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Quizzes > Computers & Technology > Computers & IT

Linux Essentials Final Exam - Test Your Linux Knowledge!

Ready to dive into Linux directory structure basics? Take the quiz now!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
paper art quiz banner with Linux root directory icon terminal prompt and file tree on dark blue background

Use this quiz to identify the Linux top-level directory and see how "/" anchors the file system. Practice with short questions to check gaps before an exam or interview and strengthen your command of paths and common directories. If you want a quick refresher first, read the Linux basics guide and then begin.

Which directory is the root of the Linux filesystem?
/etc
/usr
/
/home
The root directory, represented by '/', is the top-level directory in a Linux filesystem. All other files and directories are mounted or located under it. Understanding that '/' is the absolute base is fundamental. .
Which directory typically contains user home directories on a standard Linux system?
/srv
/root
/home
/opt
User home directories are usually located under '/home'. Each regular user account has a subdirectory there. The root user's home is '/root', not '/home'. .
Which directory contains essential system binaries required for both single-user and multi-user modes?
/bin
/sbin
/usr/bin
/usr/local/bin
Binaries in '/bin' are essential for system booting and repair and must be available even if '/usr' is on a separate partition. They are used in both single-user and multi-user modes. .
Which directory holds kernel and bootloader files?
/var
/boot
/etc
/lib
The '/boot' directory stores the kernel images, initramfs, and bootloader configuration files. It must be available to the bootloader at startup. .
Which directory contains device special files representing hardware components?
/sys
/media
/dev
/proc
The '/dev' directory holds device nodes through which the kernel and applications access hardware devices. These files appear as block or character devices. .
What is the home directory of the root user?
/usr
/opt
/root
/home
The root user's home directory is '/root' by convention. It is separate from regular users' homes under '/home'. This separation enhances security and manageability. .
Which directory contains shared libraries needed to boot the system?
/opt/lib
/usr/local/lib
/lib
/usr/lib
Essential shared libraries used by binaries in '/bin' and '/sbin' are kept in '/lib'. Without these, the system would fail to boot. .
Which top-level directory is intended for temporary files?
/tmp
/run
/var
/opt
The '/tmp' directory holds temporary files created by applications and scripts. It may be cleared upon system reboot depending on configuration. .
Which top-level directory typically holds logs and spool files?
/etc
/usr
/var
/home
Variable data files such as logs, mail spools, and printer spools reside in '/var'. It often requires its own partition for disk usage management. .
Which directory is the default mount point for removable media like CDs and USB drives?
/mnt
/srv
/opt
/media
Modern distributions use '/media' for automounted removable storage media. Each device gets its own subdirectory under '/media'. .
Which directory is commonly used for manually mounting filesystems temporarily?
/srv
/media
/mnt
/run
Administrators traditionally use '/mnt' as a generic mount point for testing or maintenance. It is not managed by the system automatically. .
Where are optional third-party application packages usually installed?
/var
/opt
/bin
/usr
The '/opt' directory is reserved for optional and add-on application software packages. Each vendor can create its own subdirectory there. .
Which directory holds volatile runtime data like PID files?
/proc
/run
/var
/tmp
The '/run' directory (often tmpfs) stores runtime data that needs to be available early in boot. It replaces legacy '/var/run'. .
Which virtual filesystem directory exports kernel and process information as files?
/proc
/sys
/var
/dev
The '/proc' filesystem is a virtual interface to kernel data structures, providing process and system info. It is essential for many system utilities. .
Which directory holds system configuration files?
/var
/usr
/etc
/bin
All host-specific system configuration files reside in '/etc'. They control the behavior of system and application programs. .
Which directory contains data served by system daemons?
/usr
/srv
/var
/opt
The '/srv' directory holds site-specific data for services provided by the system, such as web and FTP data. It helps isolate service data from other variable data. .
What is the typical purpose of the /usr directory in Linux?
Holds essential boot files
Contains user home directories
Stores variable runtime data
Second-level hierarchy for shareable, read-only data
The '/usr' directory serves as a shareable, read-only hierarchy for userland programs and libraries. It typically contains '/usr/bin', '/usr/lib', and '/usr/share'. It can be mounted read-only for security. .
What is the purpose of the /lost+found directory at the root of an ext filesystem?
Recovered file fragments after fsck
System logs
Temporary mount point
User backup files
On ext2/3/4 filesystems, '/lost+found' holds recovered file fragments found by fsck. Each filesystem needs its own lost+found. It enables data recovery after corruption. .
Which command lists only the top-level directories under '/'?
ls -l /
ls /*/*
find / -maxdepth 2
ls /
Running 'ls /' lists the contents of the root directory. This shows all immediate subdirectories. Adding '-l' changes the format but not the depth. .
Which directory under root is generally not a separate mount point by default?
/var
/bin
/boot
/home
Out of the options, '/bin' usually resides on the same partition as '/'. Directories like '/home', '/boot', and '/var' are often separate for security or performance. .
Where would third-party software typically be installed if following FHS recommendations?
/usr
/bin
/usr/local
/opt
Third-party or add-on packages that don't comply with standard layout go under '/opt'. '/usr/local' is for software local to the host. '/opt' keeps vendors' files isolated. .
Which directory is recommended to have its own partition to avoid filling up the root filesystem with logs?
/usr
/var
/etc
/home
Because '/var' holds logs, mail, and spool files, it can grow unexpectedly. Putting '/var' on a separate partition isolates disk usage. This prevents log overflow from crashing system functions. .
Which filesystem type is normally mounted at /proc?
ext4
sysfs
procfs
tmpfs
The '/proc' directory is a procfs virtual filesystem created by the kernel. It exposes process and kernel information. It is not backed by disk storage. .
