Which file contains user account information in Linux?

The file that contains user account information in Linux is located at /etc/passwd. This file is a fundamental part of the Linux operating system's user management system. It stores essential details about each user account, including the username, user ID (UID), group ID (GID), user description (or real name), home directory, and the default shell.

Each line within the /etc/passwd file corresponds to a distinct user account, formatted in a specific way where each field is separated by colons. This structure allows the system to easily read and manage user information when performing tasks related to authentication, permission management, and session management.

The incorrect options mentioned do not correspond to standard Linux practices. For instance, /usr/local/passwd and /user/passwd are not standard locations for user account information. Similarly, /etc/users does not exist as a standard file in most Linux distributions for storing user account details. Thus, the clear and established role of /etc/passwd as the authoritative source for user account information confirms it as the correct answer.