This CKAD practice question tests your understanding of application deployment. 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.
A pod is running but not responding to requests. The developer suspects the liveness probe is misconfigured. Which command can they use to check the probe configuration of a running pod?
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 logs <pod-name>
Why wrong: Logs show application output, not probe configuration.
kubectl describe pod <pod-name>
Describe shows full configuration including probes.
kubectl exec <pod-name> -- env
Why wrong: Exec runs commands inside container; not probe config.
kubectl get pod <pod-name>
Why wrong: Get shows basic info, not probe details.
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 describe pod <pod-name>
Option B is correct because `kubectl describe pod <pod-name>` displays the full pod specification, including the liveness probe configuration (e.g., `Liveness: http-get /healthz delay=0s timeout=1s period=10s #success=1 #failure=3`). This allows the developer to verify the probe type, endpoint, initial delay, timeout, and failure threshold directly from the running pod's definition.
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 logs <pod-name>
Why it's wrong here
Logs show application output, not probe configuration.
kubectl describe pod <pod-name>
Why this is correct
Describe shows full configuration including probes.
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 exec <pod-name> -- env
Why it's wrong here
Exec runs commands inside container; not probe config.
kubectl get pod <pod-name>
Why it's wrong here
Get shows basic info, not probe details.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse `kubectl logs` (which shows runtime output) with `kubectl describe` (which shows configuration), assuming logs would reveal probe failures, but logs only show application output, not the probe definition itself.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Logs show application output, not probe configuration.
Detailed technical explanation
The liveness probe is defined in the pod spec under `spec.containers[].livenessProbe` and can be of type `httpGet`, `tcpSocket`, or `exec`. The `kubectl describe` command retrieves this from the Kubernetes API server, which stores the full pod manifest. A common subtlety is that if the probe's `initialDelaySeconds` is too short, the container may be killed before it finishes startup, leading to CrashLoopBackOff — this value is visible only via `describe`.
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 CKAD 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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Application Deployment — This question tests Application Deployment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: kubectl describe pod <pod-name> — Option B is correct because `kubectl describe pod <pod-name>` displays the full pod specification, including the liveness probe configuration (e.g., `Liveness: http-get /healthz delay=0s timeout=1s period=10s #success=1 #failure=3`). This allows the developer to verify the probe type, endpoint, initial delay, timeout, and failure threshold directly from the running pod's definition.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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 11, 2026
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