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XK0-006 Practice Question: Which TWO statements are true regarding the use…
Which TWO statements are true regarding the use of Ansible for automation? (Choose TWO.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse Ansible's push-based model with pull-based tools like Puppet or Chef, or assume a master server is required because other automation tools use a master-agent architecture.
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
✓
Ansible playbooks are written in YAML.
Option B is correct because Ansible playbooks are defined in YAML, a human-readable data serialization format that describes tasks, plays, and roles executed by the Ansible engine. Option C is correct because Ansible is agentless: it does not require any software installed on managed nodes and communicates over standard SSH (or WinRM for Windows hosts) to push modules and execute tasks. Option A is incorrect because Ansible can run from any control machine, including a laptop or a CI runner, and does not mandate a dedicated master server. Option D is incorrect because Ansible uses a push-based model, where the control node pushes playbooks/modules to targets, not a pull model like Puppet or Chef agents. Option E is incorrect because Ansible modules are written in Python (or any language returning JSON), not Ruby.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Ansible requires a dedicated master server to manage nodes.
Why it's wrong here
Ansible is agentless and runs from any control node, so no dedicated master server is required. The dedicated-master idea is tempting because centralised management servers are typical of agent-based platforms like Puppet, Chef and Salt, but Ansible's architecture deliberately avoids that component.
- ✓
Ansible playbooks are written in YAML.
Why this is correct
YAML provides the human-readable, declarative syntax in which Ansible playbooks define tasks, plays and inventory references. This satisfies the exam's requirement for a true statement about Ansible automation, since playbooks are authored as YAML files rather than Python or shell scripts.
- ✓
Ansible is agentless and uses SSH for communication.
Why this is correct
Ansible connects to managed nodes over standard SSH without installing any agent software, so no persistent daemon runs on targets. This satisfies the agentless architecture constraint, distinguishing it from agent-based configuration management tools that require software deployed on each managed host.
- ✗
Ansible uses a pull-based model where nodes fetch configurations from a central server.
Why it's wrong here
Ansible operates push-based, connecting over SSH or WinRM to run modules on managed nodes; nothing is fetched by the nodes themselves. The pull model is tempting because it describes agent-based configuration management tools such as Puppet and Chef, where nodes periodically retrieve their desired state.
- ✗
Ansible modules are written in Ruby.
Why it's wrong here
Ansible modules are written in Python, not Ruby; Ruby is the language behind Puppet manifests and Chef recipes. The tempting confusion arises because both Ansible and Puppet are agentless-or-agent configuration management tools, but only Puppet uses Ruby-based DSL, so Ruby would be the right answer for a Puppet module question.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Advanced Shell Scripting and Automation
Key term
SSH
SSH (Secure Shell) is a cryptographic network protocol that provides secure, encrypted communication and remote administration between two devices over an unsecured network.
Key term
Windows
Windows is a family of operating systems developed by Microsoft that manages computer hardware and software, providing a graphical user interface for users to interact with their devices.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.