CKAD Application Deployment Practice Question
You are using Helm to manage a chart. Which commands are valid to list installed releases? (Choose TWO)
⚠ Common exam trap
The CKAD exam often tests the alias relationship between `helm ls` and `helm list`, and candidates may mistakenly think only one is valid or confuse `helm list` with `helm history` which shows revision history for a single release.
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
✓
helm ls
`helm ls` and `helm list` are both valid commands to list installed releases in Helm. `helm ls` is an alias for `helm list`, and both display all deployed releases in the current namespace by default. These commands are essential for managing Helm-based deployments.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
helm ls
Why this is correct
helm ls is correct because it is a built-in alias for the `helm list` command, which enumerates all deployed Helm releases in your current Kubernetes namespace. When run, it queries Helm's release storage (typically Secrets or ConfigMaps) and displays a table with release name, status, revision, and chart details. The shorthand form is widely used in scripts and everyday operations, making it a convenient equivalent to the command that the question asks about.
- ✗
helm upgrade
Why it's wrong here
helm upgrade is wrong for this question because it does not enumerate releases; instead, it takes a specific release name and a chart to apply a mutating operation. It merges the new chart templates and values with the existing release configuration, creating a new revision while preserving the release's history. Since it requires a release name as an argument and changes state rather than querying, it cannot serve as a command to list releases.
- ✗
helm status
Why it's wrong here
helm status is not the right answer because it inspects a single, named release and returns detailed information such as the release's revision, chart name, last deployed timestamp, and the Kubernetes resources that were created or updated. Unlike a listing command, it requires you to already know which release you want to examine and does not provide an overview or count of all releases in the cluster. Therefore, it is purely a per-release inspection tool, not a list command.
- ✗
helm history
Why it's wrong here
helm history is incorrect because it shows the revision history for one specific release, listing each revision number, timestamp, status, description, and the user or tool that triggered the change. This command is scoped to an individual release name and is used for auditing or rollback decisions, not for discovering what releases exist. Its purpose is to reveal the lifecycle of a single release, so it cannot answer the underlying question of which command lists releases.
- ✓
helm list
Why this is correct
helm list is correct and is the canonical command for listing Helm releases. It queries the Helm backend for release records in the current namespace and presents them in a table, with options to filter by status (e.g., `--deployed`, `--failed`) or to widen the scope using `--all` or `--all-namespaces`. Because `helm ls` is an alias for this command, both are valid, but `helm list` is the explicitly documented form and is the primary command asked about.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every CKAD question from scratch — 826 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
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.