In which type of static route is only the next hop specified?

In a recursive static route, only the next hop is specified without directly indicating the exit interface. This means that the router needs to perform an additional lookup to determine how to reach the next hop address specified in the route. This process involves resolving the next hop's IP address to an interface, which is typically done via a routing table lookup.

In contrast, a directly attached route indicates both the network and the exit interface directly since the destination network is on the same local segment as the router. Resolved routes do not exist as a specific category in traditional routing discussions, and a fully specified static route includes both the next hop and the exit interface together, allowing for immediate reachability without further lookup.

Therefore, the recursive static route efficiently directs traffic by specifying a next hop that requires further resolution for routing decisions, making it a useful option in many scenarios where the next hop router is not directly reachable.