Which command serves the function of associating a new name to an existing file in Linux?

• A. ln
• B. stat
• C. passwd
• D. whoami

Answer: (A)

The command that serves the function of associating a new name to an existing file in Linux is the link command. When you use the link command with appropriate options, it creates a new directory entry for the specified file, essentially allowing you to access the same file through another name. This capability is particularly useful for managing files in a flexible way, enabling multiple names (or links) to point to the same file data on disk without duplicating the file content itself.

The other commands do not serve this purpose. For instance, the stat command retrieves and displays information about a file’s attributes, such as its size and permissions, but it does not rename or link files. The passwd command is utilized for changing user passwords, and the whoami command simply returns the username of the current user, which are both unrelated to file management tasks. Thus, the link command is specifically designed for creating new references to existing files, making it the correct choice for this question.