This XK0-005 practice question tests your understanding of scripting, containers and automation. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A systems administrator writes a Bash script named 'backup.sh' and wants it to run with the Bash shell. Which line should appear first in the script?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
# This is a bash script
Why wrong: This is only a comment.
#!/bin/bash
Correct shebang for Bash.
#/bin/bash
Why wrong: Missing the exclamation mark.
#!/bin/sh
Why wrong: This uses the Bourne shell, not Bash.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
#!/bin/bash
The shebang line `#!/bin/bash` is required as the first line to instruct the operating system to execute the script using the Bash shell interpreter located at `/bin/bash`. Without this line, the script may be run by a different shell (e.g., `/bin/sh`), leading to syntax or behavior differences. The shebang must start with `#!` followed by the absolute path to the interpreter.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
# This is a bash script
Why it's wrong here
This is only a comment.
#!/bin/bash
Why this is correct
Correct shebang for Bash.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
#/bin/bash
Why it's wrong here
Missing the exclamation mark.
#!/bin/sh
Why it's wrong here
This uses the Bourne shell, not Bash.
Common exam traps
CompTIA often tests the distinction between a shebang (`#!`) and a comment (`#`), and the trap here is that candidates may confuse `#!/bin/sh` as equivalent to `#!/bin/bash` or forget the exclamation mark entirely, leading them to choose option C or D.
Detailed technical explanation
The shebang (`#!`) is a magic number recognized by the kernel's `execve()` syscall; the kernel reads the first two bytes (0x23 0x21) and then parses the interpreter path and optional argument. If the script is executed via `./backup.sh`, the kernel launches `/bin/bash` with the script as an argument. A common subtlety is that the shebang line must not exceed 127 characters on most systems, and the interpreter path must be an absolute path (not relying on `$PATH`).
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Scripting, Containers and Automation — This question tests Scripting, Containers and Automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: #!/bin/bash — The shebang line `#!/bin/bash` is required as the first line to instruct the operating system to execute the script using the Bash shell interpreter located at `/bin/bash`. Without this line, the script may be run by a different shell (e.g., `/bin/sh`), leading to syntax or behavior differences. The shebang must start with `#!` followed by the absolute path to the interpreter.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This XK0-005 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 XK0-005 exam.
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