Which directory stores shared libraries (.so)?

• A. /lib
• B. /bin
• C. /sbin
• D. /usr/lib

Answer: (A)

Shared libraries (.so) are loaded at runtime by the dynamic linker, so they need to reside in the places the system expects for essential runtime support. The /lib directory is the primary location for these essential libraries that programs rely on to start and run, including those needed early in the boot process. In contrast, /bin and /sbin contain executables rather than libraries, and while /usr/lib stores many additional libraries used by user-space programs, the directory most directly associated with storing shared libraries that the system core depends on is /lib. On many systems you’ll also see architecture-specific variants like /lib64, but among the given options, /lib is the best fit for storing shared libraries.