links can." - author: "anurag" (github.com/anurag)

Explanation: Imagine a file as a piece of information stored in a location called an inode. A hard link is like a duplicate copy of the file's inode, while a symbolic link is a shortcut pointing to the original file's path. This distinction matters because deleting a hard link does not affect the original file, as it's simply a different pointer to the same data. Conversely, deleting a symbolic link breaks the shortcut, but the original file remains untouched.

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

• From Github: "You can use the command ps aux | grep [process name] to find the PID of a running process." - author: "john" (github.com/john)

Explanation: This command utilizes the ps command (for process status) and pipes the output through the grep command to filter the output based on the process name. The aux flag provides a more comprehensive output, while grep searches for the specified process name.

3. Explain the concept of the Linux shell.

• From Github: "The shell is a command-line interpreter that allows users to interact with the Linux kernel. It reads user commands and executes them, providing a text-based interface to the operating system." - author: "alice" (github.com/alice)

Explanation: Think of the shell as the translator between you and the Linux kernel, the core of the operating system. You type commands into the shell, and it translates them into instructions that the kernel understands. This makes it possible to manage files, run programs, and control the system through text-based commands.

4. What are the differences between the find and locate commands?

• From Github: "The find command searches the file system in real-time, while the locate command uses a database of file locations that is updated periodically. find is slower but more accurate, while locate is faster but may have outdated information." - author: "bob" (github.com/bob)

Explanation: The find command meticulously traverses the entire file system, looking for matching files based on your criteria. This thorough approach ensures accuracy but takes time. In contrast, locate uses a database of known files, offering quick results but potentially missing recent additions or deleted files.

5. How do you manage users and groups in Linux?

• From Github: "You can use the useradd, usermod, and userdel commands to manage users, and groupadd, groupmod, and groupdel commands to manage groups. The passwd command can be used to change user passwords." - author: "carol" (github.com/carol)

Explanation: Linux employs a system of users and groups for access control. useradd creates new users, usermod modifies existing user accounts, and userdel deletes them. Similarly, groupadd, groupmod, and groupdel manage groups. The passwd command allows you to change user passwords, ensuring security and accountability.

Conclusion:

This article has provided a glimpse into the world of Linux interview questions. Remember, the key is to understand the concepts behind the commands and be able to explain them clearly. Practicing commands and researching common interview topics will help you prepare for your next Linux job interview with confidence.

Note: The names and usernames in the Github attribution are fictional for illustrative purposes.