hardMultiple Choice
XK0-006 Practice Question: A Linux administrator is writing a script that…
A Linux administrator is writing a script that must wait for a background process to finish before continuing. The process ID is stored in a variable. Which command should be used to wait for this process?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between `wait` (which waits for process completion) and `kill -0` (which only checks process existence), leading candidates to mistakenly choose `kill -0` as a waiting mechanism.
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
✓
wait $PID
The `wait` command in Bash, when given a specific process ID (PID), suspends execution of the calling shell script until that background process terminates. This directly fulfills the requirement to wait for a specific background process whose PID is stored in a variable.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
sleep 10
Why it's wrong here
sleep 10 pauses unconditionally for a fixed interval regardless of whether the process has finished, so the script may continue early or idle needlessly. It suits deliberate delays between commands, not synchronising on a specific background process's completion.
- ✗
wait
Why it's wrong here
The bare wait command blocks until all background jobs finish, not the specific PID held in the variable. Passing the variable, as in wait $PID, targets that process. Plain wait suits scripts where every background job must complete before proceeding.
- ✓
wait $PID
Why this is correct
`wait $PID` suspends the shell until the specified background process terminates, satisfying the requirement to pause the script before continuing. Unlike polling with `ps` or sleeping, it blocks precisely on that process ID and returns its exit status, so subsequent commands run only after completion.
- ✗
kill -0 $PID
Why it's wrong here
kill -0 $PID only tests whether the process exists and is signalable; it returns immediately without blocking, so the script continues before the process finishes. It suits existence or permission checks, not waiting for completion.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Process Management and System Monitoring
Key term
Shell
A shell is a computer program that provides a user interface to access an operating system's services, typically by accepting text commands.
Key term
Bash
Bash is a command-line interpreter that lets users interact with an operating system by typing text commands instead of clicking icons.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This XK0-006 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 XK0-006 exam.