What is the file extension commonly associated with shared libraries in Linux?

The file extension commonly associated with shared libraries in Linux is .so, which stands for "shared object." Shared libraries are dynamic libraries that can be loaded by applications at runtime, allowing multiple programs to share the same library code. This not only saves memory but also ensures that applications can be updated independently of one another, as they rely on the same shared library.

In contrast, .dll is a file extension used for dynamic link libraries primarily in Windows, .exe is used for executable files in Windows, and .lib is often associated with static libraries or import libraries in Windows development. Thus, .so is the appropriate choice for Linux shared libraries due to its specific usage and compatibility with the Linux operating system.