- A
The container has exited
Why wrong: Exited containers show EXITED state.
- B
The container is paused
Why wrong: Paused containers show PAUSED state.
- C
The container is starting up
Why wrong: Starting is a different state.
- D
The container is running normally
CONTAINER_RUNNING is the normal running state.
Question 607 of 997
What Does CONTAINER_RUNNING Mean in crictl?
This CKS practice question tests your understanding of monitoring, logging and runtime security. 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.
You run 'crictl ps' and see a container with state CONTAINER_RUNNING. What does this indicate?
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
✓
The container is running normally
In crictl, the state CONTAINER_RUNNING indicates that the container's processes are actively executing and the container is in a normal operational state. This corresponds to the container runtime (e.g., containerd) reporting the container as fully started and not in any transitional or halted state.
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.
- ✗
The container has exited
Why it's wrong here
Exited containers show EXITED state.
- ✗
The container is paused
Why it's wrong here
Paused containers show PAUSED state.
- ✗
The container is starting up
Why it's wrong here
Starting is a different state.
- ✓
The container is running normally
Why this is correct
CONTAINER_RUNNING is the normal running state.
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 CONTAINER_RUNNING with a container that is 'healthy' or 'ready', but crictl only reflects the runtime state, not application health or readiness checks.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Exited containers show EXITED state.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, crictl queries the CRI (Container Runtime Interface) via the runtime service (e.g., containerd or CRI-O) to retrieve container status. The CONTAINER_RUNNING state corresponds to the container's process being alive and the container's cgroups and namespaces being active, as defined by the OCI runtime spec. In real-world scenarios, a container in CONTAINER_RUNNING state may still have application-level failures (e.g., a crashed process inside) but the container runtime itself considers it running as long as the init process (PID 1) is alive.
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 CKS 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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Monitoring, Logging and Runtime Security — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CKS question test?
Monitoring, Logging and Runtime Security — This question tests Monitoring, Logging and Runtime Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The container is running normally — In crictl, the state CONTAINER_RUNNING indicates that the container's processes are actively executing and the container is in a normal operational state. This corresponds to the container runtime (e.g., containerd) reporting the container as fully started and not in any transitional or halted state.
What should I do if I get this CKS 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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Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This CKS 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 CKS exam.
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