Understanding Linux filesystems and their purposes is a fundamental system management skill outlined in the Linux+ V8 objectives. Among the listed options, /proc is the filesystem that contains non-persistent, volatile data.
The /proc filesystem is a virtual filesystem that exists entirely in memory and is dynamically generated by the Linux kernel. It does not store data on disk and does not persist across system reboots. Instead, /proc provides real-time information about running processes, kernel parameters, system memory, CPU statistics, and hardware state. Files within /proc represent kernel data structures and change constantly as the system operates.
The other filesystems contain persistent data stored on disk. /boot stores bootloader files and kernel images, which are critical for system startup. /usr contains user applications, libraries, and documentation, all of which are persistent. /var holds variable data such as logs, spool files, and caches, which may change frequently but are still stored persistently on disk.
Linux+ V8 documentation emphasizes that /proc is used primarily for system monitoring and tuning. Administrators often interact with /proc to inspect process details or modify kernel parameters using tools like sysctl. Because its contents are generated at runtime and cleared on reboot, /proc is classified as non-persistent or volatile.
Therefore, the correct answer is C. /proc.
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