KCNA Base and Overlay Practice Question
Which TWO statements are true about Kustomize? (Choose 2)
⚠ Common exam trap
A common trap is confusing Kustomize's patching with templating, or assuming it handles canary routing. Also, some might think Kustomize is part of Helm, but they are separate tools.
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
✓
It supports patching Kubernetes resources via strategic merge patches or JSON patches.
Kustomize uses a base and overlay model to manage environment-specific configurations (D). It supports patching Kubernetes resources via strategic merge patches or JSON patches (A). Kustomize does not use Go templating; it is template-free. It does not handle canary traffic routing, which is typically done by service mesh or deployment tools. It does not package or deploy Helm charts natively.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
It supports patching Kubernetes resources via strategic merge patches or JSON patches.
Why this is correct
Correct. Kustomize supports strategic merge patches and JSON patches to customize resources.
- ✗
It automatically handles canary traffic routing.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Canary traffic routing is not handled by Kustomize; it requires a service mesh or deployment controller.
- ✗
It relies on Go templating to generate Kubernetes manifests.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Kustomize does not use Go templating; it is template-free and uses pure YAML.
- ✓
It uses a base and overlay model to manage environment-specific configurations.
Why this is correct
Correct. Kustomize uses a base and overlay model to manage environment-specific configurations.
- ✗
It can be used to package and deploy Helm charts.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Kustomize does not natively package or deploy Helm charts; it works with raw Kubernetes manifests.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Kubernetes Overview and Core Components
Key term
Service Mesh
A service mesh is a dedicated infrastructure layer that manages communication between microservices, handling tasks like service discovery, load balancing, encryption, and observability without requiring changes to application code.
Key term
Helm Charts
Helm Charts are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources that let you install, upgrade, and manage complex applications on a Kubernetes cluster with a single command.
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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.