This LPIC-1 practice question tests your understanding of gnu and unix commands. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 developer is troubleshooting a shell script that uses the variable $HOME but it outputs nothing when the script runs. The script is executed with ./script.sh from an interactive shell. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Why wrong: sudo may preserve HOME depending on configuration, but it's not the most likely cause.
C
The HOME variable is not exported
Variables must be exported to be available in child processes; interactive shells export HOME, but scripts invoked with ./ may not inherit if the parent shell is non-interactive.
D
The user has no home directory
Why wrong: All users typically have a home directory.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The HOME variable is not exported
Option C is correct because the HOME variable is typically set by the login process and exported to the environment. If the script is run in a context where HOME is not exported (e.g., a non-interactive shell or a script that clears the environment), the variable will be empty. The script uses $HOME, which expands to nothing if HOME is unset or not exported, causing the output to be empty.
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.
✗
The script is run with sh instead of bash
Why it's wrong here
HOME is usually set in sh as well.
✗
The script is run with sudo
Why it's wrong here
sudo may preserve HOME depending on configuration, but it's not the most likely cause.
✓
The HOME variable is not exported
Why this is correct
Variables must be exported to be available in child processes; interactive shells export HOME, but scripts invoked with ./ may not inherit if the parent shell is non-interactive.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The user has no home directory
Why it's wrong here
All users typically have a home directory.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think the script's shell interpreter (sh vs bash) or sudo is the cause, but the real issue is that the HOME variable must be exported to be inherited by the script's environment.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The HOME variable is set by the login process (e.g., getty, sshd, or login) and is exported to the environment of interactive shells. In a script executed with ./script.sh, the script inherits the parent shell's environment, so HOME should be present. However, if the script is run in a context where the environment is sanitized (e.g., via cron or a systemd service), HOME may be unset. The key is that the variable must be exported to be available to child processes; a non-exported shell variable would not be visible to the script.
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 LPIC-1 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.
GNU and Unix Commands — This question tests GNU and Unix Commands — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The HOME variable is not exported — Option C is correct because the HOME variable is typically set by the login process and exported to the environment. If the script is run in a context where HOME is not exported (e.g., a non-interactive shell or a script that clears the environment), the variable will be empty. The script uses $HOME, which expands to nothing if HOME is unset or not exported, causing the output to be empty.
What should I do if I get this LPIC-1 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: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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