XK0-006 System Management Practice Question
An administrator wants to ensure a service starts automatically at boot on a systemd-based system. Which command should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
XK0-006 often tests whether candidates confuse 'enable' (boot persistence) with 'start' (immediate start), leading them to pick 'start' when the question asks for automatic startup at boot.
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 service
On systemd-based systems, 'systemctl enable <service>' creates the necessary symlinks (typically in /etc/systemd/system/) so that the service is started automatically at boot. It does not start the service immediately; it only configures it for future boots.
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 enable service
Why this is correct
`systemctl enable service` creates the symlinks that pull the unit into the boot transaction, so the service starts automatically at every boot on a systemd-based host. It satisfies the stem's requirement directly; `start` only launches it for the current session and does not persist across reboots.
- ✗
systemctl start service
Why it's wrong here
systemctl start launches the unit only for the current session; it does not create the symlink enabling it at boot. It is tempting because it does start the service, and it would be correct when the service is already enabled but currently stopped.
- ✗
systemctl status service
Why it's wrong here
systemctl status only reports a unit's current state and recent log entries; it changes nothing. It is tempting because it confirms whether a service is running or enabled, and it would be correct when verifying boot configuration rather than setting it.
- ✗
systemctl reload service
Why it's wrong here
systemctl reload re-reads a running unit's configuration without restarting it, leaving boot behaviour unchanged. It is tempting because it applies configuration changes to a live service, and it would be correct after editing a unit file when the service must pick up new settings.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Managing Storage and File Systems
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
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.
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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.