- A
A Docker image pushed to Amazon ECR.
Correct. CodeBuild outputs an artifact (e.g., imagedefinitions.json) that references the image in ECR, which the ECS deploy action uses.
- B
A zip file containing the application source code.
Why wrong: Incorrect. A zip file of source code would not contain the imagedefinitions.json needed for ECS deployment.
- C
A tarball stored in Amazon S3.
Why wrong: Incorrect. A tarball stored in S3 without the imagedefinitions.json file cannot be used by the ECS deploy action.
- D
A JSON file with the image details.
Why wrong: Incorrect. While a JSON file with image details is close, the artifact must be specifically named imagedefinitions.json with the correct format to be recognized by CodePipeline.
Question 910 of 1,750
DOP-C02 imagedefinitions.json Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of sdlc automation. 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. A key principle to apply: imagedefinitions.json. 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 DevOps engineer is setting up a CI/CD pipeline for a Node.js application. The application must be built, tested, and deployed to an Amazon ECS cluster. The team wants to use AWS CodeBuild to run unit tests and package the application as a Docker image, and AWS CodePipeline to orchestrate the workflow. Which artifact type should CodeBuild output to be used by a subsequent CodePipeline action?
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
✓
A Docker image pushed to Amazon ECR.
Option A is correct because in a CodePipeline workflow that deploys a Dockerized application to Amazon ECS, the CodeBuild action should push the Docker image to Amazon ECR. The subsequent ECS deploy action in CodePipeline directly uses the image URI from ECR to update the ECS task definition and deploy the container. While CodeBuild can also output a configuration file, the primary artifact that enables the deployment is the Docker image stored in ECR, which is referenced by the deploy action.
Key principle: imagedefinitions.json
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
A Docker image pushed to Amazon ECR.
- ✗
A zip file containing the application source code.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. A zip file of source code would not contain the imagedefinitions.json needed for ECS deployment.
- ✗
A tarball stored in Amazon S3.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. A tarball stored in S3 without the imagedefinitions.json file cannot be used by the ECS deploy action.
- ✗
A JSON file with the image details.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. While a JSON file with image details is close, the artifact must be specifically named imagedefinitions.json with the correct format to be recognized by CodePipeline.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap is that candidates may think CodeBuild passes the Docker image itself as an artifact, but in reality, the artifact is a configuration file (imagedefinitions.json) that tells the ECS deploy action which image to use.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, CodePipeline's ECS deploy action reads the imagedefinitions.json file from the input artifact to determine which Docker image to deploy. This file must contain an array of objects with 'name' (matching the container name in the task definition) and 'imageUri' (the full ECR image URI with tag). CodeBuild can generate this file automatically using the buildspec's 'artifacts' section with 'files: imagedefinitions.json' and a post_build command like 'printf '[{"name":"my-container","imageUri":"%s"}]' $REPOSITORY_URI:$TAG > imagedefinitions.json'. A common real-world pitfall is forgetting to include the image tag, causing the deploy action to pull the wrong version.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- imagedefinitions.json
- CodeBuild artifact
- ECS deploy action
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
imagedefinitions.json
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.
Review imagedefinitions.json, then practise related DOP-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DOP-C02 question test?
SDLC Automation — This question tests SDLC Automation — imagedefinitions.json.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A Docker image pushed to Amazon ECR. — Option A is correct because in a CodePipeline workflow that deploys a Dockerized application to Amazon ECS, the CodeBuild action should push the Docker image to Amazon ECR. The subsequent ECS deploy action in CodePipeline directly uses the image URI from ECR to update the ECS task definition and deploy the container. While CodeBuild can also output a configuration file, the primary artifact that enables the deployment is the Docker image stored in ECR, which is referenced by the deploy action.
What should I do if I get this DOP-C02 question wrong?
Review imagedefinitions.json, then practise related DOP-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
imagedefinitions.json
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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