FC0-U71 Applications and Software Practice Question
A user wants to install software on a Linux system. Which file types are most commonly used for installing applications?
⚠ Common exam trap
FC0-U71 often tests cross-platform file extension recognition — candidates confuse macOS (.dmg/.pkg) and Windows (.exe/.msi) installers with Linux formats, so they must map each extension to its correct operating system.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
.deb and .rpm
On Linux, the two dominant package formats are .deb (used by Debian, Ubuntu, and derivatives via dpkg/apt) and .rpm (used by Red Hat, Fedora, CentOS, and SUSE via rpm/dnf/yum). These are the standard installer file types for Linux distributions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
.dmg and .pkg
Why it's wrong here
Linux distributions package software as .deb (Debian/Ubuntu) or .rpm (RHEL/Fedora) archives, not .dmg or .pkg. Those Apple formats are tempting because they are the standard installers on macOS, so they would be correct for a macOS question rather than this Linux one.
- ✗
.app and .apk
Why it's wrong here
Linux uses .deb and .rpm packages; .app is a macOS application bundle and .apk is an Android package. Both are tempting because they are genuine install formats on their own platforms, but neither is executed by Linux package managers such as apt or dnf.
- ✓
.deb and .rpm
Why this is correct
Debian-based distributions such as Ubuntu use .deb packages managed by dpkg and apt, while Red Hat-based distributions such as Fedora and RHEL use .rpm packages managed by rpm and dnf. These are the two dominant native Linux package formats for installing applications.
- ✗
.exe and .msi
Why it's wrong here
Linux installs via .deb and .rpm packages; .exe and .msi are Windows executables and installer databases. They are tempting because they are the most familiar installer types, and would be correct for a Windows question, but Linux does not natively run them.
Visual reference
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 988 original FC0-U71 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This FC0-U71 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the FC0-U71 exam.