Google ACE Setting Up a Cloud Solution Environment Practice Question
An engineer wants to authenticate to Google Cloud using their own user credentials and also set up application default credentials for a local development environment. Which sequence of gcloud auth commands should they use?
⚠ Common exam trap
ACE often tests the distinction between user authentication (gcloud auth login) and application default credentials (gcloud auth application-default login) — candidates assume they are the same or that order doesn't matter, but the question specifically tests the correct sequence and purpose.
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 auth login then gcloud auth application-default login
The correct sequence is `gcloud auth login` first to authenticate the user's own credentials for gcloud CLI operations, then `gcloud auth application-default login` to set up Application Default Credentials (ADC) that client libraries and local apps use. This order ensures the user identity is established before ADC is configured.
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 auth login then gcloud auth application-default login
Why this is correct
This is the correct setup sequence for local development. First, `gcloud auth login` authenticates your user account and stores credentials for gcloud CLI commands in the user's config directory. Then, `gcloud auth application-default login` creates the `application_default_credentials.json` file, which allows Google Cloud client libraries to discover credentials via Application Default Credentials. Having both ensures gcloud and code-based SDKs use the same identity.
- ✗
gcloud auth application-default login then gcloud auth login
Why it's wrong here
This reverses the recommended order. Running `gcloud auth application-default login` before `gcloud auth login` creates ADC from whatever account you happen to authorize, and if the subsequent `gcloud auth login` selects a different account, your client libraries and gcloud CLI end up using mismatched identities. The proper flow is to authenticate the gcloud CLI first, then generate ADC for client libraries, so both share the same credentials.
- ✗
gcloud init then gcloud auth login
Why it's wrong here
`gcloud init` does interactively authenticate a user and create a named configuration with project/zone settings, but its authentication step only creates credentials for the gcloud CLI, not Application Default Credentials. Calling `gcloud auth login` immediately afterward is redundant; to set up ADC you must explicitly run `gcloud auth application-default login`. Therefore, this option only yields gcloud CLI credentials, leaving client libraries unable to find ADC.
- ✗
gcloud auth configure-docker then gcloud auth login
Why it's wrong here
`gcloud auth configure-docker` registers a Docker credential helper for Google Container Registry and Artifact Registry; it has nothing to do with general Application Default Credentials. Then `gcloud auth login` only authenticates the gcloud CLI. This combination omits the explicit `gcloud auth application-default login` step, so Google Cloud client libraries outside Docker will not be able to authenticate.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
GKE Workload Identity
Key term
Application Default Credentials
Application Default Credentials (ADC) is a built-in Google Cloud mechanism that automatically finds and provides the right credentials for your application to authenticate to Google Cloud services without hardcoding secrets.
Key term
Google Cloud
Google Cloud is a suite of cloud computing services offered by Google that provides infrastructure, platform, and software solutions over the internet.
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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.