This CKA practice question tests your understanding of troubleshooting. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
You need to test DNS resolution from within a pod. Which command should you run?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "which command"
Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
kubectl describe svc <service-name>
Why wrong: That shows service details but does not test DNS.
kubectl logs <pod> | grep dns
Why wrong: Logs may not contain DNS queries.
kubectl exec <pod> -- nslookup <service-name>
Correct. This runs nslookup inside the pod.
kubectl run nslookup --image=busybox -- nslookup <service-name>
Why wrong: This creates a new pod, not using the existing pod's network.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
kubectl exec <pod> -- nslookup <service-name>
nslookup or dig can be used to query DNS. They must be available in the container image.
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.
kubectl describe svc <service-name>
Why it's wrong here
That shows service details but does not test DNS.
kubectl logs <pod> | grep dns
Why it's wrong here
Logs may not contain DNS queries.
kubectl exec <pod> -- nslookup <service-name>
Why this is correct
Correct. This runs nslookup inside the pod.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
kubectl run nslookup --image=busybox -- nslookup <service-name>
Why it's wrong here
This creates a new pod, not using the existing pod's network.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
That shows service details but does not test DNS.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the CKA exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Identify which CKA exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Troubleshooting — This question tests Troubleshooting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: kubectl exec <pod> -- nslookup <service-name> — nslookup or dig can be used to query DNS. They must be available in the container image.
Identify which CKA exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Yes — watch for: "which command". Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 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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