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 is using AWS Elastic Beanstalk to deploy a web application. The developer wants to run database migration scripts as part of the deployment process before the new application version starts serving traffic. Which Elastic Beanstalk configuration file should the developer use to define the migration commands?
.ebextensions/<filename>.config with container_commands
container_commands are executed after the application and web server are ready but before the new version starts serving traffic. This makes them suitable for database migrations.
B
.ebextensions/<filename>.config with commands
Why wrong: commands run before the application and web server are set up, which is too early for database migrations that depend on the application context.
C
Procfile
Why wrong: A Procfile is used with Elastic Beanstalk Docker platforms to define processes to run, not for defining deployment-time commands.
D
buildspec.yml
Why wrong: buildspec.yml is used by AWS CodeBuild to define build commands, not by Elastic Beanstalk for deployment lifecycle commands.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
.ebextensions/<filename>.config with container_commands
Option A is correct because `container_commands` in `.ebextensions/<filename>.config` runs commands after the application and web server have been set up but before the new application version starts serving traffic. This makes it the ideal place to execute database migration scripts that must complete before the environment accepts requests, ensuring data consistency.
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.
✓
.ebextensions/<filename>.config with container_commands
Why this is correct
container_commands are executed after the application and web server are ready but before the new version starts serving traffic. This makes them suitable for database migrations.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
.ebextensions/<filename>.config with commands
Why it's wrong here
commands run before the application and web server are set up, which is too early for database migrations that depend on the application context.
✗
Procfile
Why it's wrong here
A Procfile is used with Elastic Beanstalk Docker platforms to define processes to run, not for defining deployment-time commands.
✗
buildspec.yml
Why it's wrong here
buildspec.yml is used by AWS CodeBuild to define build commands, not by Elastic Beanstalk for deployment lifecycle commands.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing `commands` with `container_commands`; candidates often pick `commands` because they sound similar, but they run at different lifecycle stages, and only `container_commands` guarantees execution after the application stack is ready but before traffic is routed.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
commands run before the application and web server are set up, which is too early for database migrations that depend on the application context.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, `container_commands` execute in the staging directory where the new application version is unpacked, and they run with the same environment variables and security credentials as the application. A subtle behavior is that if a `container_command` fails (returns a non-zero exit code), the entire deployment is rolled back, which is critical for ensuring migrations are atomic. In a real-world scenario, a developer might use `leader_only: true` within a `container_command` to run a migration only on a single instance in a multi-instance environment, preventing race conditions.
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: .ebextensions/<filename>.config with container_commands — Option A is correct because `container_commands` in `.ebextensions/<filename>.config` runs commands after the application and web server have been set up but before the new application version starts serving traffic. This makes it the ideal place to execute database migration scripts that must complete before the environment accepts requests, ensuring data consistency.
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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