XK0-006 System Management Practice Question
A service called 'myapp' fails to start automatically after a system reboot. The administrator wants to ensure the service starts at boot. Which systemctl command should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse `systemctl start` (immediate start) with `systemctl enable` (boot-time start), or they mistakenly think `systemctl reenable` is a valid command for re-enabling a service.
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 enable myapp
The `systemctl enable myapp` command creates the necessary symlinks in the systemd unit configuration directories (typically `/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/`) so that the `myapp` service is automatically started at boot. This is the correct approach because the question specifically asks to ensure the service starts after a reboot, not to start it immediately.
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 daemon-reload
Why it's wrong here
daemon-reload only re-reads unit files after edits; it does not mark myapp for activation at boot. Enabling the unit creates the symlink that starts it on reboot. daemon-reload is correct after modifying a unit file, before restarting the affected service.
- ✗
systemctl start myapp
Why it's wrong here
start launches myapp only in the current session; it sets no boot-time activation, so the next reboot still skips it. The enable subcommand creates the multi-user.target.wants symlink. start is correct for launching a service immediately without changing its boot behaviour.
- ✓
systemctl enable myapp
Why this is correct
`systemctl enable myapp` creates the symlinks that pull the unit into the boot target's dependency tree, so systemd starts it automatically at each reboot. This directly satisfies the requirement that the service start at boot, unlike `start`, which only launches it for the current session.
- ✗
systemctl reenable myapp
Why it's wrong here
Not a standard systemctl command; use enable.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
User and Group Administration
Key term
systemd
systemd is a system and service manager for Linux operating systems that initializes and manages processes, services, and system resources after the kernel boots.
Key term
User
A user is any person, system, or device that interacts with an IT service, resource, or identity system, typically authenticated through credentials and authorized to perform specific actions.
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