The LPI Linux Essentials exam (010-160) is designed for candidates new to Linux who want to validate foundational knowledge of the operating system, command-line tools, and open-source concepts. This certification demonstrates your readiness to work in Linux environments and pursue advanced LPI credentials. This page outlines the exam structure, core topics, and practical preparation strategies to help you study effectively and build confidence before test day.
Use this topic map to guide your study for LPI 010-160 (Linux Essentials - Exam 010, version 1.6) within the LPI Linux Essentials path.
The 010-160 exam uses multiple-choice and scenario-based questions to assess both theoretical knowledge and practical reasoning in Linux environments.
Questions progress in difficulty, mixing straightforward knowledge checks with complex scenarios that mirror real-world Linux administration tasks.
A structured study plan focused on the five core topics ensures you build skills progressively and identify weak areas early. Dedicate time each week to one or two topics, hands-on practice, and regular review cycles.
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Visit the exam page to download the PDF, Online Practice Test, or get a Bundle Discount offer for both formats: Linux Essentials - Exam 010, (version 1.6).
The Power of the Command Line and Security and File Permissions typically account for a larger portion of the exam because these skills are immediately applicable in Linux work. However, all five domains are essential; a balanced study approach ensures you're prepared for the full range of questions.
In practice, these topics overlap constantly. Understanding the Linux Community and career paths gives context; command-line skills let you execute tasks; file system navigation helps you locate resources; OS knowledge explains what's happening in the background; and security practices protect systems throughout. Real projects require competence across all five areas.
Hands-on practice is invaluable. Prioritize labs and exercises in command-line operations, file system navigation, and permission management. Even 20-30 hours of practical work with Linux systems significantly boosts confidence and retention compared to reading alone. Use virtual machines or live Linux environments to gain real experience.
Frequent errors include misinterpreting permission notation (confusing octal and symbolic modes), overlooking command syntax details, and rushing through scenario questions without fully reading the problem. Many candidates also underestimate the importance of understanding why a command works, not just memorizing it. Slow down, read carefully, and focus on comprehension.
Review weak topic areas identified in practice tests, take a full-length timed mock exam to assess pacing, and focus on command syntax and permission concepts. Avoid cramming new material; instead, reinforce what you've learned and build mental shortcuts for quick recall. Get adequate sleep the night before to ensure sharp focus on test day.
Which of the following examples shows the general structure of a for loop in a shell script?
The general structure of a for loop in a shell script is as follows12:
for variable in list do commands done
The variable is the name of a loop counter or iterator that takes on the values of the items in the list. The list can be a sequence of words, numbers, filenames, or the output of a command. The commands are the body of the loop that are executed for each value of the variable. The do and done keywords mark the beginning and the end of the loop body.
The option C. for file in *.txt do echo $i done follows this structure, with the variable being file, the list being *.txt (which matches all the files with the .txt extension in the current directory), and the command being echo $i (which prints the value of the variable i, which is presumably set somewhere else in the script).
The other options are incorrect because:
A . for *.txt as file => echo $file uses an invalid syntax for a for loop. The as keyword is not part of the shell script syntax, and the => symbol is not a valid operator. The correct way to write this loop would be:
for file in *.txt do echo $file done
B . for *.txt ( echo $i ) uses an invalid syntax for a for loop. The parentheses are not part of the shell script syntax, and the loop body is missing the do and done keywords. The correct way to write this loop would be:
for i in *.txt do echo $i done
D . for ls *.txt exec {} ; uses an invalid syntax for a for loop. The ls command is not a valid variable name, and the exec {} ; is not a valid command. This looks like a mix of a for loop and a find command. The correct way to write this loop would be:
for file in *.txt do exec $file done
E . foreach @{file} { echo $i } uses an invalid syntax for a for loop. The foreach keyword is not part of the shell script syntax, and the @{file} and { echo $i } are not valid expressions. This looks like a mix of a for loop and a Perl syntax. The correct way to write this loop would be:
for file in * do echo $file done
The current directory contains the following file:
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 859688 Feb 7 08:15 test.sh
Given that the file is a valid shell script, how can this script be executed? (Choose two correct answers.)
