This JNCIA-JUNOS practice question tests your understanding of junos configuration basics. 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.
After making several configuration changes, an engineer wants to see what changes were made in the candidate configuration compared to the last committed configuration. Which command should be used?
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.
show configuration
Why wrong: Shows entire candidate configuration.
show configuration | compare
Shows differences between candidate and committed.
show system rollback
Why wrong: Lists rollback points.
show log messages
Why wrong: Shows system messages, not config differences.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
show configuration | compare
Option B is correct because the 'show configuration | compare' command displays the differences between the candidate configuration and the active committed configuration. This pipe filter compares the current candidate configuration against the last committed configuration, showing added, changed, or deleted lines with '+' and '-' prefixes, which directly meets the engineer's requirement.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
show configuration
Why it's wrong here
Shows entire candidate configuration.
show configuration | compare
Why this is correct
Shows differences between candidate and committed.
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.
show system rollback
Why it's wrong here
Lists rollback points.
show log messages
Why it's wrong here
Shows system messages, not config differences.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'show configuration' (which outputs the full candidate config) with 'show configuration | compare' (which shows only the differences), or they mistakenly think 'show system rollback' provides a diff against the candidate rather than listing historical committed configurations.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Shows entire candidate configuration.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, the '| compare' pipe filter invokes the Junos configuration diff engine, which compares the candidate configuration in the /config/juniper.conf.gz-derived active database against the last committed configuration stored in the /var/db/config/ directory. This command is equivalent to the 'show configuration | compare rollback 0' variant, and it respects the 'commit synchronize' behavior in a multi-RE chassis, ensuring accurate delta output even when changes span multiple configuration hierarchies.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the JNCIA-JUNOS exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
Junos Configuration Basics — This question tests Junos Configuration Basics — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: show configuration | compare — Option B is correct because the 'show configuration | compare' command displays the differences between the candidate configuration and the active committed configuration. This pipe filter compares the current candidate configuration against the last committed configuration, showing added, changed, or deleted lines with '+' and '-' prefixes, which directly meets the engineer's requirement.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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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