This CKA practice question tests your understanding of services and networking. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
Which resource is used to configure TLS termination and path-based routing for HTTP(S) traffic into a cluster?
Ingress
Ingress provides HTTP routing, TLS termination, and path-based rules.
Service
Why wrong: Services do not terminate TLS or route based on paths.
NetworkPolicy
Why wrong: NetworkPolicy controls traffic at the IP/port level, not HTTP routing.
Gateway
Why wrong: Gateway is a more advanced API (Gateway API) but not the standard built-in resource; Ingress is the classical one.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Ingress
An Ingress resource provides HTTP and HTTPS routing to services within a Kubernetes cluster, enabling TLS termination and path-based routing. It acts as a layer 7 load balancer, directing external traffic to the appropriate backend Service based on hostnames and paths defined in its rules.
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.
Ingress
Service
Why it's wrong here
Services do not terminate TLS or route based on paths.
NetworkPolicy
Why it's wrong here
NetworkPolicy controls traffic at the IP/port level, not HTTP routing.
Gateway
Why it's wrong here
Gateway is a more advanced API (Gateway API) but not the standard built-in resource; Ingress is the classical one.
Common exam traps
CNCF often tests the distinction between Ingress and Service, where candidates mistakenly think a Service can handle TLS termination or path-based routing, but a Service only provides layer 4 load balancing without HTTP awareness.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, an Ingress resource requires an Ingress controller (e.g., NGINX, HAProxy, or Traefik) running in the cluster to process the rules and configure the actual reverse proxy. The Ingress spec supports TLS via a `tls` section referencing a Secret containing the certificate and key, and path-based routing through `spec.rules[].http.paths[].path` with support for exact or prefix matching (e.g., `/api/*`). In real-world scenarios, multiple Ingress resources can be merged by the controller, but conflicting rules may cause unexpected behavior, so careful namespace and annotation management is critical.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Services and Networking — This question tests Services and Networking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Ingress — An Ingress resource provides HTTP and HTTPS routing to services within a Kubernetes cluster, enabling TLS termination and path-based routing. It acts as a layer 7 load balancer, directing external traffic to the appropriate backend Service based on hostnames and paths defined in its rules.
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: Jun 30, 2026
This CKA practice question is part of Courseiva's free CNCF 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 CKA exam.
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