XK0-006 Troubleshooting Practice Question
A technician needs to check the current memory usage on a Linux system, including buffers and cache. Which command provides the most user-friendly output?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often choose `cat /proc/meminfo` because it contains all the raw data, but the question specifically asks for the 'most user-friendly' output, which `free -h` provides with its human-readable scaling and clear summary columns.
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
✓
free -h
The `free -h` command displays memory usage in a human-readable format (e.g., KiB, MiB, GiB) and explicitly breaks down total, used, free, shared, buffers/cache, and available memory. This makes it the most user-friendly option for quickly assessing current memory usage including buffers and cache.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
free -h
Why this is correct
free -h shows memory usage with buffers/cache in human-readable form.
- ✗
cat /proc/meminfo
Why it's wrong here
cat /proc/meminfo shows raw data, not as friendly.
- ✗
iostat -m
Why it's wrong here
iostat shows disk I/O, not memory.
- ✗
vmstat -s
Why it's wrong here
vmstat -s shows memory statistics but not as human-readable.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Linux Fundamentals and History
Key term
User
A user is any person, system, or device that interacts with an IT service, resource, or identity system, typically authenticated through credentials and authorized to perform specific actions.
Key term
Linux
Linux is an open-source operating system that manages computer hardware and software, widely used in servers, desktops, and embedded systems.
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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.