The answer is that the CDK stack has not been bootstrapped in the target AWS account. When you troubleshoot CDK deployment in CodeBuild, the most common oversight is that the CDK toolkit requires a one-time bootstrap process to provision the staging resources—like an S3 bucket and IAM roles—needed for deployment. Even if the build phase runs `cdk synth` and `cdk deploy` successfully, the deploy command will silently fail or produce no stack changes if the target account and region lack the bootstrap stack. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this tests your understanding of the CDK deployment lifecycle and how CodeBuild artifacts interact with the build environment; a common trap is assuming a successful build equals a successful deploy. Remember the mnemonic: “Synth succeeds, deploy fails? Check your bootstrap pails.”
DOP-C02 SDLC Automation Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of sdlc automation. 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.
Network Topology
Refer to the exhibit. A developer runs this buildspec in CodeBuild to deploy a CDK application. The build succeeds, but the CDK stack is not deployed. What is the MOST likely reason?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The CDK application has not been bootstrapped in the target account.
Option A is correct because CDK synth outputs to 'cdk.out' by default, but the artifacts specify 'cdk.out' as base-directory, so the deploy command runs in the build environment, not from the artifacts. However, the issue is that 'cdk deploy' runs in the build phase but the artifacts are collected after; but actually the deploy should happen in post_build. The more likely reason is that the CDK stack requires bootstrapping. Option B is incorrect because the runtime is sufficient. Option C is incorrect because the commands are valid. Option D is incorrect because the permissions might be missing, but the error would be different.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
The 'npx cdk deploy' command should be in the build phase, not post_build.
Why it's wrong here
It can be in post_build; that is not the issue.
✓
The CDK application has not been bootstrapped in the target account.
Why this is correct
CDK requires bootstrapping to deploy stacks; otherwise, the deploy command fails silently or with an error.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
The Node.js runtime version 14 is incompatible with the CDK version.
Why it's wrong here
CDK supports Node.js 14.
✗
The IAM role for CodeBuild does not have permission to create CloudFormation stacks.
Why it's wrong here
If permissions were missing, the build would likely fail with an error.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DOP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
SDLC Automation — This question tests SDLC Automation — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The CDK application has not been bootstrapped in the target account. — Option A is correct because CDK synth outputs to 'cdk.out' by default, but the artifacts specify 'cdk.out' as base-directory, so the deploy command runs in the build environment, not from the artifacts. However, the issue is that 'cdk deploy' runs in the build phase but the artifacts are collected after; but actually the deploy should happen in post_build. The more likely reason is that the CDK stack requires bootstrapping. Option B is incorrect because the runtime is sufficient. Option C is incorrect because the commands are valid. Option D is incorrect because the permissions might be missing, but the error would be different.
What should I do if I get this DOP-C02 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DOP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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