- A
Use a single CloudFormation stack with a change set approval step
Why wrong: Does not handle SAM packaging and multiple environments.
- B
Use a CodeBuild build stage to run 'sam package' and 'sam deploy' commands, then separate deploy stages for each environment with manual approval actions
This covers packaging and sequential deployments with approvals.
- C
Configure CodePipeline with a deploy action provider set to AWS CloudFormation
Why wrong: CodePipeline cannot deploy SAM without a prior build step.
- D
Use CodeDeploy to deploy the SAM template directly to Lambda
Why wrong: CodeDeploy does not deploy SAM templates directly.
Question 990 of 1,750
DOP-C02 SDLC Automation 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. 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 company is implementing a CI/CD pipeline using AWS CodePipeline to deploy a serverless application using the AWS Serverless Application Model (SAM). The pipeline must build and package the application, then deploy it to multiple environments (dev, test, prod) sequentially with manual approval gates before production. Which stage configuration should be used?
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
✓
Use a CodeBuild build stage to run 'sam package' and 'sam deploy' commands, then separate deploy stages for each environment with manual approval actions
Option B is correct because it uses a CodeBuild build stage to run 'sam package' and 'sam deploy' commands, which is the recommended approach for SAM-based deployments. The pipeline then separates deploy stages for each environment (dev, test, prod) with manual approval actions before production, satisfying the sequential deployment and manual gate requirements.
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.
- ✗
Use a single CloudFormation stack with a change set approval step
Why it's wrong here
Does not handle SAM packaging and multiple environments.
- ✓
Use a CodeBuild build stage to run 'sam package' and 'sam deploy' commands, then separate deploy stages for each environment with manual approval actions
Why this is correct
This covers packaging and sequential deployments with approvals.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure CodePipeline with a deploy action provider set to AWS CloudFormation
Why it's wrong here
CodePipeline cannot deploy SAM without a prior build step.
- ✗
Use CodeDeploy to deploy the SAM template directly to Lambda
Why it's wrong here
CodeDeploy does not deploy SAM templates directly.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume the AWS CloudFormation deploy action provider can handle SAM templates directly, but it cannot because SAM templates require the 'sam package' command to transform and upload artifacts before deployment.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SAM templates require transformation via 'sam build' and 'sam package' to generate a packaged CloudFormation template and upload artifacts to S3. The 'sam deploy' command then creates or updates a CloudFormation stack, and CodePipeline's manual approval action uses SNS notifications to pause the pipeline until approval is granted. In real-world scenarios, using separate deploy stages with CodeBuild actions allows fine-grained control over environment-specific parameters and rollback strategies.
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.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
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 — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
SDLC Automation practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All DOP-C02 questions
1,750 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
DOP-C02 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related DOP-C02 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Configuration Management and IaC practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to Configuration Management and IaC.
Resilient Cloud Solutions practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to Resilient Cloud Solutions.
Monitoring and Logging practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to Monitoring and Logging.
Incident and Event Response practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to Incident and Event Response.
Security and Compliance practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to Security and Compliance.
SDLC Automation practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to SDLC Automation.
DOP-C02 fundamentals practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to DOP-C02 fundamentals.
DOP-C02 scenario practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to DOP-C02 scenario.
DOP-C02 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise DOP-C02 questions linked to DOP-C02 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free DOP-C02 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DOP-C02 question test?
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: Use a CodeBuild build stage to run 'sam package' and 'sam deploy' commands, then separate deploy stages for each environment with manual approval actions — Option B is correct because it uses a CodeBuild build stage to run 'sam package' and 'sam deploy' commands, which is the recommended approach for SAM-based deployments. The pipeline then separates deploy stages for each environment (dev, test, prod) with manual approval actions before production, satisfying the sequential deployment and manual gate requirements.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More DOP-C02 practice questions
- A company uses AWS CodePipeline with a multi-branch strategy. A new feature branch triggers a pipeline that runs unit te…
- A development team uses AWS CodeBuild to compile a Java application and run unit tests. The build takes 30 minutes, but…
- A company uses AWS CodePipeline with multiple stages: Source (Amazon S3), Build (AWS CodeBuild), and Deploy (AWS CodeDep…
- A company uses AWS CodeCommit for source control. Developers frequently push large binary files (e.g., compiled JARs) to…
- A company runs a Stateful application on EC2 that requires sticky sessions. They use an ALB with duration-based stickine…
- An organization uses AWS CodePipeline to orchestrate deployments to multiple environments (dev, test, prod). Each enviro…
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This DOP-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 DOP-C02 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.