KCNA Container Orchestration Practice Question
Which THREE of the following are characteristics of a microservices architecture? (Select 3)
⚠ Common exam trap
CNCF often tests the misconception that microservices share a database or are deployed as a single unit, confusing them with monolithic or service-oriented architectures (SOA) that may share schemas.
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
✓
Loose coupling between services
Microservices architecture emphasizes loose coupling, where each service communicates via well-defined APIs (e.g., REST, gRPC) and does not share internal implementation details. This allows services to evolve independently without affecting others, which is a core principle of the architecture.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Services share the same database schema
Why it's wrong here
Microservices often have their own databases.
- ✓
Loose coupling between services
Why this is correct
Services communicate via APIs, reducing dependencies.
- ✓
Independent deployment of services
Why this is correct
Each service can be deployed independently.
- ✗
All services are packaged in a single monolithic deployment
Why it's wrong here
That's monolithic, not microservices.
- ✓
Decomposition of application into small, independent services
Why this is correct
Microservices break down the app into small services.
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