TestOut Linux Pro Practice Test

To view the content of the /etc/passwd file, which command would you use?

1. cat /etc/passwd

2. ls /etc/passwd

3. view /etc/passwd

4. more /etc/passwd

The correct answer is: cat /etc/passwd

Using the command "cat /etc/passwd" is the most straightforward way to view the entire content of the /etc/passwd file, which stores essential information about user accounts on the system. The "cat" command reads the file sequentially and outputs its contents directly to the terminal, making it ideal for quickly viewing text files. While other commands listed might allow you to access or interact with the contents of the file, they serve different purposes or are less efficient for simply reading the complete contents. For instance, "ls /etc/passwd" would attempt to list details about the file itself rather than display its content. The "view" command, which is similar to "vim", opens the file in a text editor, requiring more user interaction to exit. "more /etc/passwd" allows you to view the file one screen at a time but is less efficient for a quick glance at the entire file since it doesn’t display all lines at once like "cat" does. Therefore, "cat /etc/passwd" is the best choice for simply viewing the content.