Interview Q&A / Linux & Shell
Linux & Shell interview questions
Permissions, processes, pipes and the commands you are expected to know cold.
Prefer rapid revision? Practise Linux & Shell short interview answers →
- How does SSH key-based login work, and how do you set it up?
You generate a key pair with ssh-keygen, keep the private key on your machine and copy the public key to the server's ~/.ssh/authorized_keys with ssh-copy-id. The server then challenges you to prove you hold the private key, so no password crosses the network.
BeginnerQuick answer1 min read - What is SSH local port forwarding, and when is it used?
ssh -L local_port:target_host:target_port user@server opens a port on your machine and tunnels traffic through the SSH server to the target. It lets you reach a service, such as a private database, that is only accessible from the server's network.
AdvancedQuick answer1 min read