10+ Linux Support Engineer Interview Questions and Answers

Linux is an open-source operating system known for its stability, security, and flexibility.

• Linux is a Unix-like operating system that was developed as a free and open-source software.

• It provides a stable and secure environment for running applications and services.

• Linux supports a wide range of hardware architectures and has a large community of developers and users.

• It offers a command-line interface, as well as various graphical user interfaces.

• Linux is highly customizable ...read more

Linux Shell is a command-line interpreter that allows users to interact with the operating system. There are various types of shells in Linux.

• Linux Shell is a program that interprets user commands and executes them.

• It provides a command-line interface for users to interact with the Linux operating system.

• Shells can be used to run scripts, automate tasks, and manage system resources.

• Some popular shells in Linux are Bash (Bourne Again SHell), C Shell (csh), Korn Shell (ksh), an...read more

Process states in Linux refer to the different states that a process can be in during its execution.

• The process states in Linux include running, waiting, sleeping, stopped, and zombie.

• Running state indicates that the process is currently being executed by the CPU.

• Waiting state means that the process is waiting for a particular event or resource to become available.

• Sleeping state occurs when a process voluntarily gives up the CPU and waits for a specific condition to be satisf...read more

VI editor has different modes for editing and navigating text.

• Command mode: used for navigating and executing commands

• Insert mode: used for inserting text

• Visual mode: used for selecting and manipulating text

• Replace mode: used for replacing text

• Ex mode: used for executing commands and scripts

• Global mode: used for searching and replacing text globally

Nginx is a high-performance web server and reverse proxy server known for its speed and efficiency.

• Nginx can be configured to log requests and errors using the 'access_log' and 'error_log' directives.

• Access logs can be customized with different formats using the 'log_format' directive.

• Example of access log configuration: 'access_log /var/log/nginx/access.log;'.

• Example of error log configuration: 'error_log /var/log/nginx/error.log warn;'.

• Logs can be rotated using tools like '...read more

GRUB is a bootloader for Linux systems, managing the boot process and allowing OS selection.

• GRUB stands for Grand Unified Bootloader, responsible for loading the operating system.

• It allows users to select between multiple operating systems at boot time.

• GRUB configuration files are typically located in /boot/grub/ or /etc/grub.d/.

• To check disk space, use the command 'df -h' for human-readable output.

• The 'du -sh /path/to/directory' command shows the size of a specific directory...read more

To download a file from a Linux server to a local system, you can use tools like SCP, SFTP, or wget for secure and efficient transfers.

• SCP (Secure Copy Protocol): Use the command 'scp user@server:/path/to/file /local/path' to securely copy files over SSH.

• SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol): Use 'sftp user@server' to connect and then 'get /path/to/file' to download files interactively.

• Wget: Use 'wget http://example.com/file' to download files directly from the web to your local ...read more

Top 10 Linux command-line commands for system management and navigation.

• 1. ls - Lists files and directories in the current directory. Example: 'ls -l' for detailed listing.

• 2. cd - Changes the current directory. Example: 'cd /home/user' to navigate to the user's home directory.

• 3. cp - Copies files or directories. Example: 'cp file.txt /backup/' to copy file.txt to the backup directory.

• 4. mv - Moves or renames files or directories. Example: 'mv oldname.txt newname.txt' to renam...read more

MySQL uses port 3306, while SSH operates on port 22 by default for secure remote access.

• MySQL default port: 3306 - used for database connections.

• SSH default port: 22 - used for secure shell access.

• Both ports can be changed in configuration files if needed.

• Example: MySQL config file (my.cnf) can specify a different port.

• Example: SSH config file (sshd_config) can also specify a different port.

TCP is connection-oriented and reliable, while UDP is connectionless and faster but less reliable.

• TCP ensures data delivery through acknowledgments and retransmissions.

• UDP does not guarantee delivery, order, or error correction.

• TCP is used for applications like web browsing (HTTP) and email (SMTP).

• UDP is used for applications like video streaming (YouTube) and online gaming.

Apache Tomcat is an open-source web server and servlet container for running Java applications.

• Developed by the Apache Software Foundation.

• Primarily used to serve Java Servlets and JSP (JavaServer Pages).

• Supports various Java EE specifications, including Servlet and JSP.

• Can be integrated with other web servers like Apache HTTP Server.

• Commonly used in enterprise applications for web-based services.

A zombie process is a terminated process that still has an entry in the process table, waiting for its parent to read its exit status.

• Zombie processes occur when a child process has completed execution but its parent process hasn't read its exit status.

• They are created when a process terminates, but the parent process has not yet called wait() to collect the exit status.

• Zombie processes consume system resources, but they do not consume CPU or memory resources.

• Example: If a pa...read more

There are hundreds of Linux distributions, each with its own unique features and target audience.

• There are over 600 different Linux distributions available.

• Popular Linux distributions include Ubuntu, Fedora, CentOS, Debian, and Arch Linux.

• Each distribution has its own package management system, desktop environment, and software selection.

• Some distributions are designed for specific purposes, such as security (Kali Linux), multimedia production (Ubuntu Studio), or lightweight ...read more

pwd command is used to print the current working directory.

• pwd stands for 'print working directory'

• It displays the absolute path of the current working directory

• It is useful when navigating through the file system

• It can be used with other commands like cd to navigate to a specific directory

The Linux boot process involves several stages from BIOS to user space initialization.

• 1. BIOS/UEFI: Initializes hardware and loads the bootloader.

• 2. Bootloader (GRUB): Loads the Linux kernel into memory.

• 3. Kernel: Initializes system hardware and mounts the root filesystem.

• 4. Init System: Starts system processes (e.g., systemd or SysVinit).

• 5. Runlevel: Loads user-defined services and applications.