200-901 Infrastructure and Automation Practice Question
A developer is using Git to manage automation code. What is the primary advantage of using 'rebase' instead of 'merge' to integrate changes from a feature branch into the main branch?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that rebase is faster or automatically resolves conflicts, when in fact its true advantage is creating a linear history, which is critical for audit trails and debugging in automation workflows.
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
✓
Rebase results in a linear project history
`git rebase` rewrites the commit history of the feature branch to appear as if it was branched from the latest commit on the main branch, resulting in a linear, clean project history. This avoids the merge commits that `git merge` creates, making the commit log easier to follow and debug. The primary advantage is not speed or conflict resolution, but a streamlined, non-branching history.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Rebase automatically resolves all conflicts
Why it's wrong here
Rebase requires manual conflict resolution, same as merge.
- ✗
Rebase is faster than merge
Why it's wrong here
Speed is not a primary advantage; both are generally fast.
- ✗
Rebase preserves the exact commit timestamps
Why it's wrong here
Rebase changes commit hashes and can alter timestamps.
- ✓
Rebase results in a linear project history
Why this is correct
Rebase replays commits on top of the base branch, resulting in a linear history.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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