- A
AWS CodePipeline, AWS CodeBuild, and AWS CodeDeploy.
Correct. CodePipeline orchestrates the flow from CodeCommit (source), to CodeBuild (build), to CodeDeploy (deploy), fully automating deployment on each push.
- B
AWS CloudFormation and AWS CodeDeploy.
Why wrong: CloudFormation is for infrastructure as code, not for continuous delivery triggered by repository pushes.
- C
Amazon EventBridge and AWS Systems Manager.
Why wrong: EventBridge could detect CodeCommit events, but Systems Manager is not designed for application deployment; CodeDeploy is the appropriate service.
- D
AWS CloudTrail and AWS Lambda.
Why wrong: CloudTrail logs API calls; Lambda could be used but would require custom code to orchestrate builds and deployments, missing the built-in CI/CD features of CodePipeline.
Quick Answer
The correct combination is AWS CodePipeline, AWS CodeBuild, and AWS CodeDeploy. CodePipeline orchestrates the entire CI/CD pipeline by automatically detecting changes pushed to the main branch of a CodeCommit repository, then triggering CodeBuild to compile and package the application, and finally invoking CodeDeploy to roll out the new version to the fleet of EC2 instances. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how these services integrate to form a fully managed continuous delivery workflow, with a common trap being to select CodeCommit alone or to forget that CodePipeline is the orchestrator needed to link the services together. A useful memory tip is to think of CodePipeline as the “conductor” that directs CodeBuild (the builder) and CodeDeploy (the deployer) in sequence, ensuring every push to the main branch triggers an automated deployment.
SOA-C02 Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of deployment, provisioning, and 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 SysOps administrator needs to automatically deploy a new version of an application to a fleet of Amazon EC2 instances every time changes are pushed to the main branch of a code repository hosted on AWS CodeCommit. Which combination of AWS services 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
AWS CodePipeline, AWS CodeBuild, and AWS CodeDeploy.
AWS CodePipeline orchestrates the continuous delivery workflow by detecting changes in the CodeCommit repository, then automatically triggering AWS CodeBuild to compile and package the application, and finally deploying the new version to EC2 instances using AWS CodeDeploy. This combination provides a fully managed, end-to-end CI/CD pipeline that meets the requirement of deploying on every push to the main branch.
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.
- ✓
AWS CodePipeline, AWS CodeBuild, and AWS CodeDeploy.
Why this is correct
Correct. CodePipeline orchestrates the flow from CodeCommit (source), to CodeBuild (build), to CodeDeploy (deploy), fully automating deployment on each push.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
AWS CloudFormation and AWS CodeDeploy.
Why it's wrong here
CloudFormation is for infrastructure as code, not for continuous delivery triggered by repository pushes.
- ✗
Amazon EventBridge and AWS Systems Manager.
Why it's wrong here
EventBridge could detect CodeCommit events, but Systems Manager is not designed for application deployment; CodeDeploy is the appropriate service.
- ✗
AWS CloudTrail and AWS Lambda.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail logs API calls; Lambda could be used but would require custom code to orchestrate builds and deployments, missing the built-in CI/CD features of CodePipeline.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse AWS CloudFormation (infrastructure provisioning) with CI/CD pipeline services, or assume EventBridge and Lambda can replace the full pipeline, but they lack built-in artifact management, deployment strategies, and rollback capabilities that CodePipeline, CodeBuild, and CodeDeploy provide together.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, CodePipeline uses a webhook or CloudWatch Events to listen for CodeCommit repository changes on the main branch, then passes the commit ID as an artifact to CodeBuild, which runs a buildspec.yml to compile code and produce a deployable artifact (e.g., a ZIP file or Docker image). CodeDeploy then uses an AppSpec file to manage the deployment strategy (e.g., rolling, blue/green) on the EC2 fleet, integrating with Auto Scaling groups for zero-downtime updates. A subtle behavior is that CodePipeline can also handle manual approval gates and parallel actions, making it robust for production workflows.
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.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SOA-C02 question test?
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — This question tests Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS CodePipeline, AWS CodeBuild, and AWS CodeDeploy. — AWS CodePipeline orchestrates the continuous delivery workflow by detecting changes in the CodeCommit repository, then automatically triggering AWS CodeBuild to compile and package the application, and finally deploying the new version to EC2 instances using AWS CodeDeploy. This combination provides a fully managed, end-to-end CI/CD pipeline that meets the requirement of deploying on every push to the main branch.
What should I do if I get this SOA-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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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This SOA-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 SOA-C02 exam.
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