DOP-C02 SDLC Automation Practice Question
Which TWO options are valid ways to trigger an AWS CodePipeline execution automatically?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse a git push (which requires a configured webhook) with a direct trigger, or assume that a manual approval step or CodeBuild can initiate the pipeline, when in fact they are actions within the pipeline or require an external event source.
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
✓
Create an Amazon CloudWatch Events rule that starts the pipeline on a schedule.
Amazon CloudWatch Events (now Amazon EventBridge) can be configured with a cron or rate expression to trigger an AWS CodePipeline execution on a schedule. This is a native integration that directly starts the pipeline without requiring additional compute resources or custom code.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Create an Amazon CloudWatch Events rule that starts the pipeline on a schedule.
Why this is correct
AWS EventBridge (CloudWatch Events) can be configured with a cron or rate expression to invoke the StartPipelineExecution API action on CodePipeline as a rule target. This provides a fully managed, scheduled trigger for pipelines, commonly used for nightly builds, recurring data syncs, or regular compliance scans. It is a legitimate automated trigger that does not require any external activity, making it ideal for time-based initiation.
- ✓
Configure an Amazon S3 event notification to invoke the pipeline.
Why this is correct
S3 event notifications capture object-level operations such as PUT and POST in a source bucket and can be delivered to Amazon EventBridge, where a rule forwards them to CodePipeline as a target, invoking StartPipelineExecution. This event-driven pattern eliminates the need to continuously poll the bucket for new artifacts and is a standard integration for triggering pipelines from uploads. Note that without EventBridge (or a Lambda intermediary), S3 cannot directly start a pipeline, but the S3 event is the initiating mechanism.
- ✗
Use a git push to the repository via SSH.
Why it's wrong here
SSH is merely a network protocol for authenticating and transferring Git commits; it does not carry any event payload to AWS and cannot invoke CodePipeline's API. While CodeCommit, GitHub, and other repositories can trigger pipelines via native webhooks, EventBridge rules, or polling, these depend on the repository detecting a commit and not on the transport method used to push. Using git push via SSH only updates the remote repository, and the pipeline would need a separate configured trigger mechanism to detect that new commit.
- ✗
Set up a manual approval step in the pipeline.
Why it's wrong here
A manual approval step is a workflow control stage that pauses an already-running pipeline for human authorization, typically to enforce change-management gates before production deployment. It requires a pipeline to have been started beforehand and cannot initiate a new execution; rather, it halts progress until someone clicks “Approve” or calls the ApproveStageExecution API. Therefore, it is an internal action within the orchestration process, not an external trigger.
- ✗
Enable AWS CodeBuild to start the pipeline after a build.
Why it's wrong here
CodeBuild projects execute *within* a CodePipeline stage, processing artefacts passed to them. They are components *of* the pipeline's workflow, not mechanisms to initiate the pipeline's execution itself. The pipeline orchestrates CodeBuild, typically starting due to source changes or scheduled events. This option is tempting because CodeBuild is central to CI/CD processes, and its completion allows the pipeline to progress to subsequent stages, but it does not *trigger* the initial pipeline run.
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1 more way this is tested on DOP-C02
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Variation 1. Which TWO options are valid ways to trigger an AWS CodePipeline execution automatically? (Choose two.)
medium- A.A scheduled CloudWatch Logs metric filter.
- B.Completion of a CodeDeploy deployment.
- ✓ C.Changes to a CodeCommit repository.
- D.Manual approval action in the pipeline.
- ✓ E.Upload of a new object to an S3 bucket.
Why C: AWS CodePipeline can automatically start a pipeline execution when a change is detected in a CodeCommit repository. This is achieved through CloudWatch Events that monitor the repository for specific events like push to a branch, and then trigger the pipeline. This integration allows for continuous delivery by automatically building and deploying code changes.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.