Free Certified Cloud Native Platform Engineering Associate (CNPA) Practice Questions

Sample Practice Questions

Try these 10 sample questions from the Certified Cloud Native Platform Engineering Associate (CNPA) practice bank. Each includes the answer and explanation. Continue with the interactive practice above to review the full question set.

1. 1Which command creates missing Kubernetes objects and updates existing ones from configuration files in a directory?

   1. A. kubectl create -f manifests/
   2. B. kubectl apply -f manifests/
   3. C. kubectl get -f manifests/
   4. D. kubectl delete -f manifests/

   Answer: B

   Explanation: The guide states, "You can also use kubectl apply to update all objects defined in a directory, even if those objects already exist." Apply handles the declared objects; create does not update existing objects, get reads them, and delete removes them.

   Reference: Declarative Management of Kubernetes Objects Using Configuration Files — How to update objects

2. 2Which telemetry signal represents the path of a request through an application?

   1. A. A metric
   2. B. A log record
   3. C. A trace
   4. D. A profile

   Answer: C

   Explanation: OpenTelemetry defines traces as "The path of a request through your application." Metrics capture measurements, logs record events, and profiles record code-level resource usage.

   Reference: Signals — OpenTelemetry — Traces

3. 3Where does a repository define GitHub Actions workflows?

   1. A. In YAML files under .github/workflows
   2. B. In XML files under .github/actions
   3. C. In shell history on the selected runner
   4. D. In deployment labels on the target cluster

   Answer: A

   Explanation: GitHub states, "Workflows are defined in the .github/workflows directory in a repository." The preceding definition specifies YAML files checked into the repository; runner history and deployment labels are not workflow definitions.

   Reference: Understanding GitHub Actions — The components of GitHub Actions — Workflows

4. 4For a Kubernetes resource tracked by a controller, what does the spec field represent?

   1. A. The controller's historical event log
   2. B. The desired state to which the controller works toward convergence
   3. C. The complete current state of all objects in the cluster
   4. D. The identity of the user making the most recent API request

   Answer: B

   Explanation: The controller documentation says objects "have a spec field that represents the desired state." Spec supplies the intended state; it is not the event history, observed cluster state, or requesting identity.

   Reference: Controllers — Kubernetes — Controller pattern

5. 5A developer wants a new repository generated from a supported code skeleton with project-specific input values. Which Backstage capability provides this self-service workflow?

   1. A. The catalog's component ownership filter
   2. B. A TechDocs page's Markdown renderer
   3. C. The search index's query suggestions
   4. D. Software Templates with parameterized scaffolding

   Answer: D

   Explanation: Backstage Software Templates can "load skeletons of code, template in some variables, and then publish the template to some locations like GitHub or GitLab." Catalog filtering, documentation rendering, and search do not perform this project scaffolding.

   Reference: Backstage Software Templates — Backstage Software Templates — introduction

6. 6Which measurement most directly captures users' satisfaction with their internal platform experience?

   1. A. The number of distinct capabilities offered in the platform catalog
   2. B. The number of users who accessed the platform during the last month
   3. C. User survey responses measuring satisfaction, such as NPS
   4. D. The elapsed time required to fulfill a database provisioning request

   Answer: C

   Explanation: The CNCF white paper recommends "other surveys that measure user satisfaction with a product". NPS and satisfaction surveys directly ask users about their experience. Capability counts, active-use counts, and provisioning time measure breadth, adoption, or service speed rather than directly recording satisfaction.

   Reference: CNCF Platforms White Paper — How to measure the success of platforms — User satisfaction and productivity

7. 7Before applying a changed Kubernetes manifest, which command previews the changes that apply would make?

   1. A. kubectl get -f app.yaml
   2. B. kubectl describe -f app.yaml
   3. C. kubectl diff -f app.yaml
   4. D. kubectl apply -f app.yaml

   Answer: C

   Explanation: The documentation says, "kubectl diff also gives you a preview of what changes apply will make." Get and describe inspect live resources; apply performs the change rather than only previewing it.

   Reference: Declarative Management of Kubernetes Objects Using Configuration Files — Introduction

8. 8A platform records memory usage as numerical measurements during execution. Which OpenTelemetry signal category fits these measurements?

   1. A. Metrics
   2. B. Traces
   3. C. Baggage
   4. D. Logs

   Answer: A

   Explanation: The Metrics definition is "A measurement captured at runtime." Memory usage measurements fit metrics; a request path, propagated context, or event record serves a different telemetry purpose.

   Reference: Signals — OpenTelemetry — Metrics

9. 9A packaging job must run only after two independent build jobs finish successfully in GitHub Actions. Which configuration expresses that execution relationship?

   1. A. Put the packaging job first in the YAML file
   2. B. Give all three jobs the same display name
   3. C. Declare that packaging depends on both build jobs
   4. D. Add more runners without setting job dependencies

   Answer: C

   Explanation: GitHub describes a packaging job that "depends on those builds" and states, "The build jobs run in parallel, and once they complete successfully, the packaging job runs." Explicit dependencies encode the relationship; file position, names, and runner count do not.

   Reference: Understanding GitHub Actions — The components of GitHub Actions — Jobs

10. 10How does the Kubernetes Job controller cause work to run?

    1. A. It executes containers directly inside the API server process
    2. B. It replaces kubelets and schedules processes on each worker itself
    3. C. It asks the API server to create or remove Pods for other components to run
    4. D. It writes application results into Git instead of creating workload objects

    Answer: C

    Explanation: Kubernetes states, "The Job controller does not run any Pods or containers itself." Instead it tells the API server to create or remove Pods, after which other components schedule and run the work.

    Reference: Controllers — Kubernetes — Control via API server — Job controller