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.
Which TWO commands can be used to check the status of a service?
systemd-analyze
Why wrong: Analyzes boot performance, not status.
service status
Legacy command, still works with systemd via compatibility.
start stop restart
Why wrong: Not a valid command.
systemctl status
Modern command for service status.
initctl status
Why wrong: Used by Upstart init system, not systemd.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
service status
The `service` command is a legacy SysV init wrapper that can query the status of a service by calling the appropriate init script with the `status` argument. It remains available on many Linux distributions for backward compatibility, making it a valid tool to check service status.
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.
systemd-analyze
Why it's wrong here
Analyzes boot performance, not status.
service status
Why this is correct
Legacy command, still works with systemd via compatibility.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
start stop restart
Why it's wrong here
Not a valid command.
systemctl status
Why this is correct
Modern command for service status.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
initctl status
Why it's wrong here
Used by Upstart init system, not systemd.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may think `systemd-analyze` checks service status because of its name, but it is strictly a boot analysis tool, not a status checker.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Not a valid command.
Detailed technical explanation
Under systemd, `systemctl status` reads the unit's state from the systemd journal and cgroup information, showing active state, PID, memory usage, and recent log entries. The `service` command translates to `systemctl` on systemd systems via a compatibility layer, but on older SysV systems it directly executes the init script. The LFCS exam expects familiarity with both legacy and modern service management tools, as real-world environments may mix init systems.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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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: service status — The `service` command is a legacy SysV init wrapper that can query the status of a service by calling the appropriate init script with the `status` argument. It remains available on many Linux distributions for backward compatibility, making it a valid tool to check service status.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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