hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
XK0-006 Practice Question: Which command will show the environment variables…
Which command will show the environment variables for a specific process?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between commands that show the current shell's environment (`set`, `printenv`, `env`) versus the `/proc` filesystem method that targets a specific process, leading candidates to pick a shell command instead of the process-specific file.
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
✓
cat /proc/$PID/environ
The `/proc/[PID]/environ` file contains the environment variables that were set when the process was started. Reading this file with `cat` displays the exact environment of a specific process, which is not possible with shell built-ins or user-level commands that only show the current shell's environment.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
cat /proc/$PID/environ
Why this is correct
Reading /proc/<pid>/environ displays the environment variables of that specific process.
- ✗
set
Why it's wrong here
set shows all shell variables and functions, not just environment.
- ✗
printenv
Why it's wrong here
printenv also shows current shell environment.
- ✗
env
Why it's wrong here
env shows the current shell's environment, not another process.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
File Permissions and Ownership
Key term
Process
In IT service management, a process is a structured set of activities designed to accomplish a specific objective, such as managing incidents or changes, by transforming inputs into defined outputs.
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.
About these practice questions
One of 979 original XK0-006 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 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.