Which top-level directory is cleared on each reboot on many modern distributions?
/usr
/var
/run
/home
The '/run' directory is often mounted as tmpfs, so its contents disappear on reboot. It replaced '/var/run' to provide early runtime data. .
Which command shows mounted filesystems including /?
mount
fdisk -l
lsblk
df -h
The 'mount' command lists all currently mounted filesystems and their mount points, including '/'. 'df -h' shows space usage but might not list pseudo filesystems by default. .
Where are system-wide manual pages stored by convention?
/etc/man
/man
/usr/share/man
/usr/man
Manual pages are kept under '/usr/share/man'. This directory structure follows section subdirectories like man1, man2, etc. It keeps documentation separate from binaries. .
What is the default location for core dumps on many distributions?
/var/crash
/home
/tmp
/var/log
Many distros direct core dumps to '/var/crash' when apport or abrt is in use. Administrators can override this via /proc/sys/kernel/core_pattern. .
Which path holds per-machine state information that persists across boots?
/var/lib
/lib/var
/state
/usr/lib
/var/lib contains state information for applications such as dpkg, RPM, and databases. It stays persistent across reboots. Other directories under /var hold different kinds of variable data. .
Which top-level directory is typically mounted as sysfs?
/run
/dev
/sys
/proc
/sys is a sysfs virtual filesystem exported by the kernel, providing a hierarchical view of kernel objects. It complements /proc for hardware and driver interaction. .
What is the difference between /run and the legacy /var/run?
/var/run holds logs, /run holds binaries
/run is temporary, /var/run is persistent
/run is mounted early as tmpfs, replacing /var/run
They are symlinks to each other with no real difference
Systemd and modern distros mount /run as tmpfs early in boot, replacing /var/run which becomes a symlink. This ensures runtime data is available before /var is mounted. .
In a default Linux install, which directory is NOT supposed to contain user-writable data?
/usr/bin
/srv
/opt
/home
'/usr/bin' is reserved for system applications and should not be modified by normal users. User data belongs in '/home', '/srv', or '/opt'. .
Which pseudo-filesystem shows mounted device information and I/O stats?
/sys
/run
/dev
/proc
/sys/class and /sys/block export device attributes and I/O statistics via sysfs. Tools like udev and systemd rely on it for hardware management. .
On a system using separate partitions, which directory should be mounted read-only for security?
/tmp
/usr
/home
/var
/usr contains shareable, static programs and libraries; mounting it read-only enhances security. It prevents unauthorized modification of installed software. .
Which directory would you inspect to find kernel module files?
/lib/modules
/usr/lib/modules
/opt/modules
/etc/modules
Kernel modules are stored under '/lib/modules//'. They are loaded as needed by the system. This location follows FHS guidelines. .
Which directory contains the default network interface information on many distributions?
/etc/netplan
/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts
/usr/etc/network
/etc/network
Debian-based systems place network interface configs in '/etc/network/interfaces.d' or '/etc/network/interfaces'. Other distros may differ. .
If /var/log fills up, which directory could you move to a separate partition to reduce risk?
/var/tmp
/var/run
/var/log
/var/lib
Separating '/var/log' onto its own partition isolates logs from other variable data and the root filesystem. This prevents full logs from impacting system stability. .
Which top-level directory is mounted using devtmpfs by default?
/dev
/run
/sys
/proc
/dev is mounted as devtmpfs to dynamically manage device nodes with kernel support. It automates creation of device nodes on hardware events. .
Where would you find systemd unit files provided by installed packages?
/opt/systemd/system
/var/lib/systemd
/etc/systemd/system
/usr/lib/systemd/system
Distributions place shipped service unit files in '/usr/lib/systemd/system'. Administrators override them in '/etc/systemd/system'. .
Which directory holds kernel tunable parameters at runtime?
/etc/sysctl.d
/usr/bin/sysctl
/proc/sys
/var/sys
/proc/sys provides a dynamic interface for changing kernel parameters at runtime via sysctl. Files under it correspond to kernel settings. .
On systems using SELinux, where are contexts configured by default?
/etc/selinux
/opt/selinux
/usr/share/selinux
/var/lib/selinux
SELinux policies and file context definitions live under '/etc/selinux'. This directory contains policy modules and configurations. .
Which directory stores documentation and info files under /usr?
/usr/doc
/usr/man
/usr/share/doc
/usr/info
GNU info pages are installed under '/usr/info'. Other documentation, like package docs, goes in '/usr/share/doc'. .
Which directory often holds kernel firmware files?
/usr/share/firmware
/opt/firmware
/lib/firmware
/usr/lib/firmware
Firmware binaries for devices are placed under '/lib/firmware'. The kernel requests these during driver initialization. .
Which directory would you check for udev rules on most systems?
/usr/lib/udev/rules.d
/var/lib/udev/rules.d
/lib/udev/rules.d
/etc/udev/rules.d
Custom udev rules are placed in '/etc/udev/rules.d', while default ones reside in '/usr/lib/udev/rules.d'. This separation allows local overrides. .
In a container environment, which directory namespace isolation is critical for hiding host /proc?
pivot_root on /
symlinking /home to /srv
mounting /sys as read-write
bind-mounting /dev
Containers often use pivot_root or chroot to change root filesystem, isolating /proc from the host. This prevents container processes from seeing host process info. .
Which kernel feature allows mounting of tmpfs on /tmp in an unprivileged container?
cgroups v1
selinux enforcement
cap_net_admin
user namespaces
User namespaces let unprivileged users mount filesystems like tmpfs. This is crucial for container isolation. .
What FUSE option can be used to mount a user-space filesystem under /mnt without root privileges?
-o nonempty
-o allow_other
-o user
-o user_id=0
The '-o user' option in /etc/fstab allows normal users to mount unprivileged FUSE filesystems. It's often combined with 'noauto'. .
Which bind mount trick is used to hide a directory under /sys from a container?
mount --move /sys /oldsys
mount --rbind /proc /sys
mount -t tmpfs tmpfs /sys
mount --bind /dev/null /sys/class
Mounting /dev/null over '/sys/class' hides kernel class information inside a container. bind mounts can mask underlying files. .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify how the top-level directory on a Linux system is represented -

