Question 373 of 750

Linux Commands and File Permissions →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

How to Use grep -ri for Recursive Case-Insensitive File Search

This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of linux commands and file permissions. 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 technician needs to search for any file in /etc that contains the string 'Password' (case-insensitive). Which command should be used?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "which command"
Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.

A
grep -r 'Password' /etc
Why wrong: This is case-sensitive and would miss 'password' or 'PASSWORD'.
B
grep -ri 'Password' /etc
The -r flag enables recursive search, and -i makes it case-insensitive, matching all variations.
C
find /etc -name '*Password*'
Why wrong: This searches for filenames containing 'Password', not file contents.
D
locate Password | grep /etc
Why wrong: locate searches a database of filenames, not file contents; it also does not support case-insensitive content search.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Quick Answer

The answer is `grep -ri 'Password' /etc`. This command is correct because `grep` is the standard Linux tool for searching file contents, the `-r` flag enables a recursive search through all subdirectories and files within `/etc`, and the `-i` flag makes the search case-insensitive, so it matches 'Password', 'password', 'PASSWORD', and any other capitalization variant. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this question tests your ability to combine essential `grep` options for real-world troubleshooting scenarios, such as locating configuration files with misconfigured credentials. A common trap is forgetting the `-i` flag, which would cause the search to miss any line where 'Password' isn't capitalized exactly as typed. To remember the syntax, think of the mnemonic "Recursive Ignore case" — the `-r` comes before `-i` in the command, but you can also combine them as `-ri` for a single dash.

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

✓

grep -ri 'Password' /etc

Option B is correct because the `grep -ri` command performs a recursive (`-r`) case-insensitive (`-i`) search for the string 'Password' across all files under the `/etc` directory. This matches the requirement exactly: case-insensitive search for any file containing the string.

Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

✗
grep -r 'Password' /etc
Why it's wrong here
This is case-sensitive and would miss 'password' or 'PASSWORD'.
✓
grep -ri 'Password' /etc
Why this is correct
The -r flag enables recursive search, and -i makes it case-insensitive, matching all variations.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
find /etc -name '*Password*'
Why it's wrong here
This searches for filenames containing 'Password', not file contents.
✗
locate Password | grep /etc
Why it's wrong here
locate searches a database of filenames, not file contents; it also does not support case-insensitive content search.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

CompTIA often tests the distinction between searching file contents (`grep`) versus searching filenames (`find`, `locate`), and the trap here is that candidates may forget the `-i` flag for case-insensitivity or confuse `grep` with `find`.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

The `-i` flag in `grep` uses locale-aware case folding to match characters regardless of case, which is essential for compliance audits where configuration files might use mixed case (e.g., 'password', 'Password', 'PASSWORD'). The `-r` flag traverses the directory tree recursively, opening each file and reading its contents line by line, unlike `find` which only matches metadata. In real-world scenarios, a technician might combine `-i` with `-l` to list only filenames, or use `-n` to show line numbers for quick fixes.

KKey Concepts to Remember

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.

TExam Day Tips

Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.

Key takeaway

Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.

Real-world example

How this comes up in practice

A practitioner preparing for the 220-1202 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 220-1202 question test?

Linux Commands and File Permissions — This question tests Linux Commands and File Permissions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: grep -ri 'Password' /etc — Option B is correct because the `grep -ri` command performs a recursive (`-r`) case-insensitive (`-i`) search for the string 'Password' across all files under the `/etc` directory. This matches the requirement exactly: case-insensitive search for any file containing the string.

What should I do if I get this 220-1202 question wrong?

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "which command". Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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This 220-1202 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 220-1202 exam.