KCNA Kubernetes Fundamentals Practice Question
A user wants to check the resource usage of Pods in a cluster. Which command should be used to display CPU and memory usage for all Pods in the default namespace?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that kubectl describe or kubectl get can provide live metrics, when only kubectl top is designed for that purpose.
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
✓
kubectl top pods
The correct command is kubectl top pods, which retrieves CPU and memory usage metrics from the Metrics Server. This command is specifically designed for viewing resource consumption. The other options are either invalid commands or provide different types of information, such as configuration details or logs, but not live resource usage.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
kubectl top pods
Why this is correct
kubectl top pods displays the current CPU and memory usage for Pods in the default namespace. It requires the Metrics Server to be installed in the cluster. This command is the standard way to view resource usage metrics for Pods. It provides a quick overview of which Pods are consuming the most resources.
- ✗
kubectl get pods --show-metrics
Why it's wrong here
kubectl get pods --show-metrics is not a valid command. The kubectl get command does not have a --show-metrics flag. Resource usage metrics are not available through kubectl get; they are accessed via kubectl top. This option is a common misconception because users expect get to provide all information about a resource.
- ✗
kubectl logs --metrics
Why it's wrong here
kubectl logs --metrics is not a valid command. The kubectl logs command is used to retrieve container logs, and it does not have a --metrics flag. It does not provide resource usage information. This option confuses logging with metrics.
- ✗
kubectl describe pods
Why it's wrong here
kubectl describe pods provides detailed information about Pods, including events, status, and configuration, but it does not show live CPU and memory usage. The describe output includes resource requests and limits, but not current usage. To see live usage, you need to use kubectl top.
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Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CNCF exam blueprint
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