This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new solutions. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A Solutions Architect runs the AWS CLI command shown in the exhibit. Which statement accurately describes the output?
The command lists all instances regardless of state.
The command returns all instances with their state.
The command lists instances in JSON format.
Why wrong: The --output table specifies table format, not JSON.
The command lists only running instances.
Why wrong: The query does not filter by state; it returns all instances.
The command fails because --query is used incorrectly.
Why wrong: The syntax is correct; it works.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The command lists all instances regardless of state.
The AWS CLI command `aws ec2 describe-instances` without any filter returns all EC2 instances in the current region, regardless of their state (running, stopped, terminated, etc.). The `--query` parameter is used correctly to extract specific fields from the JSON output, but it does not filter instances by state. Therefore, the output includes every instance, and option A is correct.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
The command lists all instances regardless of state.
Why this is correct
The command returns all instances with their state.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
The command lists instances in JSON format.
Why it's wrong here
The --output table specifies table format, not JSON.
The command lists only running instances.
Why it's wrong here
The query does not filter by state; it returns all instances.
The command fails because --query is used incorrectly.
Why it's wrong here
The syntax is correct; it works.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often assume `--query` filters the instances themselves (like a WHERE clause in SQL), but it only shapes the output fields—it does not reduce the set of instances returned, so without an explicit `--filters` parameter, all instances are listed.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The --output table specifies table format, not JSON.
Detailed technical explanation
The `describe-instances` API returns a paginated list of all instances in the account for the specified region, including terminated instances that are still visible for a short period (usually about an hour). The `--query` parameter uses JMESPath, a JSON query language, to project only the InstanceId and State.Name fields from the nested Reservations and Instances arrays. A common real-world scenario is using `--query` with `--output table` to create a human-readable report, but the default JSON output is still machine-parseable.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
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FAQ
Design for New Solutions — This question tests Design for New Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: The command lists all instances regardless of state. — The AWS CLI command `aws ec2 describe-instances` without any filter returns all EC2 instances in the current region, regardless of their state (running, stopped, terminated, etc.). The `--query` parameter is used correctly to extract specific fields from the JSON output, but it does not filter instances by state. Therefore, the output includes every instance, and option A is correct.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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