The correct command is `gcloud iam service-accounts list`. This is the standard gcloud CLI command to list service accounts in a GCP project because it directly calls the IAM API to retrieve all service accounts associated with the current project, or a specific project when you include the `--project` flag. On the Google Associate Cloud Engineer exam, this question tests your familiarity with the `gcloud iam` command group and its sub-resources; a common trap is confusing this with `gcloud auth list`, which shows active credentials rather than service accounts. Remember that service accounts are IAM identities, so they live under `gcloud iam service-accounts`, and the `list` subcommand is your go-to for enumeration. A helpful memory tip: think "I AM a service account" to recall the `iam` parent group, then "list my accounts" for the subcommand.
Google ACE Setting up a cloud solution environment Practice Question
This ACE practice question tests your understanding of setting up a cloud solution environment. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A GCP project has three service accounts. A developer wants to list all service accounts in the project using the gcloud CLI. Which command is correct?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "which command"
Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
gcloud iam service-accounts list
Option C is correct because the `gcloud iam service-accounts list` command is the standard gcloud CLI command to list all service accounts in a GCP project. It uses the IAM API to retrieve the service accounts associated with the current project (or a specified project via the `--project` flag). This command is part of the `gcloud iam` group, which manages IAM resources, and the `service-accounts` sub-group specifically handles service account operations.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
gcloud service-accounts list
Why it's wrong here
`gcloud service-accounts` is not a valid command group. Service account commands are under `gcloud iam service-accounts`.
✗
gcloud iam list service-accounts
Why it's wrong here
The subcommand order is incorrect. It should be `gcloud iam service-accounts list`, not `gcloud iam list service-accounts`.
✓
gcloud iam service-accounts list
Why this is correct
This is the correct command to list all service accounts in the active project.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
gcloud projects list-service-accounts
Why it's wrong here
`list-service-accounts` is not a subcommand of `gcloud projects`. Service accounts are managed under `gcloud iam`.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the exact hierarchical structure of gcloud commands, and the trap here is that candidates may confuse the `gcloud iam` subcommand syntax (where the resource type comes before the verb) with other command groups (like `gcloud compute` where the verb often comes first), leading them to choose Option B or D.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
`gcloud service-accounts` is not a valid command group. Service account commands are under `gcloud iam service-accounts`.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `gcloud iam service-accounts list` command sends a GET request to the IAM API endpoint `https://iam.googleapis.com/v1/projects/{PROJECT_ID}/serviceAccounts`. By default, it lists service accounts in the current project set via `gcloud config`, but you can override this with the `--project` flag. A subtle behavior is that this command does not list the default Compute Engine service account unless it has been explicitly created or assigned to a resource; it only shows service accounts that exist as IAM principals in the project.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this ACE question in full detail.
Setting up a cloud solution environment — This question tests Setting up a cloud solution environment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: gcloud iam service-accounts list — Option C is correct because the `gcloud iam service-accounts list` command is the standard gcloud CLI command to list all service accounts in a GCP project. It uses the IAM API to retrieve the service accounts associated with the current project (or a specified project via the `--project` flag). This command is part of the `gcloud iam` group, which manages IAM resources, and the `service-accounts` sub-group specifically handles service account operations.
What should I do if I get this ACE question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "which command". Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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