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 TWO commands can be used to view the logs of a pod that has crashed?
kubectl logs <pod> --tail=0 -f
Why wrong: Follows new logs; does not show previous logs.
kubectl logs <pod> -c <container>
Why wrong: Specifies container but not previous instance.
kubectl logs <pod> --previous
Shows logs from the previous container instance.
kubectl logs <pod> -p
Short form for --previous.
kubectl logs <pod>
Why wrong: Shows current logs, not 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> --previous
Option C is correct because `kubectl logs <pod> --previous` retrieves logs from the previous instance of a container in a pod that has crashed and been restarted. This is essential for debugging crash loops, as the current container may have no logs or only post-crash output. The `--previous` flag accesses the terminated container's logs stored by the kubelet.
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> --tail=0 -f
Why it's wrong here
Follows new logs; does not show previous logs.
kubectl logs <pod> -c <container>
Why it's wrong here
Specifies container but not previous instance.
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
Short form for --previous.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
kubectl logs <pod>
Why it's wrong here
Shows current logs, not previous.
Common exam traps
CNCF often tests the distinction between `--previous` (or `-p`) and `-c` flags, where candidates mistakenly think `-c` retrieves logs from a crashed container instead of specifying a container name in a multi-container pod.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Follows new logs; does not show previous logs.
Detailed technical explanation
When a container crashes, the kubelet retains the previous container's log file (typically at /var/log/pods/<pod>/<container>/0.log) and rotates it. The `--previous` flag (or `-p` shorthand) instructs the kubelet to stream logs from that retained file rather than the current container's log. This is critical for crash-loop-backoff scenarios where the container restarts rapidly, as the current container may produce no useful logs before exiting.
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> --previous — Option C is correct because `kubectl logs <pod> --previous` retrieves logs from the previous instance of a container in a pod that has crashed and been restarted. This is essential for debugging crash loops, as the current container may have no logs or only post-crash output. The `--previous` flag accesses the terminated container's logs stored by the kubelet.
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
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