mediumMultiple Select
CCNP Practice Question: Which two statements about RESTCONF are true?…
Which two statements about RESTCONF are true? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
350-401 often tests the confusion between RESTCONF and NETCONF transport and encoding: candidates may incorrectly assume RESTCONF uses SSH like NETCONF, or that RESTCONF replaces NETCONF, when in fact they are complementary and use different transports and operation models.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
RESTCONF uses HTTP methods such as GET, PUT, POST, DELETE, and PATCH.
Option B is correct because RESTCONF is a RESTful protocol that maps CRUD operations onto standard HTTP methods — GET to retrieve data, POST to create, PUT to replace, PATCH to modify, and DELETE to remove resources — as defined in RFC 8040. Option D is correct because RESTCONF supports both JSON (the default, media type application/yang-data+json) and XML (application/yang-data+xml) encoding for representing YANG-modeled data. Option A is incorrect because RESTCONF runs over HTTPS (HTTP over TLS, typically port 443), not SSH; SSH is the transport used by NETCONF. Option C is incorrect because RESTCONF is not intended to replace NETCONF entirely — it is a complementary, lightweight HTTP-based alternative, and NETCONF remains widely used for full configuration and RPC capabilities. Option E is incorrect because RESTCONF uses HTTP methods for operations rather than RPCs; RPC-style operations are characteristic of NETCONF, and RESTCONF only supports a limited RPC mechanism via POST to specific operation resources.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
RESTCONF uses SSH for transport security.
Why it's wrong here
RESTCONF secures transport with HTTPS over TLS, not SSH, which is NETCONF's transport. SSH is tempting because NETCONF runs over it by default, but RESTCONF's reliance on HTTP semantics means TLS is the mechanism providing confidentiality and integrity.
- ✓
RESTCONF uses HTTP methods such as GET, PUT, POST, DELETE, and PATCH.
Why this is correct
RESTCONF maps CRUD operations onto standard HTTP verbs, so GET retrieves, PUT replaces, POST creates, DELETE removes and PATCH merges configuration data. This satisfies the stem's requirement for a true statement, since RESTCONF is defined by the IETF as a RESTful, HTTP-based protocol operating on YANG-modelled data.
- ✗
RESTCONF is designed to replace NETCONF entirely.
Why it's wrong here
RESTCONF is a complementary HTTP-based interface, not a NETCONF replacement; both are maintained by the IETF and can coexist on the same device. The temptation arises because RESTCONF offers a lighter, web-friendly alternative, yet NETCONF remains for full datastore and notification capabilities.
- ✓
RESTCONF supports both JSON and XML encoding for data representation.
Why this is correct
RESTCONF's media-type negotiation accepts both JSON and XML payloads, satisfying the stem's encoding requirement. Unlike NETCONF, which mandates XML, RESTCONF permits either representation, so statements claiming JSON-only or XML-only support are false. This flexibility stems from its HTTP-based design, where the Accept and Content-Type headers select the format.
- ✗
RESTCONF uses remote procedure calls (RPCs) for all operations.
Why it's wrong here
RESTCONF maps CRUD operations onto HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE) rather than RPCs, which are NETCONF's mechanism. It is tempting because NETCONF does use RPCs, so candidates conflate the two protocols; RESTCONF's HTTP verbs are the actual axis of difference.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
This 350-401 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 350-401 exam.