What does the 'lsof' command show in Linux?

What does the 'lsof' command show in Linux?

• A. A list of open files
• B. File ownership details
• C. Active user sessions
• D. File system statistics

Answer: (A)

The 'lsof' command in Linux stands for "list open files." It is a powerful utility that displays information about files that are currently open on the system, which can include regular files, directories, and even network sockets. Since everything in Linux is treated as a file, 'lsof' provides an extensive overview of not only the processes that have files open but also the user accounts associated with those processes, the file descriptors being used, and the system resources involved. This command is particularly useful for troubleshooting and diagnosing system issues, as it allows administrators to see which files are in use and by which processes, helping to understand resource usage and file locks. It can be instrumental in identifying and resolving conflicts related to file access or determining which processes are using network connections. The other options, while relevant to managing a Linux system, do not capture the primary purpose of the 'lsof' command. File ownership details, active user sessions, and file system statistics are all valuable information but are provided by different commands in the Linux environment, like 'ls -l' for file ownership, 'who' or 'w' for active sessions, and 'df' or 'du' for file system statistics.

The 'lsof' command in Linux stands for "list open files." It is a powerful utility that displays information about files that are currently open on the system, which can include regular files, directories, and even network sockets. Since everything in Linux is treated as a file, 'lsof' provides an extensive overview of not only the processes that have files open but also the user accounts associated with those processes, the file descriptors being used, and the system resources involved.

This command is particularly useful for troubleshooting and diagnosing system issues, as it allows administrators to see which files are in use and by which processes, helping to understand resource usage and file locks. It can be instrumental in identifying and resolving conflicts related to file access or determining which processes are using network connections.

The other options, while relevant to managing a Linux system, do not capture the primary purpose of the 'lsof' command. File ownership details, active user sessions, and file system statistics are all valuable information but are provided by different commands in the Linux environment, like 'ls -l' for file ownership, 'who' or 'w' for active sessions, and 'df' or 'du' for file system statistics.