This LFCS practice question tests your understanding of service configuration. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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.
To check the details of a failed systemd service unit, including the last log entries, which command is most appropriate?
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.
systemctl status service
Shows current state and last log lines.
systemctl list-units --failed
Why wrong: Lists failed units but does not show logs.
systemctl is-failed service
Why wrong: Only returns exit status, no logs.
systemctl show service
Why wrong: Shows properties, not recent logs.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
systemctl status service
`systemctl status service` is the most appropriate command because it displays the current state of the service unit, including whether it is active, failed, or inactive, along with the last several log entries from the journal for that unit. This provides both the failure status and the contextual log output needed to diagnose why the service failed, all in a single command.
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.
systemctl status service
Why this is correct
Shows current state and last log lines.
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.
systemctl list-units --failed
Why it's wrong here
Lists failed units but does not show logs.
systemctl is-failed service
Why it's wrong here
Only returns exit status, no logs.
systemctl show service
Why it's wrong here
Shows properties, not recent logs.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse `systemctl is-failed` (which only checks the failure state) with `systemctl status` (which provides both the state and the logs), leading them to choose a command that gives insufficient diagnostic information for the question's requirement of 'including the last log entries'.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Lists failed units but does not show logs.
Detailed technical explanation
`systemctl status` reads the unit's state from the systemd manager and also queries the journal (via `journalctl -u service`) to display the most recent log messages, typically the last 10 lines by default. This integration makes it the go-to command for initial troubleshooting because it combines the unit's active state, main PID, memory/CPU usage, and the most relevant log output in one view. In a real-world scenario, if a service like `nginx` fails to start due to a configuration syntax error, `systemctl status nginx` will show the failure reason (e.g., 'Failed to start A high performance web server') and the exact error line from the journal, whereas `systemctl is-failed` would only confirm the failure without any diagnostic context.
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 LFCS 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
Service Configuration — This question tests Service Configuration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: systemctl status service — `systemctl status service` is the most appropriate command because it displays the current state of the service unit, including whether it is active, failed, or inactive, along with the last several log entries from the journal for that unit. This provides both the failure status and the contextual log output needed to diagnose why the service failed, all in a single command.
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 25, 2026
This LFCS practice question is part of Courseiva's free Linux Foundation 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 LFCS exam.
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