KCNA Kubernetes Fundamentals Practice Question
When creating a Deployment, you want to ensure that only a certain number of pods run at a time across all nodes. Which field in the Deployment spec controls this?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse `spec.replicas` with `spec.selector`, thinking the selector controls the number of Pods, but the selector only determines which Pods are managed, not how many.
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
✓
spec.replicas
The `spec.replicas` field in a Deployment spec defines the desired number of identical Pod replicas that should be running at any given time. This field directly controls the count of Pods across all nodes in the cluster, ensuring that exactly that many Pods are maintained by the ReplicaSet controller. Option A is correct because it is the only field that sets the target Pod count.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
spec.replicas
Why this is correct
spec.replicas sets the desired number of pods.
- ✗
spec.selector
Why it's wrong here
This identifies which pods the Deployment manages, but does not set the count.
- ✗
spec.minReadySeconds
Why it's wrong here
This controls how long a new pod must be ready before it is considered available.
- ✗
spec.template
Why it's wrong here
This is the pod template used to create replicas.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.