CKAD Application Deployment Practice Question
Which THREE of the following are correct about Kustomize?
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
✓
A 'kustomization.yaml' file is required in each Kustomize directory.
Options A, B, and E are correct. Option A: A kustomization.yaml file is required in each Kustomize directory to define resources, bases, and patches. Option B: The 'patches' field in kustomization.yaml allows overriding fields in resources via strategic merge patches or JSON patches. Option E: A base can be a local directory referenced via path or a remote URL (e.g., git repository). Option C is incorrect because 'kustomize build' outputs the rendered YAML to stdout; there is no 'kustomize apply' command. Option D is incorrect because Kustomize does not use templates; it uses overlays and patching without templating.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
A 'kustomization.yaml' file is required in each Kustomize directory.
Why this is correct
A kustomization.yaml file is the mandatory entrypoint for every Kustomize directory; without it, kustomize build fails because Kustomize has no manifest of resources, transformers, or patches to process. This file declares the resources list and any customization directives, and it must be named exactly kustomization.yaml (or kustomization.yml) for the directory to be recognized as a valid Kustomize target.
- ✓
A 'patches' field in kustomization.yaml can be used to override fields in resources.
Why this is correct
The 'patches' field in kustomization.yaml supports both strategic merge patches and JSON patches, which can override arbitrary fields in existing base resources. Strategic merge patches merge dictionaries and lists by merge keys, while JSON patches use a list of operations like add, remove, and replace with JSON Pointer paths. This allows surgical customization without forking the base resource definitions.
- ✗
The command 'kustomize apply' deploys resources to the cluster.
Why it's wrong here
There is no native 'kustomize apply' subcommand in Kustomize. The correct workflow is to run 'kustomize build' to render the final YAML from overlays and bases, then pipe that output to 'kubectl apply -f -' to deploy it to the cluster. Kustomize only handles declarative resource generation and transformation; it does not perform cluster-side operations like kubectl apply.
- ✗
Kustomize uses Helm-style templates to generate resources.
Why it's wrong here
Kustomize deliberately avoids Helm-style Go templates and parameterized charts. Instead, it uses a declarative overlay model where resources are written in plain YAML and customized via strategic merge patches, JSON patches, and field name references. There is no templating engine, which means the final output is always fully valid YAML with no placeholders or runtime substitution.
- ✓
A base can be a local directory or a remote URL.
Why this is correct
A base is a Kustomize directory containing a kustomization.yaml and should serve as the starting point for customization. It can be sourced from a local directory, such as a relative path like '../../base', or from a remote URL, including a Git repository URL with a ref like 'https://github.com/org/repo//base?ref=v1.2.3'. Remote bases must follow the '//subdir?ref=<sha-or-tag>' syntax, and the remote directory must contain its own kustomization.yaml.
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