def common_prefix(strings) -> str:
    """ Find the longest string that is a prefix of all the strings.
    """
    if not strings:
        return ''
    prefix = strings[0]
    for s in strings:
        if len(s) < len(prefix):
            prefix = prefix[:len(s)]
        if not prefix:
            return ''
        for i in range(len(prefix)):
            if prefix[i] != s[i]:
                prefix = prefix[:i]
                break
    return prefix