This CKAD practice question tests your understanding of application observability and maintenance. 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.
Which THREE of the following are valid methods to view logs of a container that has already terminated?
kubectl logs <pod> --all-containers
Why wrong: Shows all containers but not previous instance logs.
kubectl logs <pod> --tail=50
Shows last 50 lines of logs (if container still exists).
kubectl logs --all
Why wrong: Invalid command.
kubectl logs <pod> --previous
Shows logs from the previous container instance.
kubectl logs <pod> -p
Shorthand for --previous.
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 logs <pod> --tail=50
Option B is correct because `kubectl logs <pod> --tail=50` retrieves the last 50 lines of logs from the specified pod's container. Even if the container has terminated, the logs are still available from the pod's log history, and `--tail` limits the output to the most recent entries, which is useful for debugging recent failures.
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> --all-containers
Why it's wrong here
Shows all containers but not previous instance logs.
kubectl logs <pod> --tail=50
Why this is correct
Shows last 50 lines of logs (if container still exists).
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
kubectl logs --all
Why it's wrong here
Invalid command.
kubectl logs <pod> --previous
Why this is correct
Shows logs from the previous container instance.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
kubectl logs <pod> -p
Why this is correct
Shorthand for --previous.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
CNCF often tests the distinction between `--previous` (which retrieves logs from a terminated container that has been restarted) and `--tail` (which limits output lines), and candidates may mistakenly think `--all-containers` or `--all` are valid for terminated containers without understanding the need for `--previous`.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Shows all containers but not previous instance logs.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, Kubernetes retains container logs in the kubelet's log directory (typically `/var/log/pods/`) even after the container exits, as long as the pod itself is not deleted. The `--previous` flag (or `-p`) accesses the logs of the previous instance of a container in a pod, which is essential when a container has crashed and restarted, allowing you to see the logs from the terminated instance. The `--tail` flag works by reading the log file from the end, which is efficient for large logs and avoids overwhelming output.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Application Observability and Maintenance — This question tests Application Observability and Maintenance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: kubectl logs <pod> --tail=50 — Option B is correct because `kubectl logs <pod> --tail=50` retrieves the last 50 lines of logs from the specified pod's container. Even if the container has terminated, the logs are still available from the pod's log history, and `--tail` limits the output to the most recent entries, which is useful for debugging recent failures.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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.
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