    Recognize the root directory symbol "/" and understand its central role in the Linux file system hierarchy.

  2. Explain Linux file system hierarchy basics -

    Describe the purpose of key directories under root, such as /etc, /home, and /var, and their standard locations.

  3. Compare Unix and Linux directory structures -

    Differentiate structural variations between Unix and Linux file systems to appreciate compatibility and standards.

  4. Apply directory navigation and management commands -

    Use commands like cd, ls, and tree to navigate, list, and inspect directories within the Linux environment.

  5. Analyze Linux kernel functions affecting file systems -

    Assess how the kernel interacts with the file system, including mounting processes and system calls for file management.

  6. Evaluate your knowledge with a Linux file system hierarchy quiz -

    Test your understanding through targeted questions that reinforce core directory structure concepts and certification prep.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Root Directory (/) -

    The top-level directory on a Linux system is represented as "/" according to the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS), acting as the origin for every file and folder beneath it. Think of it as the trunk of a tree from which branches like /bin, /etc, and /home extend. Mnemonic: "Slash starts the stash."

  2. User vs. System Binaries (/bin & /sbin) -

    In linux directory structure basics, /bin holds essential user commands (like ls and cp) while /sbin stores system administration tools (like ifconfig and fsck). Knowing this split helps you decide when to call sudo and when regular user privileges suffice. Example: "sudo /sbin/shutdown" versus "/bin/echo 'Hello!'."

  3. Configuration Files (/etc) -

    The /etc directory houses global configuration files, from /etc/passwd for user accounts to /etc/ssh/sshd_config for secure shell settings. A quick linux file system hierarchy quiz often asks "Where do I set environment variables?" - answer: /etc/environment or shell-specific files. Tip: Backup /etc with "cp -a /etc /etc.bak" before edits.

  4. User Data & Local Installs (/home & /usr/local) -

    /home contains individual user directories (e.g., /home/alice) while /usr/local is reserved for locally compiled software, reflecting unix and linux differences quiz topics on software hierarchy. On Unix these might merge under /usr, but Linux keeps /home and /usr/local separate for clarity. Remember: "Home sweet home," and "local stays local."

  5. Kernel & Modules (/boot & /lib/modules) -

    The /boot directory stores bootloader files and kernel images (vmlinuz-*), and /lib/modules holds kernel modules loaded at runtime. Many linux kernel functions questions probe your grasp of how initramfs and modprobe work together. Quick check: "ls /boot/vmlinuz-*" then "modinfo " to inspect modules.

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