KCNA Kubernetes Fundamentals Practice Question
A Deployment manages ReplicaSets and supports rolling updates. You want to change the container image of a Deployment without downtime. What is the recommended approach?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse `kubectl expose` with updating images, or think that manually deleting pods will trigger the new image, when in fact the ReplicaSet only recreates pods based on its current template.
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
✓
Edit the Deployment's pod template spec to use the new image; the Deployment will automatically perform a rolling update
Editing the Deployment's pod template spec triggers an automatic rolling update, which is the recommended approach for zero-downtime updates. The Deployment controller creates a new ReplicaSet with the updated image and gradually scales it up while scaling down the old ReplicaSet, ensuring that a minimum number of pods remain available throughout the process.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use kubectl expose to update the image on the service
Why it's wrong here
Services do not manage pod images; they provide stable networking.
- ✗
Delete the existing Deployment and create a new one with the updated image
Why it's wrong here
This causes downtime, which rolling updates aim to avoid.
- ✓
Edit the Deployment's pod template spec to use the new image; the Deployment will automatically perform a rolling update
Why this is correct
Changing the pod template triggers a rolling update managed by the Deployment.
- ✗
Manually delete all pods one by one; they will be recreated with the new image by the ReplicaSet
Why it's wrong here
Pods are recreated with the old image because the ReplicaSet template hasn't changed.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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