What is true about the file .profile in a user's home directory?

Question

Options

• AIt must be executable.
• BIt must call the binary of the login shell.
• CIt must use a valid shell script syntax.
• DIt must start with a shebang.
• EIt must be readable for its owner only.

• B
  6% (2)
• C
  14% (5)
• D
  3% (1)
• E
  77% (27)

Explanation

Option E captures the one genuine requirement: .profile is sourced (read) by the login shell using the . built-in, so the shell process-running as the owner-must be able to read it. If the file is unreadable, the login shell silently skips it and the user's environment is never configured; executable permission plays no role here.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A (must be executable): Wrong because sourcing a file (source .profile / . .profile) only requires read permission-the shell interprets the contents itself rather than launching a new process.
• B (must call the login shell binary): Wrong; .profile sets environment variables and runs startup commands using the already-running shell-it never needs to invoke a shell binary.
• C (must use valid shell syntax): While invalid syntax causes errors, the file can still exist and be partially processed; there is no hard "must be valid" gate enforced before sourcing begins.
• D (must start with a shebang): Wrong; shebangs (#!/bin/bash) are only meaningful when the kernel executes a file directly. Sourced files ignore the shebang line entirely.

Memory tip: Link .profile to the word profile-you read someone's profile, you don't run it. That reminds you the file needs read permission, not execute, and a shebang is useless without execution.

No community discussion yet for this question.