This CKAD practice question tests your understanding of services and networking. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 user runs 'kubectl get endpoints my-service' and sees no endpoints listed. The service has a selector 'app: my-app'. Pods with that label exist and are running. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
The service selector does not match the pod labels
The endpoints controller watches for pods matching the service's selector. If labels don't match, no endpoints are added.
B
The pods are not assigned an IP address
Why wrong: Pods are assigned IPs when running.
C
The service name is incorrect
Why wrong: The command uses the correct service name, and get endpoints shows empty, meaning the service exists.
D
The pods are not ready (readiness probe failing)
Why wrong: Even if readiness probe fails, the endpoints would still exist if the selector matches; the pod would be removed from endpoints only if it fails readiness, but initially endpoints would have been populated. If no endpoints at all, selector mismatch is the first thing to check.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The service selector does not match the pod labels
If the service selector does not match the pod labels, the endpoints controller will not populate endpoints. Option B is correct. Option A is incorrect because pod IPs are assigned. Option C is incorrect because the service exists. Option D is incorrect because readiness probes affect whether a pod is included in endpoints, but if no pods match the selector, that's the primary issue.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
The service selector does not match the pod labels
Why this is correct
The endpoints controller watches for pods matching the service's selector. If labels don't match, no endpoints are added.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
The command uses the correct service name, and get endpoints shows empty, meaning the service exists.
✗
The pods are not ready (readiness probe failing)
Why it's wrong here
Even if readiness probe fails, the endpoints would still exist if the selector matches; the pod would be removed from endpoints only if it fails readiness, but initially endpoints would have been populated. If no endpoints at all, selector mismatch is the first thing to check.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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
The command uses the correct service name, and get endpoints shows empty, meaning the service exists.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
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.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CKAD question in full detail.
Identify which CKAD 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.
Services and Networking — This question tests Services and Networking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The service selector does not match the pod labels — If the service selector does not match the pod labels, the endpoints controller will not populate endpoints. Option B is correct. Option A is incorrect because pod IPs are assigned. Option C is incorrect because the service exists. Option D is incorrect because readiness probes affect whether a pod is included in endpoints, but if no pods match the selector, that's the primary issue.
What should I do if I get this CKAD question wrong?
Identify which CKAD 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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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