DBS-C01 Deployment and Migration Practice Question
A company wants to deploy a globally distributed application with a DynamoDB table that uses optimistic locking. Which DynamoDB feature should be used to implement this?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse DynamoDB Transactions (which provide atomicity and isolation) with the concurrency control pattern of optimistic locking, but optimistic locking is specifically implemented using conditional writes, not transactions.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
DynamoDB Conditional Writes
Optimistic locking in DynamoDB is implemented using conditional writes, specifically the `ConditionExpression` parameter in `PutItem`, `UpdateItem`, or `DeleteItem` operations. By checking that a version attribute (e.g., `version = :expected_version`) matches the client's known value before writing, the application can detect and reject concurrent modifications, ensuring data consistency without locking the entire table.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
DynamoDB Conditional Writes
Why this is correct
Conditional writes implement optimistic locking.
- ✗
DynamoDB Streams
Why it's wrong here
Streams capture changes, not locking.
- ✗
DynamoDB Global Tables
Why it's wrong here
Global tables replicate data across regions.
- ✗
DynamoDB Transactions
Why it's wrong here
Transactions are for ACID, not optimistic locking.
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