A Linux administrator is analyzing a directory and discovers a file named app_data that has no file extension. The administrator needs to quickly determine if the file is a shell script, a compressed archive, or a binary executable before taking further action. Which of the following commands should be used to inspect the file's content and identify its type?
The correct command is file app_data. The file utility is specifically designed to determine a file's type by examining its content, primarily by looking for a "magic number" in the file's header. It does not rely on the filename or extension. The stat app_data command displays detailed filesystem metadata about the file, such as its size, permissions, and timestamps, but does not analyze the content to determine its format. The ls -l app_data command lists file details like permissions, ownership, size, and modification date, but also does not inspect the file's content. The lsof app_data command is used to list open files and which processes have them open; it does not identify the type of a file on the disk.
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How does the `file` command determine a file's type?
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What is a 'magic number' in the context of file formats?
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When would a Linux administrator use the `stat` command instead of the `file` command?
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