CKAD Application Design and Build Practice Question
An init container in a pod runs a database migration script. The init container fails and exits with a non-zero exit code. What will happen to the pod?
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
✓
The init container will be restarted until it succeeds
Init containers must run successfully (exit 0) before the main containers start. If an init container fails, Kubernetes restarts it (if restartPolicy is Always or OnFailure) until it succeeds. The pod will remain in Init:Error state until the init container succeeds.
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 main containers will start anyway
Why it's wrong here
Main containers only start after all init containers succeed.
- ✗
The pod will enter CrashLoopBackOff
Why it's wrong here
CrashLoopBackOff applies to main containers, not init containers. Init containers have their own restart behavior.
- ✓
The init container will be restarted until it succeeds
Why this is correct
Correct: init containers are restarted on failure until they succeed.
- ✗
The pod will be deleted and recreated
Why it's wrong here
The pod is not deleted; the init container is restarted.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CKAD 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 CKAD exam.