This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of deployment. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
A developer needs different configuration values for dev, test, and prod in the same SAM template. Which feature is suitable?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Parameters and environment-specific parameter overrides
AWS SAM supports Parameters and environment-specific parameter overrides, allowing you to define a single template and supply different configuration values (e.g., database URLs, API keys) for dev, test, and prod environments at deployment time. This is achieved by passing a JSON or YAML file with the `--parameter-overrides` flag in the `sam deploy` command, or by using the `parameters` section in a `samconfig.toml` file. This approach avoids duplicating templates and keeps infrastructure-as-code DRY and maintainable.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Parameters and environment-specific parameter overrides
Why this is correct
Correct for the stated requirement.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Hardcoded ARNs in every function
Why it's wrong here
This does not meet the stated requirement as directly as the correct option.
✗
One AWS root account per environment
Why it's wrong here
This does not meet the stated requirement as directly as the correct option.
✗
Disabling stack updates
Why it's wrong here
This does not meet the stated requirement as directly as the correct option.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think hardcoding ARNs or using separate root accounts is simpler, but the exam tests knowledge of AWS-recommended patterns like parameter overrides and multi-account strategies using AWS Organizations, not root accounts.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, SAM template parameters are resolved at deployment time via AWS CloudFormation's parameter mechanism, where environment-specific values can be passed using the `--parameter-overrides` flag or a `samconfig.toml` file. For example, you can define a `DatabaseUrl` parameter with `NoEcho: true` for secrets, and then supply `DatabaseUrl=https://prod-db.example.com` for production and `DatabaseUrl=https://dev-db.example.com` for development. A subtle behavior is that parameter values are stored in the CloudFormation stack's metadata and can be retrieved via the AWS CLI, so sensitive values should use `NoEcho` and AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store or Secrets Manager for secure storage.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Deployment — This question tests Deployment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Parameters and environment-specific parameter overrides — AWS SAM supports Parameters and environment-specific parameter overrides, allowing you to define a single template and supply different configuration values (e.g., database URLs, API keys) for dev, test, and prod environments at deployment time. This is achieved by passing a JSON or YAML file with the `--parameter-overrides` flag in the `sam deploy` command, or by using the `parameters` section in a `samconfig.toml` file. This approach avoids duplicating templates and keeps infrastructure-as-code DRY and maintainable.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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