What command would you use to check the routing table in a Linux system?

To check the routing table in a Linux system, the command that provides the most straightforward access to routing information is "ip route." This command is part of the iproute2 suite, which has largely replaced older tools like "route" and "ifconfig." When you use "ip route," it displays the current routing table, including the destination, gateway, and interface details, in a clear and structured format.

While the "route" command can also be used to check the routing table, it is considered deprecated in many Linux distributions in favor of the "ip" command suite. Thus, "ip route" is preferred for modern systems due to its enhanced functionality and richer set of networking features.

The "ifconfig" command is focused on configuring network interfaces and does not provide information about the routing table. Similarly, "netstat" can display a lot of network-related information, including routing, but it is also less favored compared to "ip route" for routing table queries. Therefore, choosing "ip route" aligns with current best practices for checking and managing routing tables in Linux environments.