This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of essential tools. 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 user wants to set an environment variable named 'EDITOR' to the value '/usr/bin/vim' so that it is available in all future login sessions. Which file should the user add the export command to?
~/.bash_logout
Why wrong: This is executed on logout.
~/.bash_profile
Environment variables for login shells are set in ~/.bash_profile.
/etc/bashrc
Why wrong: System-wide file, not user-specific.
~/.bashrc
Why wrong: ~/.bashrc is for interactive non-login shells.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
~/.bash_profile
The ~/.bash_profile file is executed for login shells, making it the correct place to set environment variables like EDITOR that should persist across all future login sessions. Adding 'export EDITOR=/usr/bin/vim' to this file ensures the variable is defined each time the user logs in.
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.
~/.bash_logout
Why it's wrong here
This is executed on logout.
~/.bash_profile
Why this is correct
Environment variables for login shells are set in ~/.bash_profile.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
/etc/bashrc
Why it's wrong here
System-wide file, not user-specific.
~/.bashrc
Why it's wrong here
~/.bashrc is for interactive non-login shells.
Common exam traps
Red Hat often tests the distinction between login and non-login shell startup files, and the trap here is that candidates mistakenly choose ~/.bashrc because they associate it with user-specific settings, not realizing it is not sourced by login shells.
Detailed technical explanation
In Bash, login shells read ~/.bash_profile (or ~/.bash_login or ~/.profile as fallbacks), while non-login interactive shells read ~/.bashrc. Environment variables intended for all future login sessions must be set in a login shell startup file; setting them in ~/.bashrc would only affect subshells and terminal emulators that do not source the profile. The export command makes the variable available to child processes, which is essential for tools like vim that check the EDITOR variable.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the EX200 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
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FAQ
Essential Tools — This question tests Essential Tools — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: ~/.bash_profile — The ~/.bash_profile file is executed for login shells, making it the correct place to set environment variables like EDITOR that should persist across all future login sessions. Adding 'export EDITOR=/usr/bin/vim' to this file ensures the variable is defined each time the user logs in.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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