What command is used to monitor system logs in real-time?

Prepare for the Linux Professional Institute Certification Level 1. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Enhance your understanding and get ready to ace the exam!

The command that is used to monitor system logs in real-time is 'tail -f /var/log/messages'. This command displays the last few lines of the specified log file and continues to output new lines as they are appended to the file. The '-f' option stands for "follow," and it allows users to keep the terminal open and receive updates as new log entries are written, making it especially useful for monitoring activity on a system as it happens.

Option 'cat /var/log/messages' simply outputs the entire content of the log file at the moment the command is run, but it does not provide any continuous updates. This means if you're looking for real-time monitoring, 'cat' is not suitable.

The 'logtail' command is designed to output new lines added to a file since the last time it was run, which can be helpful, but it does not provide a continuous stream of updates in real-time like 'tail -f'.

Lastly, the 'watch' command is typically used to execute a command at regular intervals and display the output. It does not monitor files in the same way as 'tail -f'; instead, it refreshes the output of a command periodically. Therefore, while you could technically use 'watch' to

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