200-901 Cisco Platforms and Development Practice Question
Which Cisco platform uses NX-API to allow programmatic access to CLI commands via JSON?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is that candidates confuse NX-API (NX-OS) with RESTCONF (IOS XE) or DNA Center's Intent API, assuming all Cisco platforms use the same programmatic interface.
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
✓
Cisco NX-OS
Cisco NX-OS is the network operating system that runs on Nexus switches and supports NX-API, which allows programmatic access to CLI commands via JSON (or XML) over HTTP/HTTPS. NX-API exposes the /ins endpoint for CLI execution and /api for model-driven REST access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Cisco Meraki
Why it's wrong here
Meraki is managed through its cloud dashboard and Dashboard API, not NX-API, which is a feature of Cisco Nexus switches running NX-OS. NX-API exposes CLI commands over HTTP with JSON or XML output; Meraki's API is REST-based and does not wrap device CLI commands.
- ✓
Cisco NX-OS
Why this is correct
Cisco NX-OS exposes NX-API, which wraps CLI commands and returns structured JSON or XML over HTTP/HTTPS, enabling programmatic access. IOS, IOS-XE and ASA lack this native JSON CLI wrapper, so NX-OS is the platform matching the stem.
- ✗
Cisco DNA Center
Why it's wrong here
DNA Center is a controller that manages devices via APIs such as Intent API; it does not itself run NX-API, which is an on-box feature of NX-OS switches. It tempts because DNA Center provides programmatic access, so it would be correct if the question asked which platform offers a centralised network controller API.
- ✗
Cisco IOS XE
Why it's wrong here
IOS XE uses RESTCONF/NETCONF.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
This 200-901 question is part of Courseiva's 975-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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 200-901 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 200-901 exam.