This XK0-005 practice question tests your understanding of scripting, containers and automation. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
A Linux administrator is creating a shell script to back up configuration files to a remote server. The script must ensure that if any command fails (e.g., rsync or tar), the script exits immediately and does not continue. Which TWO of the following should be included in the script to achieve this behavior? (Choose two.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "immediately / without restart"
Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
trap 'exit 1' ERR
Traps the ERR signal and exits when any command fails.
set -o pipefail
Why wrong: Causes a pipeline to fail if any command fails, but does not cause immediate exit by itself.
set -x
Why wrong: Enables debugging output, not exit-on-error.
set -e
Causes the script to exit if any command returns a non-zero exit status.
set -u
Why wrong: Treats unset variables as errors but does not exit on command failure.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
trap 'exit 1' ERR
Option A is correct because `trap 'exit 1' ERR` instructs the shell to execute `exit 1` whenever a command returns a non-zero exit status, which immediately terminates the script on any failure. Option D is correct because `set -e` causes the shell to exit immediately if any command (or pipeline, unless overridden) fails, providing a straightforward way to enforce fail-fast behavior in a backup script.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
trap 'exit 1' ERR
Why this is correct
Traps the ERR signal and exits when any command fails.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
set -o pipefail
Why it's wrong here
Causes a pipeline to fail if any command fails, but does not cause immediate exit by itself.
set -x
Why it's wrong here
Enables debugging output, not exit-on-error.
set -e
Why this is correct
Causes the script to exit if any command returns a non-zero exit status.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
set -u
Why it's wrong here
Treats unset variables as errors but does not exit on command failure.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse `set -o pipefail` with `set -e`, thinking it alone causes script exit, or they mistakenly believe `set -x` or `set -u` handle command failures, when in fact only `set -e` and `trap ... ERR` directly enforce exit on any non-zero exit status.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Causes a pipeline to fail if any command fails, but does not cause immediate exit by itself.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, `set -e` (equivalent to `set -o errexit`) works by checking the exit status of each simple command, and if it is non-zero, the shell calls `exit` with that status. The `trap ... ERR` mechanism is triggered by the same condition but allows custom cleanup or logging before exiting; note that `trap` can be overridden by `set -e` in some shells (e.g., Bash) where both are active, but they are often used together for robust error handling. In real-world backup scripts, combining `set -e` with `trap 'exit 1' ERR` ensures that even if a command inside a subshell or function fails, the script stops immediately, preventing partial backups or corrupted remote files.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Scripting, Containers and Automation — This question tests Scripting, Containers and Automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: trap 'exit 1' ERR — Option A is correct because `trap 'exit 1' ERR` instructs the shell to execute `exit 1` whenever a command returns a non-zero exit status, which immediately terminates the script on any failure. Option D is correct because `set -e` causes the shell to exit immediately if any command (or pipeline, unless overridden) fails, providing a straightforward way to enforce fail-fast behavior in a backup script.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "immediately / without restart". Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This XK0-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 XK0-005 exam.
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