PCD Building and testing applications Practice Question
This PCD practice question tests your understanding of building and testing applications. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
Network Topology
Refer to the exhibit. You have the above cloudbuild.yaml file. The build succeeds but the call to the function fails with a permission error. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The function call is occurring before the deployment is fully complete, and the function is not yet ready to serve requests
The most likely cause is that the Cloud Build step deploys the function, but the subsequent test call occurs before the function's HTTP endpoint is fully provisioned and serving requests. Cloud Functions deployment is asynchronous; after the `gcloud functions deploy` command returns, the function may still be in a 'DEPLOYING' or 'ACTIVE' state but not yet ready to handle traffic. A permission error in this context typically arises because the function's IAM policy (e.g., `--allow-unauthenticated`) is applied only after the deployment completes, and the function's runtime endpoint may return a 403 until fully ready.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
The '--allow-unauthenticated' flag is not allowed in Cloud Build
Why it's wrong here
It is allowed.
✓
The function call is occurring before the deployment is fully complete, and the function is not yet ready to serve requests
Why this is correct
The function may still be provisioning; add a sleep or check status.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that a successful `gcloud functions deploy` output means the function is immediately ready to serve requests, when in reality the deployment is asynchronous and the function may not be fully operational for several seconds.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cloud Functions deployment involves multiple asynchronous steps: uploading source code, building the container, provisioning the runtime, and applying IAM policies. The `gcloud functions deploy` command returns as soon as the build is submitted, not when the function is serving. The function's HTTP endpoint may return a 403 (permission denied) if the IAM binding for `allUsers` has not yet been applied, or a 404/502 if the function is still in a 'DEPLOYING' state. A robust CI/CD pipeline should include a polling loop (e.g., using `gcloud functions describe` and checking the `status` field) before invoking the function.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Building and testing applications — This question tests Building and testing applications — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The function call is occurring before the deployment is fully complete, and the function is not yet ready to serve requests — The most likely cause is that the Cloud Build step deploys the function, but the subsequent test call occurs before the function's HTTP endpoint is fully provisioned and serving requests. Cloud Functions deployment is asynchronous; after the `gcloud functions deploy` command returns, the function may still be in a 'DEPLOYING' or 'ACTIVE' state but not yet ready to handle traffic. A permission error in this context typically arises because the function's IAM policy (e.g., `--allow-unauthenticated`) is applied only after the deployment completes, and the function's runtime endpoint may return a 403 until fully ready.
What should I do if I get this PCD question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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