Which directory is a virtualized Linux file system that allows you to peek into how the kernel sees things?

• A. /sys
• B. /dev
• C. /proc
• D. /boot

Answer: (C)

A virtual filesystem that exposes live kernel and process information is mounted at /proc. It provides a real-time view of how the kernel sees the running system, not data stored on disk. Files like /proc/cpuinfo, /proc/meminfo, and /proc/stat reflect current hardware details and system state, while /proc/[pid] entries show per-process information. This live, kernel-facing view is exactly what you’d use to peek into the kernel’s perspective.

In contrast, /dev contains device node files, not a kernel view; /sys (sysfs) focuses on devices and kernel subsystems, not the general runtime state; and /boot holds static boot-time artifacts like the kernel image.