What file would you typically modify to change system-wide environment variables?

To change system-wide environment variables, modifying the /etc/environment file is a common practice. This file is specifically designed to set environment variables for all users on the system. The syntax used in /etc/environment is straightforward: it consists of variable assignments in the form of "VARIABLE=value". This file is read by the system during the login process and applies globally, ensuring all users have access to the defined environment variables.

While /etc/profile is also a valid choice for setting system-wide environment variables, it is primarily used for defining login and shell variables for users who start a new shell session. Changes made to /etc/profile will only be applied upon the initialization of a shell, hence it may not affect all services or applications immediately and could necessitate a new login.

The /etc/bashrc file, on the other hand, is intended for setting variables and functions specifically for interactive non-login and login shells based on the Bash shell. It does not serve as a general-purpose environment configuration file.

Lastly, the ~/.bash_profile file is user-specific and affects only the individual user's shell environment, rather than being system-wide. This makes it unsuitable for modifying variables that should apply universally across all users of the system.

In conclusion, for setting global environment variables accessible