LFCS Service Configuration Practice Question
Which command enables a service to start automatically at boot in a systemd-based system?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse `systemctl enable` (which configures automatic boot-time startup) with `systemctl start` (which runs the service immediately but does not persist across reboots), leading candidates to incorrectly choose option D.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
systemctl enable service
The `systemctl enable` command creates the necessary symlinks in the `/etc/systemd/system/` directory tree (typically `multi-user.target.wants/`) to ensure the specified service unit is started automatically when the system boots. This is the standard mechanism in systemd to configure a service for automatic startup at boot time.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
systemctl enable service
Why this is correct
'systemctl enable' creates the symlinks under the target's .wants directory that pull the unit into the boot transaction, satisfying automatic start at boot. It does not start the service now; 'systemctl start' handles that separately.
- ✗
systemctl set-default service
Why it's wrong here
set-default changes the default boot target, not a unit's enablement state; it does not create the symlinks that start a specific service at boot. It is tempting because it configures boot behaviour, but it is used to choose between graphical and multi-user targets, not to enable services.
- ✗
systemctl daemon-reload
Why it's wrong here
daemon-reload re-reads changed unit files after edits; it alters no enablement state and starts nothing at boot. It is tempting because it is run after modifying a unit file, which is a common step when configuring services, but it does not enable the service.
- ✗
systemctl start service
Why it's wrong here
start launches the unit only for the current session; it creates no persistent enablement symlink, so the service will not start at boot. It is tempting because it immediately brings the service up, which is useful for testing or one-off runs, but enablement requires systemctl enable.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.