This LFCS practice question tests your understanding of service configuration. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
[Unit]
Description=My Custom Service
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target
[Service]
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/myservice.sh
Restart=always
RestartSec=10
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
Which of the following statements is true about this unit?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The service will be restarted indefinitely with a 10-second delay between restarts regardless of exit status
Option A is correct because the `Restart=always` directive in a systemd service unit causes the service to be restarted indefinitely regardless of the exit status, and the `RestartSec=10` directive introduces a 10-second delay between each restart attempt. This behavior is defined in the systemd.service(5) man page, where `Restart=always` triggers a restart for any exit reason, including clean exits or signals.
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.
✓
The service will be restarted indefinitely with a 10-second delay between restarts regardless of exit status
Why this is correct
Restart=always triggers on any exit, with RestartSec delay.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The service can be started by a timer unit
Why it's wrong here
Possible but not indicated in the unit.
✗
The service will start automatically at boot only if network-online.target is reached
Why it's wrong here
Wants is weak; service may start even if target fails.
✗
The service requires SELinux context
Why it's wrong here
Not mentioned in the unit.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Linux Foundation often tests the misconception that `Restart=always` only applies to non-zero exit codes, when in fact it triggers restarts for any exit status, including successful exits (exit code 0).
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, systemd uses `Restart=always` to monitor the service's main PID; if the process exits for any reason (including a signal like SIGTERM or SIGKILL), systemd immediately schedules a restart after `RestartSec` seconds. A real-world scenario where this matters is a critical database service that must remain running despite transient crashes, but administrators must be cautious because `Restart=always` can mask underlying issues and cause rapid restart loops if `RestartSec` is too low.
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 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
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.
Service Configuration — This question tests Service Configuration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The service will be restarted indefinitely with a 10-second delay between restarts regardless of exit status — Option A is correct because the `Restart=always` directive in a systemd service unit causes the service to be restarted indefinitely regardless of the exit status, and the `RestartSec=10` directive introduces a 10-second delay between each restart attempt. This behavior is defined in the systemd.service(5) man page, where `Restart=always` triggers a restart for any exit reason, including clean exits or signals.
What should I do if I get this LFCS 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.
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Question Discussion
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