- A
OnDelete
Why wrong: OnDelete is for DaemonSets, not Deployments.
- B
BlueGreen
Why wrong: BlueGreen is not a native Kubernetes strategy; it requires manual or tool-based implementation.
- C
RollingUpdate
RollingUpdate gradually replaces Pods; old ones are terminated as new ones become ready.
- D
Recreate
Why wrong: Recreate terminates all old Pods before creating new ones, not gradual.
Question 289 of 997
Default Deployment Update Strategy — Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate Explained
This KCNA practice question tests your understanding of kubernetes fundamentals. 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 create a Deployment with 'replicas: 3' and update the pod template without changing the selector. After the update, you notice that only the new Pods are running, but old Pods have been terminated. What is the default update strategy?
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
✓
RollingUpdate
The default update strategy for a Deployment in Kubernetes is RollingUpdate. When you update the pod template (e.g., changing the container image), the Deployment controller creates new ReplicaSets with the updated template and gradually scales down the old ReplicaSet while scaling up the new one, ensuring zero downtime. Since only new Pods are running and old Pods have been terminated, this confirms the default behavior of a rolling update, which replaces Pods incrementally without manual intervention.
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.
- ✗
OnDelete
Why it's wrong here
OnDelete is for DaemonSets, not Deployments.
- ✗
BlueGreen
Why it's wrong here
BlueGreen is not a native Kubernetes strategy; it requires manual or tool-based implementation.
- ✓
RollingUpdate
Why this is correct
RollingUpdate gradually replaces Pods; old ones are terminated as new ones become ready.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Recreate
Why it's wrong here
Recreate terminates all old Pods before creating new ones, not gradual.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common trap is assuming the default update strategy is Recreate because it seems simpler, but the actual default is RollingUpdate, which performs gradual, zero-downtime updates.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the Deployment controller manages ReplicaSets: when the pod template changes, it creates a new ReplicaSet and uses a rolling update controller to gradually increase the desired replicas of the new ReplicaSet while decreasing the old one, controlled by parameters like maxSurge (default 25%) and maxUnavailable (default 25%). This ensures that the total number of Pods never drops below the desired count minus maxUnavailable, and never exceeds the desired count plus maxSurge, providing a smooth transition. In real-world scenarios, this is critical for zero-downtime deployments in production, but misconfiguring these parameters can lead to resource exhaustion or slow rollouts.
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 KCNA 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.
- →
Kubernetes Fundamentals — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this KCNA question test?
Kubernetes Fundamentals — This question tests Kubernetes Fundamentals — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: RollingUpdate — The default update strategy for a Deployment in Kubernetes is RollingUpdate. When you update the pod template (e.g., changing the container image), the Deployment controller creates new ReplicaSets with the updated template and gradually scales down the old ReplicaSet while scaling up the new one, ensuring zero downtime. Since only new Pods are running and old Pods have been terminated, this confirms the default behavior of a rolling update, which replaces Pods incrementally without manual intervention.
What should I do if I get this KCNA 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.
About these practice questions
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 KCNA 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 KCNA exam.
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