The Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) exam is taken by Linux administrators who want to show they can automate their work with Ansible. This page gives you free practice sets grouped by topic, a map of the official content areas, worked explanations of sample questions, a study plan and answers to common questions.
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions (RHCE in Ansible (EX294)) | Hands-on, performance-based tasks[1] | Red Hat, Inc. · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Validity | 3 years from the date earned[2] | Red Hat, Inc. · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Renewal | Renew before expiry by retaking, expanding or advancing; passing the highest-level exam renews lower-level certifications[2] | Red Hat, Inc. · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Delivery | Remote exam, testing station, or classroom[2] | Red Hat, Inc. · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Score release | Usually within 3 U.S. business days[1] | Red Hat, Inc. · Oct 25, 2026 |
According to Red Hat, Inc., “This hands-on, practical exam requires you to use Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform (AAP) playbooks”[1]
The RHCE exam from Red Hat, Inc. is for administrators who automate Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems. The current exam, RHCE in Ansible (EX294), is hands-on and performance-based. Red Hat describes it as a practical exam that requires you to use Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform (AAP) playbooks. You complete real tasks on live systems rather than choosing from answer options.
Delivery is flexible. Red Hat says you can take nearly any of its exams from your own home or office through remote exam delivery. Testing stations and classroom delivery are also available, so check which options apply to your exam and location when you book.
Scores are usually reported within 3 U.S. business days. Certifications are current for 3 years from the date earned. To renew, you retake the exam, expand your certifications or advance to a higher level. Passing the exam for your highest-level certification renews all of your lower-level certifications.
Details such as fees, prerequisites, retake waiting rules and the exact time limit are not listed here, because they can change and may differ by region or delivery method. Confirm them on the official Red Hat exam page and the Red Hat training and certification FAQ before you book.
Our questions are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam questions. Use them to practise the underlying skills, then rehearse on a real system.
The content areas below are copied from the official RHCE content outline published by Red Hat, Inc.. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Practice on this site |
|---|---|
| Automate standard RHCSA tasks using Ansible modules[3] | RHCE Automation and Deployment Practise turning everyday administration jobs such as users, packages, services and files into the right Ansible module with the right parameters. |
| Be able to perform all tasks expected of a Red Hat Certified System Administrator[3] | RHCE System Configuration and Management Keep your core system administration skills sharp, including storage, users, SELinux, containers and scheduling, since the exam assumes them. |
| Be familiar with Visual Studio Code (VS Code)[3] | Mixed practice tests above Get comfortable editing YAML, using the integrated terminal and moving between files in VS Code so the editor does not slow you down. |
| Configure Ansible[3] | RHCE Automation and Deployment Know where configuration files and inventories live, which settings take precedence, and how to check the settings Ansible is actually using. |
| Configure Ansible managed nodes[3] | RHCE Network Services and Security Practise preparing remote hosts for management, including access, privilege escalation and the services and security settings they need. |
| Create Ansible plays and playbooks[3] | RHCE Automation and Deployment Write plays from scratch using variables, register, conditionals, loops, handlers and error handling until the syntax is automatic. |
| Manage content[3] | RHCE Package Management and Software Insta... Work with software repositories, installed packages and content sources so you can install, update and verify what a host needs. |
| Perform basic source control operations using Git[3] | Mixed practice tests above Practise cloning, committing, branching and pushing changes to automation files from the command line. |
| Run playbooks[3] | RHCE Scripting and Task Scheduling Learn to run playbooks with the right options, read the output, check syntax before running, and troubleshoot failed tasks. |
| Understand core components of Ansible[3] | RHCE Automation and Deployment Be clear on the difference between inventories, modules, plays, tasks, handlers, facts and variables, and how they fit together. |
| Use roles and Ansible Content Collections[3] | RHCE Automation and Deployment Practise installing and using collections, creating roles, and calling both from a playbook with sensible variables. |
Prepare for the RHCE - Red Hat Certified Engineer exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: What command deletes user `jdoe` along with their home directory?
Answer: B. userdel -r jdoe
Explanation:
The correct answer is userdel -r jdoe. The userdel command removes an account, and the -r option also removes the home directory and the mail spool for that user.
The other options fail for different reasons. useradd -d jdoe creates a user and sets a home directory path; it deletes nothing. usermod -d jdoe modifies an existing account's home directory setting, so it changes the account rather than removing it. deluser --remove-home jdoe is the Debian-style tool and is not the standard command on Red Hat systems.
The rule to remember: useradd adds, usermod changes, userdel removes. Without -r, the account goes away but the home directory stays behind.
Question: How do you save the output from an Ansible module to a variable?
Answer: A. register: var_name
Explanation:
The correct answer is register: var_name. Adding register to a task stores the module's returned data in a variable, and later tasks in the play can read it, for example in a when condition or a debug message.
The other options are not Ansible syntax. var_name = ansible_module module_name looks like shell assignment, which a playbook does not use. save: var_name = module_name uses a keyword that does not exist. ansible save var_name module_name invents a command-line form that has no such subcommand.
The rule to remember: register is a task-level keyword, written at the same indentation as the module name, and the variable holds a structure you inspect with debug when you are unsure what it contains.
Question: Which command lists all running containers in Podman?
Answer: B. podman ps
Explanation:
The correct answer is podman ps. It lists containers that are currently running, and it works much like docker ps for anyone who has used Docker.
The other options do not do that job. podman images lists images stored locally, not containers, which is a common mix-up. podman list is not a valid Podman subcommand. podman containers is also not a valid subcommand, even though it sounds natural.
The rule to remember: ps shows containers, images shows images. Adding the -a option to ps also shows stopped containers, which helps when a container exits straight after you start it.
Start with the official exam page for EX294 and read the content areas listed above. Mark each one as comfortable, shaky or untouched, and be honest about it.
Next, take our practice sets on the shaky and untouched areas first. After each set, read every explanation, including those for questions you answered correctly, and write down the commands or keywords you missed. Then do those same tasks on a real system rather than only reading about them.
Close to test day, take the full practice test to find remaining gaps, and rehearse your remote setup if you plan to test from home. Check the official FAQ for current rules before you book.
No. The RHCE in Ansible (EX294) exam is hands-on and performance-based. Red Hat says it requires you to use Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform (AAP) playbooks. Our practice questions use multiple choice to test your knowledge of commands and concepts, so also practise the same tasks on a live system.
Often yes. Red Hat states that you can take nearly any of its exams from your own home or office through remote exam delivery. Testing stations and classroom delivery also exist. Availability can vary by exam and location, so confirm the options on the official Red Hat FAQ when you book.
Red Hat says scores on the exam are usually reported within 3 U.S. business days. That is a typical timeframe, not a promise for every case. If your result is delayed, contact Red Hat through its official certification support channels.
Red Hat states that certifications are current for 3 years from the date earned. You can renew by retaking the exam, expanding your certifications or advancing to a higher level. Passing the exam for your highest-level certification renews all of your lower-level certifications.
Yes. The official content areas include performing all tasks expected of a Red Hat Certified System Administrator, and automating standard RHCSA tasks with Ansible modules. Our sets on storage, users, SELinux, containers and package management help you keep those skills current alongside Ansible.
No. Our practice questions are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam questions. They are meant to check your understanding of commands and Ansible concepts. For the real exam, rely on Red Hat's official objectives and practise on a working system.
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