This EX294 practice question tests your understanding of implement advanced ansible automation. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. An administrator wants to view the decrypted value of 'db_password' without modifying the file. Which command should be used?
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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
ansible-vault view file.yml
The `ansible-vault view` command decrypts the file in memory and displays its contents to stdout without modifying the encrypted file on disk. This is the correct choice because the administrator only needs to see the decrypted value of 'db_password' and does not want to change the file.
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.
✗
ansible-vault rekey file.yml
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: rekey changes the password.
✗
ansible-vault decrypt file.yml
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: this permanently decrypts the file.
✓
ansible-vault view file.yml
Why this is correct
Correct: view displays decrypted content to stdout.
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.
✗
ansible-vault edit file.yml
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: edit opens an editor.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse `ansible-vault view` with `ansible-vault decrypt`, mistakenly thinking they must permanently decrypt the file to see its contents, when `view` provides a read-only decrypted output without altering the file.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, `ansible-vault view` uses the AES-256 cipher in CBC mode to decrypt the vault-encrypted file, then streams the plaintext to stdout without writing any temporary unencrypted files to disk. This is particularly useful in CI/CD pipelines or shared environments where you need to inspect a secret without leaving a decrypted copy on the filesystem.
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 EX294 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.
Implement advanced Ansible automation — This question tests Implement advanced Ansible automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: ansible-vault view file.yml — The `ansible-vault view` command decrypts the file in memory and displays its contents to stdout without modifying the encrypted file on disk. This is the correct choice because the administrator only needs to see the decrypted value of 'db_password' and does not want to change the file.
What should I do if I get this EX294 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
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.
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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