Google PCA Practice Question: Managing and Provisioning a Solution Infrastructure
A company wants to use Cloud Deploy to automate deployments to GKE. They need to configure an approval gate that requires manual approval before promoting a release to a production cluster. Where is this approval gate defined?
⚠ Common exam trap
PCA often tests the misconception that approval gates are configured in Cloud Build or GKE, when they are actually part of the Cloud Deploy delivery pipeline's target definition.
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
✓
In the delivery pipeline YAML under the 'target' definition
In Google Cloud Deploy, approval gates are defined within the delivery pipeline configuration, specifically under the target definition. The target represents a deployment environment (e.g., production cluster) and can include a 'requireApproval' field to enforce manual approval before any release is promoted to that target. This ensures that promotions to sensitive environments are gated by human intervention.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
In the delivery pipeline YAML under the 'target' definition
Why this is correct
Cloud Deploy approval gates are declared within the delivery pipeline YAML, attached to the relevant target definition, so promotion to the production cluster pauses for manual approval. Defining it elsewhere, such as the Skaffold manifest or release notes, would not enforce the gate.
- ✗
In the Cloud Scheduler job
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Scheduler triggers jobs on a timetable; it holds no release-promotion logic, so it cannot gate a Cloud Deploy rollout. Approval gates belong in the Cloud Deploy delivery pipeline definition, where a specified stage pauses for manual approval before the production target. Cloud Scheduler would be the right tool for cron-style triggering, not promotion control.
- ✗
In the GKE cluster as a constraint
Why it's wrong here
Approval gates belong in the Cloud Deploy delivery pipeline or target definition, not as a GKE cluster constraint. Cluster constraints govern admission control of workloads, so this placement cannot pause a release promotion. It tempts because GKE constraints do enforce policy at deploy time, but for admission rules rather than pipeline approvals.
- ✗
In the cloudbuild.yaml file
Why it's wrong here
cloudbuild.yaml defines build steps, not delivery pipeline progression; approval gates belong in the Cloud Deploy delivery pipeline or target definition. It tempts because Cloud Build triggers can pause for approval, which is correct when gating image builds rather than release promotion.
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Deployment Manager and Infrastructure as Code
Key term
CAN
A CAN (Controller Area Network) is a robust vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other without a host computer.
Key term
GKE
GKE is Google's managed Kubernetes service that automates deploying, scaling, and managing containerized applications in the cloud.
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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 PCA 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 PCA exam.