- A
Use a custom builder that includes Docker with Artifact Registry credentials.
Why wrong: Unnecessarily complex; the standard approach is to use gcloud auth configure-docker.
- B
Store a service account key in Cloud Secret Manager and load it in a build step.
Why wrong: While possible, it's not recommended because Cloud Build already has a service account that can be granted permissions.
- C
Set environment variable ARTIFACT_REGISTRY_KEY in cloudbuild.yaml.
Why wrong: No such environment variable is needed; authentication is handled by gcloud.
- D
Run gcloud auth configure-docker as a build step; Cloud Build's service account will be used automatically.
This command configures Docker to use gcloud as a credential helper, which uses the environment's service account.
PCDE Practice Question: Building and Implementing CI/CD Pipelines for a Service
This PCDE practice question tests your understanding of building and implementing ci/cd pipelines for a service. 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 DevOps engineer is setting up Docker credential helper for Artifact Registry on a Cloud Build worker. They want the build steps to authenticate to Artifact Registry without storing service account keys. What is the recommended approach?
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
Run gcloud auth configure-docker as a build step; Cloud Build's service account will be used automatically.
Option D is correct because `gcloud auth configure-docker` configures Docker to use `gcloud` as a credential helper, which automatically uses the Cloud Build worker's attached service account to obtain short-lived access tokens for Artifact Registry. This avoids storing any long-lived service account keys, aligning with Google Cloud's security best practices for CI/CD pipelines.
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.
- ✗
Use a custom builder that includes Docker with Artifact Registry credentials.
Why it's wrong here
Unnecessarily complex; the standard approach is to use gcloud auth configure-docker.
- ✗
Store a service account key in Cloud Secret Manager and load it in a build step.
Why it's wrong here
While possible, it's not recommended because Cloud Build already has a service account that can be granted permissions.
- ✗
Set environment variable ARTIFACT_REGISTRY_KEY in cloudbuild.yaml.
Why it's wrong here
No such environment variable is needed; authentication is handled by gcloud.
- ✓
Run gcloud auth configure-docker as a build step; Cloud Build's service account will be used automatically.
Why this is correct
This command configures Docker to use gcloud as a credential helper, which uses the environment's service account.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think a custom builder or secret injection is necessary for authentication, when in fact Cloud Build's default service account can be used directly with `gcloud auth configure-docker` to avoid storing any keys.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, `gcloud auth configure-docker` writes a Docker config entry that maps `gcr.io`, `pkg.dev`, and other domains to the `gcloud` credential helper binary. During a build step, the Cloud Build service account (default or custom) is used by `gcloud` to generate an access token via the Google Cloud metadata server (for Compute Engine-based workers) or the Cloud Build service identity. This token is passed to Docker as a bearer token for `docker login`, enabling push/pull without any key material on disk.
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.
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Building and Implementing CI/CD Pipelines for a Service — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCDE question test?
Building and Implementing CI/CD Pipelines for a Service — This question tests Building and Implementing CI/CD Pipelines for a Service — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Run gcloud auth configure-docker as a build step; Cloud Build's service account will be used automatically. — Option D is correct because `gcloud auth configure-docker` configures Docker to use `gcloud` as a credential helper, which automatically uses the Cloud Build worker's attached service account to obtain short-lived access tokens for Artifact Registry. This avoids storing any long-lived service account keys, aligning with Google Cloud's security best practices for CI/CD pipelines.
What should I do if I get this PCDE question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This PCDE 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 PCDE exam.
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