The correct answer is the show configuration command, as it directly displays the current running configuration in its native hierarchical format. When you need a flat, line-by-line representation, you apply the display set pipe modifier, so show configuration | display set outputs every configuration statement as a single set command, making it easier to copy and paste into scripts or compare changes line by line. On the JNCIA-Junos exam, this tests your understanding that both commands reveal the same active configuration, just in different presentation styles—a common trap is assuming only one format is valid. Remember that show configuration alone gives you the tree-like structure, while adding the display set pipe modifier flattens it into executable statements. A helpful memory tip: think of “set” as the action you would type to build the config, so the pipe modifier converts the view into that actionable format.
JNCIA-JUNOS User Interfaces Practice Question
This JNCIA-JUNOS practice question tests your understanding of user interfaces. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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.
Which TWO commands can be used to view the current running configuration?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
show configuration | display set
Option B is correct because the 'show configuration | display set' command outputs the current active configuration in 'set' format, which is a flat, line-by-line representation of configuration statements. Option D is correct because 'show configuration' without any pipe modifier displays the entire running configuration in its native hierarchical format. Both commands allow you to view the current running configuration, just in different presentation styles.
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.
✗
show configuration | display inheritance
Why it's wrong here
Shows inherited configuration values, not the full configuration.
✓
show configuration | display set
Why this is correct
Displays the configuration as a series of set commands.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
show configuration | match
Why it's wrong here
Filters configuration output, but the base command is still 'show configuration'.
✓
show configuration
Why this is correct
Displays the full candidate configuration.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
show configuration | compare
Why it's wrong here
Shows differences between candidate and active configuration, not the full configuration.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse pipe modifiers like 'display inheritance' or 'compare' as valid ways to view the current configuration, when in fact they either add inherited data or compare revisions, not display the running config as-is.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Shows inherited configuration values, not the full configuration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Junos, the 'show configuration' command reads the active configuration from the /config/active file (or the juniper.conf.gz archive), while 'display set' converts the hierarchical XML-like structure into a sequence of 'set' commands that can be replayed to recreate the configuration. This is particularly useful for scripting or when you need to copy configuration snippets between devices, as 'set' format is unambiguous and avoids indentation errors. The '|' pipe modifier in Junos is a powerful filtering mechanism that processes the output through various operations, but only 'show configuration' (without a filter) or with 'display set' directly outputs the full running configuration.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
User Interfaces — This question tests User Interfaces — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: show configuration | display set — Option B is correct because the 'show configuration | display set' command outputs the current active configuration in 'set' format, which is a flat, line-by-line representation of configuration statements. Option D is correct because 'show configuration' without any pipe modifier displays the entire running configuration in its native hierarchical format. Both commands allow you to view the current running configuration, just in different presentation styles.
What should I do if I get this JNCIA-JUNOS question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Refer to the exhibit. An engineer runs the command but sees no output. What is the most likely reason?
hard
A.The pipe (|) is not supported with 'display set'.
✓ B.The interface ge-0/0/0 is not configured.
C.The interface name is misspelled.
D.The command syntax is incorrect.
Why B: The command 'show configuration | display set' outputs the configuration in a set-based format. If there is no output, it means the configuration is empty or the specified interface does not exist. In this case, the interface ge-0/0/0 is not configured, so the filter 'display set' returns no lines for that interface. Option B is correct because an unconfigured interface yields no configuration output.
Variation 2. A network engineer is in configuration mode and wants to see the configuration in a format that can be directly pasted into another router to reproduce the configuration. Which output modifier should they use?
medium
A.| display inheritance
✓ B.| display set
C.| display xml
D.| count
Why B: The '| display set' output modifier converts the current Junos configuration into a series of 'set' commands. This format is directly pasteable into another router's CLI to reproduce the exact configuration, making it ideal for configuration migration or backup restoration.
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
Question Discussion
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This JNCIA-JUNOS practice question is part of Courseiva's free Juniper Networks 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 JNCIA-JUNOS exam.
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