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 whether a systemd service is currently running?
systemctl status service
Shows status including active/inactive state.
systemctl list-units --state=running
Why wrong: Lists all running units, but needs to be filtered.
systemctl is-active service
Returns 'active' if running, 'inactive' otherwise.
systemctl is-enabled service
Why wrong: Checks if service is enabled to start at boot.
systemctl show service
Why wrong: Shows unit properties, not active state.
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
Option A is correct because `systemctl status service` displays the current status of a systemd unit, including whether it is active (running), along with recent log entries and process details. Option C is correct because `systemctl is-active service` returns a simple exit code and output (active/inactive) indicating whether the unit is currently running, making it ideal for scripting.
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 status including active/inactive state.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
systemctl list-units --state=running
Why it's wrong here
Lists all running units, but needs to be filtered.
systemctl is-active service
Why this is correct
Returns 'active' if running, 'inactive' otherwise.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
systemctl is-enabled service
Why it's wrong here
Checks if service is enabled to start at boot.
systemctl show service
Why it's wrong here
Shows unit properties, not active state.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'is-enabled' (boot-time configuration) with 'is-active' (current runtime state), or think that listing all running units (option B) is a valid way to check a specific service, when in fact it requires additional parsing and does not directly answer the question.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Shows unit properties, not active state.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, `systemctl status` queries the systemd D-Bus API to retrieve the unit's ActiveState (e.g., 'active' for running) and substate (e.g., 'running'), while `systemctl is-active` uses the same D-Bus interface but returns only the ActiveState as a string and exit code (0 for active, 3 for inactive). In real-world scenarios, `systemctl is-active` is preferred in automation scripts because it returns a clean exit code, whereas `systemctl status` provides human-readable output and is better for interactive troubleshooting.
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 — Option A is correct because `systemctl status service` displays the current status of a systemd unit, including whether it is active (running), along with recent log entries and process details. Option C is correct because `systemctl is-active service` returns a simple exit code and output (active/inactive) indicating whether the unit is currently running, making it ideal for scripting.
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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