A shell script is a file that contains a series of commands that can be executed by a shell interpreter. To execute a shell script, there are two main methods:
Method 1: Specify the path to the script file. This method requires that the script file has the execute permission, which can be granted by using the chmod command. The script file also needs to have a shebang line at the beginning, which indicates which interpreter to use for the script. For example, #!/bin/bash means to use the bash interpreter. To execute the script using this method, you can type the absolute path or the relative path to the script file. If you are in the same directory as the script file, you can use the ./ prefix to indicate the current directory. For example, ./test.sh will execute the test.sh script in the current directory.
Method 2: Pass the script file as an argument to the interpreter. This method does not require the execute permission or the shebang line for the script file. You can simply use the name of the interpreter followed by the script file name as an argument. For example, bash test.sh will execute the test.sh script using the bash interpreter.
Therefore, the correct answers are D and E. A. run test.sh is incorrect because run is not a valid command in Linux. B. ${test.sh} is incorrect because this syntax is used for variable expansion, not for executing a script. C. cmd ./test.sh is incorrect because cmd is not a valid command in Linux.Reference:
Linux Essentials Topic 105: The Power of the Command Line, section 105.3: Basic shell scripting.
How to Run a Shell Script in Linux [Essentials Explained] - It's FOSS
How To Execute a Command with a Shell Script in Linux | DigitalOcean
How To Run the .sh File Shell Script In Linux / UNIX
Running the command rm Downloads leads to the following error:
rm: cannot remove 'Downloads/': Is a directory
Which of the following commands can be used instead to remove Downloads, assuming Downloads is
empty? (Choose two correct answers.)
To remove a directory, you need to use a command that can delete directories, not just files. The rm command can only remove files by default, unless you use the -r option, which stands for recursive. This option tells rm to delete the directory and all of its contents, including subdirectories and files. The rmdir command can also remove directories, but only if they are empty. If the directory contains any files or subdirectories, rmdir will fail and display an error message. Therefore, the correct commands to remove Downloads, assuming it is empty, are rmdir Downloads and rm -r Downloads. The other commands are either invalid or do not work on directories.Reference:
Linux Essentials - Linux Professional Institute (LPI), section 2.3.1
LPI Linux Essentials Study Guide: Exam 010 v1.6, 3rd Edition, chapter 4, page 93.
A new server needs to be installed to host services for a period of several years. Throughout this time, the server should receive important security updates from its Linux distribution.
Which of the following Linux distributions meet these requirements? (Choose two.)
Which of the following tar options handle compression? (Choose two correct answers.)
The tar command is used to create or extract compressed archive files that contain multiple files or directories. The tar command has the following syntax: tar [options] [archive-file] [file or directory...]. The options argument specifies how the tar command should operate and what kind of compression should be used. The archive-file argument is the name of the archive file to be created or extracted. The file or directory argument is the name of one or more files or directories to be included in or extracted from the archive file.
The following are some of the common options for the tar command:
-c: create a new archive file.
-x: extract files from an existing archive file.
-t: list the contents of an archive file.
-v: show the progress of the operation.
-f: specify the name of the archive file.
-z: use gzip compression or decompression.
-j: use bzip2 compression or decompression.
-J: use xz compression or decompression.
The options -z and -j are used to handle compression with the tar command. The option -z uses the gzip program to compress or decompress the archive file, which usually has the extension .tar.gz or .tgz. The option -j uses the bzip2 program to compress or decompress the archive file, which usually has the extension .tar.bz2 or .tbz. Both gzip and bzip2 are popular compression programs that reduce the size of files by removing redundant or unnecessary information.
For example, to create a compressed archive file called backup.tar.gz that contains the files and directories in the current directory, the following command can be used:
tar -czvf backup.tar.gz .
To extract the files and directories from the archive file backup.tar.gz to the current directory, the following command can be used:
tar -xzvf backup.tar.gz
To create a compressed archive file called backup.tar.bz2 that contains the files and directories in the current directory, the following command can be used:
tar -cjvf backup.tar.bz2 .
To extract the files and directories from the archive file backup.tar.bz2 to the current directory, the following command can be used:
tar -xjvf backup.tar.bz2
The other options in the question are not related to compression. The option -bz is invalid, as there is no such option for the tar command. The option -g is used to create or update an incremental archive file, which only contains the files that have changed since the last backup. The option -z2 is also invalid, as there is no such option for the tar command.Reference:
Linux Essentials Version 1.6 Objectives: 3.1.Archiving Files on the Command Line1
