CKS Cluster Setup Practice Question
A cluster is using kubeadm and the control plane components are running as static pods. Where are the static pod manifests for the API server located by default?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse the static pod manifest directory (/etc/kubernetes/manifests/) with the kubelet's working directory (/var/lib/kubelet/) or the general cluster configuration directory (/etc/kubernetes/), leading them to pick a plausible but incorrect path.
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
✓
/etc/kubernetes/manifests/
In a kubeadm-deployed cluster, the control plane components (API server, controller manager, scheduler) run as static pods. The kubelet watches a specific directory for pod manifests to create these static pods. By default, kubeadm places the manifests for the API server (and other control plane components) in /etc/kubernetes/manifests/. This directory is specified via the --pod-manifest-path or staticPodPath in the kubelet configuration.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
/var/lib/kubelet/
Why it's wrong here
The /var/lib/kubelet/ directory is the kubelet's working directory, where it stores pod-related runtime data such as volumes, container logs, and plugin state. It is not a location from which the kubelet reads static pod manifests; the kubelet only monitors the static pod path configured via --pod-manifest-path or the staticPodPath in its configuration. Placing control plane YAML files here would have no effect, as the kubelet would not recognize them as pod definitions.
- ✓
/etc/kubernetes/manifests/
Why this is correct
/etc/kubernetes/manifests/ is the default static pod manifest directory in a kubeadm cluster. The kubelet watches this directory for YAML/JSON files and automatically creates and manages the pods they define, which is how the control plane components (kube-apiserver, kube-controller-manager, kube-scheduler, and etcd) are launched. This directory is the correct place for these manifests because the kubelet's staticPodPath is set to this location during kubeadm initialization, making it the source of truth for the control plane pods.
- ✗
/etc/kubernetes/admin.conf
Why it's wrong here
/etc/kubernetes/admin.conf is a kubeconfig file, not a directory for static pod manifests. It contains the client certificate, private key, and API server endpoint for the kubernetes-admin user, and is typically consumed by kubectl or other administrative tools to authenticate against the API server. The kubelet does not read this file when creating static pods, so modifying it or placing files there would have no impact on control plane pod definitions.
- ✗
/etc/kubernetes/
Why it's wrong here
/etc/kubernetes/ is the top-level configuration directory for Kubernetes, holding files like kubelet.conf, scheduler.conf, controller-manager.conf, and the pki subdirectory with certificates. Although this directory contains cluster configuration, the kubelet does not scan it for pod manifests; it only watches the manifests subdirectory within it. Therefore, placing YAML files directly under /etc/kubernetes/ would not cause the kubelet to launch any static pods, and it is distinct from the dedicated manifests path.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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