This PCD practice question tests your understanding of deploying applications. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
A team wants to deploy infrastructure as code on Google Cloud. They need a declarative language that supports modularity and state management. Which tool should they choose?
Cloud Deployment Manager.
Why wrong: Deployment Manager is declarative but state management is limited.
Cloud Shell.
Why wrong: Cloud Shell is a terminal, not an IaC tool.
Terraform.
Terraform is the most popular IaC tool with state and modules.
gcloud commands.
Why wrong: gcloud is imperative, not declarative.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Terraform.
Option C is correct because Terraform supports modules, state management, and declarative configuration. Option A is wrong because Deployment Manager is also declarative but less modular. Option B is wrong because Cloud Shell is not a deployment tool. Option D is wrong because gcloud commands are imperative.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Cloud Deployment Manager.
Why it's wrong here
Deployment Manager is declarative but state management is limited.
Cloud Shell.
Why it's wrong here
Cloud Shell is a terminal, not an IaC tool.
Terraform.
Why this is correct
Terraform is the most popular IaC tool with state and modules.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
gcloud commands.
Why it's wrong here
gcloud is imperative, not declarative.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Identify which PCD exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Deploying applications — This question tests Deploying applications — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Terraform. — Option C is correct because Terraform supports modules, state management, and declarative configuration. Option A is wrong because Deployment Manager is also declarative but less modular. Option B is wrong because Cloud Shell is not a deployment tool. Option D is wrong because gcloud commands are imperative.
Identify which PCD exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This PCD 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 PCD exam.
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