This SPLK-1002 practice question tests your understanding of basic searching and transforming commands. 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 of the following commands will return exactly one result row when there is at least one event?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
sort - count
Why wrong: Sorts all events, returns multiple rows.
chart count by user
Why wrong: Returns one row per user, multiple rows.
eventstats count by user
Why wrong: Adds count field to each event, returns same number of rows as input.
top limit=1 user
Returns the top user, one row.
stats count
Returns a single row with the total count.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
top limit=1 user
Option D is correct because `top limit=1 user` returns the single most frequent value of the `user` field, producing exactly one result row (the top user) when at least one event exists. Option E is correct because `stats count` without a `by` clause aggregates all events into a single row showing the total event count, always returning exactly one row as long as there is at least one event.
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.
sort - count
Why it's wrong here
Sorts all events, returns multiple rows.
chart count by user
Why it's wrong here
Returns one row per user, multiple rows.
eventstats count by user
Why it's wrong here
Adds count field to each event, returns same number of rows as input.
top limit=1 user
Why this is correct
Returns the top user, one row.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
stats count
Why this is correct
Returns a single row with the total count.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Splunk often tests the distinction between transforming commands that reduce results to one row per group (like `stats count by user`) and those that produce a single global row (like `stats count`), leading candidates to mistakenly choose `chart count by user` or `eventstats count by user` when the question explicitly requires exactly one result row.
Detailed technical explanation
The `top` command internally uses `stats count by <field>` followed by `sort - count` and then applies the `limit` parameter to restrict output rows, making it a convenient shortcut for finding the most frequent values. The `stats` command without a `by` clause performs an aggregation over the entire result set, producing a single summary row; this is a fundamental difference from `eventstats`, which adds aggregate values to each event without collapsing rows. Understanding when commands reduce row count (transforming commands like `stats`, `chart`, `top`) versus when they preserve row count (event-generating or non-transforming commands like `eventstats`, `sort`) is critical for accurate SPL writing.
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 SPLK-1002 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
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Basic Searching and Transforming Commands — This question tests Basic Searching and Transforming Commands — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: top limit=1 user — Option D is correct because `top limit=1 user` returns the single most frequent value of the `user` field, producing exactly one result row (the top user) when at least one event exists. Option E is correct because `stats count` without a `by` clause aggregates all events into a single row showing the total event count, always returning exactly one row as long as there is at least one event.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This SPLK-1002 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Splunk 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 SPLK-1002 exam.
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