Google ACE Deploying and Implementing a Cloud Solution Practice Question
A developer wants to deploy a containerized application on Cloud Run from a source code repository, without building a container image manually. The application is written in Node.js and includes a Dockerfile. Which command should the developer use to deploy directly from source?
⚠ Common exam trap
ACE often tests the distinction between deployment targets — candidates confuse `gcloud run deploy`, `gcloud app deploy`, and `gcloud functions deploy`, assuming any `--source` flag works across services, when each command is tied to a specific Google Cloud compute platform.
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
✓
gcloud run deploy my-service --source . --region=us-central1 --platform managed
The `gcloud run deploy` command with the `--source .` flag instructs Cloud Run to build the container image automatically using Cloud Build (via Buildpacks or the provided Dockerfile) and then deploy it. This is the only option that deploys directly from source to Cloud Run without requiring a pre-built image. The `--platform managed` flag confirms a fully managed Cloud Run service.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
gcloud run deploy --image=gcr.io/my-project/my-image --region=us-central1
Why it's wrong here
Specifying --image requires an already-built container image in a registry, which the developer explicitly wants to avoid building manually. It is tempting because it is the standard Cloud Run deployment form, and it would be correct when a pre-built image already exists in Artifact Registry or Container Registry.
- ✗
gcloud app deploy --source .
Why it's wrong here
gcloud app deploy targets App Engine, which builds and runs applications on its own managed runtime rather than deploying a container to Cloud Run. It is tempting because it also deploys from source without a manual image build, but that is App Engine's model, not Cloud Run's.
- ✓
gcloud run deploy my-service --source . --region=us-central1 --platform managed
Why this is correct
The --source flag makes Cloud Run build the image from the local directory using Buildpacks or the supplied Dockerfile, removing manual image construction. --platform managed and --region satisfy the fully managed regional deployment the stem requires.
- ✗
gcloud functions deploy my-function --runtime nodejs14 --trigger-http --source .
Why it's wrong here
gcloud functions deploy creates a Cloud Functions service with an event or HTTP trigger, not a Cloud Run container service. It is tempting because it deploys from source without manual image building, but that is Cloud Functions' serverless model, not Cloud Run's container execution.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Service Account Key Management
Key term
Container
A container is a lightweight, standalone software package that includes everything needed to run an application, such as code, runtime, system tools, and libraries.
Key term
Cloud Run
Cloud Run is a fully managed compute platform from Google Cloud that lets you run containerized applications in a serverless environment, automatically scaling from zero to thousands of requests.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every ACE question from scratch — 775 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Google Cloud exam blueprint
This ACE practice question is part of Courseiva's free Google Cloud 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 ACE exam.