The correct answer is to configure CodeBuild to cache dependencies in an Amazon S3 bucket. This directly reduces build time because CodeBuild can retrieve previously downloaded Maven or Gradle dependencies from the S3 cache instead of re-downloading them from remote repositories on every build, which is especially effective when the codebase and dependencies are stable. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of CodeBuild’s local and S3 caching mechanisms, and a common trap is to suggest increasing compute resources or parallelizing tests—while those can help, they don’t address the bottleneck of repeated dependency downloads. The key insight is that dependency caching eliminates redundant network I/O, making it the most impactful single change for stable codebases. Memory tip: think “S3 Cache = Skip the Download” to remember that caching dependencies avoids the slowest part of the build pipeline.
DOP-C02 SDLC Automation Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of sdlc automation. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 development team uses AWS CodeBuild to compile a Java application and run unit tests. The build takes 30 minutes, but the team wants to reduce build time. The codebase has not changed significantly, and dependencies are stable. Which action would be MOST effective in reducing build time?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure CodeBuild to cache dependencies in an Amazon S3 bucket.
Caching dependencies in an Amazon S3 bucket allows CodeBuild to reuse previously downloaded Maven/Gradle dependencies across builds, eliminating the need to re-download them each time. Since the codebase and dependencies are stable, this directly reduces the build time by avoiding repeated network transfers of large artifact repositories.
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 CodeBuild to cache dependencies in an Amazon S3 bucket.
Why this is correct
Caching avoids re-fetching dependencies every build.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Move the build process to a local developer machine to avoid CodeBuild overhead.
Why it's wrong here
Local builds are not a scalable or consistent solution.
✗
Reduce the number of unit tests executed in the build phase.
Why it's wrong here
This compromises quality and may not be acceptable.
✗
Increase the compute type of the build environment to a larger instance.
Why it's wrong here
While faster compute helps, it does not address the dependency download overhead.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume a larger compute instance always speeds up builds, overlooking that network-bound operations like dependency downloads are not significantly improved by CPU or memory upgrades.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CodeBuild supports a `cache` configuration that can store the dependency directory (e.g., `~/.m2` for Maven or `~/.gradle/caches` for Gradle) in an S3 bucket. On subsequent builds, CodeBuild restores the cache before the build phase, so only new or changed dependencies are downloaded. This is especially effective when using a `LOCAL` cache type with S3 backend, as it avoids re-fetching the entire repository. In practice, teams often see build time reductions of 50-70% for dependency-heavy projects.
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.
SDLC Automation — This question tests SDLC Automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure CodeBuild to cache dependencies in an Amazon S3 bucket. — Caching dependencies in an Amazon S3 bucket allows CodeBuild to reuse previously downloaded Maven/Gradle dependencies across builds, eliminating the need to re-download them each time. Since the codebase and dependencies are stable, this directly reduces the build time by avoiding repeated network transfers of large artifact repositories.
What should I do if I get this DOP-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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