- A
Hardcode the bucket name in the Lambda function code.
Why wrong: Hardcoding makes the code inflexible and requires code changes to use a different bucket.
- B
Store the bucket name in an environment variable for the Lambda function.
Environment variables are the standard way to pass configuration to Lambda, promoting separation of code and configuration.
- C
Read the bucket name from a text file stored in the same bucket.
Why wrong: This creates a circular dependency: the function needs the bucket name to read the file that contains the bucket name.
- D
Use a KMS key to encrypt the bucket name and decrypt it in the function.
Why wrong: This adds unnecessary complexity and cost for a simple value that can be stored in an environment variable.
DVA-C02 Development with AWS Services Practice Question
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of development with aws services. 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 is building a serverless application using AWS Lambda. The function needs to access an S3 bucket to read a configuration file. What is the best way to provide the Lambda function with the bucket name?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Store the bucket name in an environment variable for the Lambda function.
Option B is correct because AWS Lambda environment variables provide a secure, configurable, and decoupled way to pass the S3 bucket name to the function without hardcoding it in the code. This follows the principle of infrastructure as code and allows the same function code to be reused across different environments (e.g., dev, staging, prod) by simply changing the environment variable value. Environment variables are encrypted at rest by default using AWS KMS, ensuring the bucket name is not exposed in plaintext within the code repository.
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.
- ✗
Hardcode the bucket name in the Lambda function code.
Why it's wrong here
Hardcoding makes the code inflexible and requires code changes to use a different bucket.
- ✓
Store the bucket name in an environment variable for the Lambda function.
Why this is correct
Environment variables are the standard way to pass configuration to Lambda, promoting separation of code and configuration.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Read the bucket name from a text file stored in the same bucket.
Why it's wrong here
This creates a circular dependency: the function needs the bucket name to read the file that contains the bucket name.
- ✗
Use a KMS key to encrypt the bucket name and decrypt it in the function.
Why it's wrong here
This adds unnecessary complexity and cost for a simple value that can be stored in an environment variable.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may overcomplicate the solution by choosing KMS encryption (Option D) or the circular dependency of reading from the same bucket (Option C), when the simplest and most secure approach—environment variables—is the correct answer for decoupling configuration from code.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Lambda environment variables are stored as key-value pairs in the function's configuration and are injected into the runtime process at invocation time. They are encrypted at rest using a default AWS managed KMS key (aws/lambda) or a customer managed KMS key, and decrypted transparently when the function is invoked. In a real-world scenario, using environment variables allows you to leverage AWS AppConfig or Parameter Store for dynamic configuration updates without redeploying the function, but for a static bucket name, environment variables are the simplest and most efficient solution.
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.
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.
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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: Store the bucket name in an environment variable for the Lambda function. — Option B is correct because AWS Lambda environment variables provide a secure, configurable, and decoupled way to pass the S3 bucket name to the function without hardcoding it in the code. This follows the principle of infrastructure as code and allows the same function code to be reused across different environments (e.g., dev, staging, prod) by simply changing the environment variable value. Environment variables are encrypted at rest by default using AWS KMS, ensuring the bucket name is not exposed in plaintext within the code repository.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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