Which command identifies which package provides a given file, with example /bin/ls?

• A. dnf list /bin/ls
• B. dnf provides /bin/ls
• C. dnf search /bin/ls
• D. dnf info /bin/ls

Answer: (B)

To find which package owns a specific file, use a provides query. Running the command that provides /bin/ls asks the package manager to search its metadata for the package that supplies that exact file. It will typically respond with the package (such as coreutils) that includes the /bin/ls binary. This is the direct and reliable way to map a filesystem file to its owning package.

Other commands don’t target file ownership. Listing packages with dnf list /bin/ls shows packages by name or status, not which one contains that file. Searching with dnf search /bin/ls looks through package names and descriptions, not the actual file-provides data. Asking for info on /bin/ls (dnf info /bin/ls) treats the argument as a package name, which won’t resolve the file-to-package relationship. If you know the package name, you can use dnf info on that package, or you can use rpm -qf /bin/ls as an alternative way to find the owning package.