tail -f for live log monitoring in Linux CLI - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the command to continuously watch the end of a log file named app.log.

Linux CLI

tail [1] app.log

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A-f

B-c

C-n

D-v

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using -n shows last lines but does not follow live updates.

Using -c shows bytes, not lines.

Using -v is for verbose output, not live monitoring.

The -f option tells tail to follow the file as it grows, showing new lines live.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the command to follow server.log and show the last 20 lines initially.

Linux CLI

tail [1] 20 -f server.log

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A-n

B-c

C-v

D-q

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using -c shows bytes, not lines.

Using -v or -q do not control line count.

The -n option specifies the number of lines to show from the end before following.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the command to follow error.log live: tail -n -f 10 error.log. Place the correct option to make it work.

Linux CLI

tail [1] 10 error.log

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A-n

B-n -f

C-f -n

D-f

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Putting -n before -f without a number causes errors.

Using only -f shows last 10 lines by default, but here 10 lines are requested.

The correct order is -f -n 10 so tail follows the file and shows last 10 lines initially.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to create a command that follows access.log and shows the last 50 lines initially.

Linux CLI

tail [1] [2] -f access.log

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A-f

B-n

C50

D-v

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Putting the number before the option.

Using -v which does not control lines or following.

The -n option with 50 before -f shows the last 50 lines initially and then follows the file live.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to create a command that follows debug.log, shows last 30 lines, and uses verbose output.

Linux CLI

tail [1] [2] [3] -f debug.log

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A-f

B-n

C30

D-v

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Forgetting the verbose option.

Placing the number before the -n option.

The -v option enables verbose output, -n 30 shows last 30 lines, and -f follows the file. Here verbose is placed first.