- A
Configure environment variables in CodePipeline to set dependency paths.
Why wrong: CodePipeline does not inject environment variables into CodeBuild.
- B
Manually install dependencies on the CodeBuild build server each time.
Why wrong: Not automated and error-prone.
- C
Use AWS CodeCommit as the source repository instead of S3.
Why wrong: Does not resolve dependency issue.
- D
Create a custom buildspec.yml file in the source code that installs the dependencies in the install phase.
Automates dependency installation.
Question 172 of 1,616
How to Fix Missing Dependencies in AWS CodeBuild Build Stage
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of development with aws services. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 company is using AWS CodePipeline to automate deployments. The pipeline has a source stage that retrieves code from Amazon S3, a build stage using AWS CodeBuild, and a deploy stage using AWS CodeDeploy. The build stage is failing intermittently with errors related to missing dependencies. What should a developer do to ensure the build environment has all required dependencies?
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
✓
Create a custom buildspec.yml file in the source code that installs the dependencies in the install phase.
Option D is correct because the buildspec.yml file defines the build phases for AWS CodeBuild, including the install phase where you can specify commands to install dependencies (e.g., using package managers like pip, npm, or apt-get). By placing this file in the source code, the build environment automatically executes these commands on every build, ensuring all required dependencies are present and consistent across runs, which resolves intermittent failures caused by missing dependencies.
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.
- ✗
Configure environment variables in CodePipeline to set dependency paths.
Why it's wrong here
CodePipeline does not inject environment variables into CodeBuild.
- ✗
Manually install dependencies on the CodeBuild build server each time.
Why it's wrong here
Not automated and error-prone.
- ✗
Use AWS CodeCommit as the source repository instead of S3.
Why it's wrong here
Does not resolve dependency issue.
- ✓
Create a custom buildspec.yml file in the source code that installs the dependencies in the install phase.
Why this is correct
Automates dependency installation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think environment variables (Option A) can solve dependency issues, but they confuse configuration with actual installation, or they assume changing the source repository (Option C) will somehow fix build failures, when the real solution lies in defining the build process within the source code itself.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, AWS CodeBuild reads the buildspec.yml file from the root of the source directory and executes the commands in the install phase before the pre_build and build phases. This file can include shell commands, package manager calls (e.g., 'npm install', 'pip install -r requirements.txt'), or even custom scripts to fetch artifacts from private repositories. A subtle behavior is that if the buildspec.yml is missing or not in the root, CodeBuild falls back to default settings, which may not install dependencies, leading to intermittent failures when the base image lacks certain packages.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Visual reference
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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Development with AWS Services — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DVA-C02 question test?
Development with AWS Services — This question tests Development with AWS Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a custom buildspec.yml file in the source code that installs the dependencies in the install phase. — Option D is correct because the buildspec.yml file defines the build phases for AWS CodeBuild, including the install phase where you can specify commands to install dependencies (e.g., using package managers like pip, npm, or apt-get). By placing this file in the source code, the build environment automatically executes these commands on every build, ensuring all required dependencies are present and consistent across runs, which resolves intermittent failures caused by missing dependencies.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This DVA-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DVA-C02 exam.
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