This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of essential tools. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
An administrator wants to edit a configuration file and ensure only the intended changes are saved. Which practice is recommended?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use 'git' to track changes and commit after editing
Option D is correct because using 'git' to track changes and commit after editing provides a version control system that allows you to review, stage, and commit only the intended modifications. This ensures that unintended changes are not saved, as you can use 'git diff' to verify changes before committing and 'git checkout' to revert unwanted edits. Git is a standard tool for configuration management in Red Hat Enterprise Linux environments, aligning with the EX200 objective of using essential tools for system administration.
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.
✗
Copy the file to a temporary location, edit, and then overwrite
Why it's wrong here
Risk of losing original if the copy is not managed properly.
✗
Use 'ls -l' to check the file size before and after editing
Why it's wrong here
File size changes do not verify correct content.
✗
Edit the file in place with a backup using 'sed -i.bak'
Why it's wrong here
That creates a backup but does not track individual changes.
✓
Use 'git' to track changes and commit after editing
Why this is correct
Git provides a history of changes and allows reverting.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Red Hat often tests the misconception that creating a backup file (e.g., with 'sed -i.bak') is sufficient to ensure only intended changes are saved, but this ignores the need for a review and staging process that version control systems like Git provide.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Git operates by creating a local repository that tracks changes as commits, each with a unique SHA-1 hash, allowing administrators to use 'git add' to stage specific changes and 'git commit' to save them with a message. The 'git diff' command compares the working directory with the staged or committed state, enabling precise verification before finalizing changes. In a real-world scenario, an administrator managing '/etc/ssh/sshd_config' can use Git to experiment with multiple edits, review each change with 'git diff', and commit only the desired modifications, reducing the risk of misconfiguration that could lock out remote access.
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 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
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.
Essential Tools — This question tests Essential Tools — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use 'git' to track changes and commit after editing — Option D is correct because using 'git' to track changes and commit after editing provides a version control system that allows you to review, stage, and commit only the intended modifications. This ensures that unintended changes are not saved, as you can use 'git diff' to verify changes before committing and 'git checkout' to revert unwanted edits. Git is a standard tool for configuration management in Red Hat Enterprise Linux environments, aligning with the EX200 objective of using essential tools for system administration.
What should I do if I get this EX200 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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