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.
Which THREE of the following are valid ways to update a Deployment's container image in Kubernetes?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
kubectl apply -f updated-deployment.yaml with the new image.
Option A is correct because `kubectl apply -f updated-deployment.yaml` applies a declarative configuration that includes the new container image. When the Deployment manifest is updated with the new image and reapplied, Kubernetes performs a rolling update to gradually replace pods with the new image, ensuring zero downtime if configured correctly.
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.
✓
kubectl apply -f updated-deployment.yaml with the new image.
Why this is correct
Correct. Applying a modified YAML file updates the deployment.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
kubectl set image deployment/myapp myapp=nginx:1.20
Why this is correct
Correct. kubectl set image directly updates the image.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
kubectl edit deployment myapp and change the image in the editor.
Why this is correct
Correct. Editing the manifest and saving updates the deployment.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse `kubectl rollout` with `kubectl set image` or invent commands like `kubectl update` or `kubectl rollout image`, which do not exist in kubectl's command set.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
kubectl update is not a valid command.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When updating a Deployment's image via `kubectl apply`, the controller compares the desired state in the new manifest against the current state and triggers a rolling update using a ReplicaSet. The `kubectl set image` command directly modifies the Deployment's pod template spec, which causes the controller to create a new ReplicaSet with the updated image and gradually scale down the old one. Both methods ultimately update the `spec.template.spec.containers[].image` field, and the Deployment's `strategy.type` (defaults to RollingUpdate) governs the update behavior.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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.
Application Deployment — This question tests Application Deployment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: kubectl apply -f updated-deployment.yaml with the new image. — Option A is correct because `kubectl apply -f updated-deployment.yaml` applies a declarative configuration that includes the new container image. When the Deployment manifest is updated with the new image and reapplied, Kubernetes performs a rolling update to gradually replace pods with the new image, ensuring zero downtime if configured correctly.
What should I do if I get this CKAD question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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