Question 94 of 1,000

Software Development and Design →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

200-901 Software Development and Design Practice Question

This 200-901 practice question tests your understanding of software development and design. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.

Which Git command is used to switch to an existing branch named 'feature-x' and update the working directory?

A
git merge feature-x
Why wrong: Merges the branch into the current branch, does not switch.
B
git branch feature-x
Why wrong: This creates a new branch but does not switch to it.
C
git switch -c feature-x
Why wrong: The -c flag creates a new branch; for existing branch use 'git switch' without -c.
D
git checkout feature-x
Switches to the specified branch and updates the working directory.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

git checkout feature-x

Option D is correct because `git checkout feature-x` is the traditional Git command that switches the HEAD reference to the existing branch 'feature-x' and updates the working directory to match that branch's commit history. This command performs both the branch switch and the working tree update in one operation, which is the core requirement of the question.

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.

✗
git merge feature-x
Why it's wrong here
Merges the branch into the current branch, does not switch.
✗
git branch feature-x
Why it's wrong here
This creates a new branch but does not switch to it.
✗
git switch -c feature-x
Why it's wrong here
The -c flag creates a new branch; for existing branch use 'git switch' without -c.
✓
git checkout feature-x
Why this is correct
Switches to the specified branch and updates the working directory.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

Cisco often tests the distinction between `git checkout` for switching to an existing branch versus `git checkout -b` (or `git switch -c`) for creating and switching to a new branch, and candidates frequently confuse the `-c` flag as a switch-only option rather than a creation flag.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Under the hood, `git checkout` updates the HEAD ref to point to the target branch, then updates the index (staging area) and working tree to reflect the commit at the tip of that branch. In Git 2.23+, the `git switch` command was introduced as a safer alternative for branch switching, but `git checkout` remains widely used and is the correct answer for this legacy command. A real-world scenario is when a developer needs to quickly move between feature branches during code review without accidentally creating new branches.

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 practitioner preparing for the 200-901 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.

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 200-901 question test?

Software Development and Design — This question tests Software Development and Design — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: git checkout feature-x — Option D is correct because `git checkout feature-x` is the traditional Git command that switches the HEAD reference to the existing branch 'feature-x' and updates the working directory to match that branch's commit history. This command performs both the branch switch and the working tree update in one operation, which is the core requirement of the question.

What should I do if I get this 200-901 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: Jul 4, 2026

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