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PK0-005 Practice Question: A project requires a specific software library…
A project requires a specific software library that is only available from a single vendor. The vendor's delivery schedule dictates when the project can begin integration testing. This dependency is best described as:
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is confusing external dependency with mandatory dependency — candidates often think 'mandatory' because the library is required, but the key is that the dependency is on an external vendor's schedule, not on the project's own logic.
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
✓
External dependency
An external dependency is a dependency on a factor outside the project team's control, such as a vendor's delivery schedule. Since the software library is only available from a single vendor and the vendor dictates the integration testing timeline, this is an external dependency. It is not a resource constraint, mandatory dependency, or discretionary dependency.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Resource constraint
Why it's wrong here
A resource constraint concerns finite availability of people, equipment or budget, not a vendor's delivery timetable gating a milestone. It is tempting because single-vendor supply does limit resources, and resource levelling would apply if staffing shortages delayed integration testing. Here the constraint is externally imposed scheduling, which is a dependency rather than a resource limit.
- ✓
External dependency
Why this is correct
The vendor sits outside the project team, so its delivery schedule is an external dependency — a constraint originating beyond organisational control. Internal dependencies involve tasks or resources within the project's own boundaries, whereas this library's single-source availability and fixed timeline impose an outside schedule the project must accommodate.
- ✗
Mandatory dependency
Why it's wrong here
The constraint here is contractual, imposed by the vendor's delivery schedule, which defines an external dependency rather than a mandatory one. Mandatory dependencies are tempting because they also cannot be avoided, but they arise from the nature of the work itself, such as sequential testing after coding.
- ✗
Discretionary dependency
Why it's wrong here
A discretionary dependency is a preference chosen by the project team, not a constraint imposed by an external party. Here the vendor's delivery schedule is contractually or physically fixed, making it mandatory. Discretionary dependencies suit scenarios where sequencing is optional, such as preferring to complete design before coding when either order would work.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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