XK0-006 Automation, Orchestration, and Scripting Practice Question
An Ansible playbook includes a handler that restarts a service when a configuration file is changed. Which directive in a task triggers the handler?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is confusing register: (capture output) or when: (conditional execution) with notify:, which is the only directive that actually triggers a handler.
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
✓
notify:
In Ansible, a task uses the notify: directive to name one or more handlers that should be triggered when that task reports a change (i.e., when the task's state is 'changed'). Handlers then run once at the end of the play, in the order they were notified, only if at least one notifying task changed.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
register:
Why it's wrong here
register: captures a task's return values into a variable for later use in conditionals or output; it never notifies a handler. It is the right directive when a subsequent task must test a result, such as checking command output before acting.
- ✗
when:
Why it's wrong here
when: applies a conditional that decides whether a task runs at all; it does not notify handlers. It is correct when execution depends on a variable or fact, such as running only on a particular OS family, not for triggering a restart after a config change.
- ✗
handlers:
Why it's wrong here
The handlers: directive declares the handler section and names handlers; it does not trigger them. Triggering occurs when a task reports changed status and lists notify. handlers: is correct for defining the restart task itself, not for invoking it from a changed configuration task.
- ✓
notify:
Why this is correct
The notify directive names the handler to trigger when a task reports changed state, so a config-file modification notifies the restart handler. Handlers run once at play end, avoiding repeated service restarts during the play.
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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
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