What does the 'env' command do in a Linux environment?

The 'env' command is used in Linux to display the environment variables that are currently set for the session. Environment variables are dynamic values that affect the processes running on a system, providing important information such as paths to executable files, system settings, and user-specific configurations.

When you run 'env' without any arguments, it outputs a list of all environment variables along with their values. This allows users and programs to see the configuration that the shell is operating under at that moment, which is particularly useful for troubleshooting or when configuring new applications that depend on specific environmental settings.

While the command can technically modify the environment variables when used with certain options or in combination with other commands (for instance, when prepending variable assignments to a command), its primary and most common purpose is to list those variables, confirming that the presented answer is accurate in its focus on the display function.