XK0-006 Troubleshooting Practice Question
A Linux administrator is troubleshooting a service that fails to start. The service's unit file has a dependency on another service, but the dependent service is not running. The administrator wants to view the dependency tree of the failing service to understand the ordering and requirements. Which command should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that systemctl status or journalctl will show the full dependency tree; they only show symptoms or configuration, not the runtime dependency hierarchy.
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
✓
systemctl list-dependencies failing.service
systemctl list-dependencies is specifically designed to show the dependency tree of a unit, including which units are required or wanted and their current states. It provides a clear hierarchical view that helps diagnose why a service fails due to unmet dependencies. Other commands show status or logs but not the dependency structure.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
systemctl list-dependencies failing.service
Why this is correct
systemctl list-dependencies displays a tree of the specified unit's dependencies, including requires, wants, and after/before relationships. This directly shows the administrator which services the failing unit depends on and their current state, helping identify the missing dependency.
- ✗
systemctl cat failing.service
Why it's wrong here
systemctl cat displays the contents of the unit file and any drop-in files. While it shows the configured dependencies, it does not show the runtime dependency tree or the current state of those dependencies, so it does not provide the dynamic view needed for troubleshooting.
- ✗
journalctl -u failing.service
Why it's wrong here
journalctl -u shows log messages for the specified unit, which can reveal errors related to dependencies, but it does not present a structured dependency tree. It is useful for seeing failure messages but not for understanding the full dependency hierarchy and ordering.
- ✗
systemctl status failing.service
Why it's wrong here
systemctl status shows the current state of the service, recent log entries, and basic information, but it does not display the full dependency tree. It may indicate that a dependency failed, but it does not provide the detailed ordering and requirement relationships needed to understand the dependency structure.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
File Permissions and Ownership
Key term
Service
A service is a software component or system that performs a specific function and is available to be used by other programs or users over a network.
Key term
Linux
Linux is an open-source operating system that manages computer hardware and software, widely used in servers, desktops, and embedded systems.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This XK0-006 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 XK0-006 exam.