- A
Use the commit SHA as the image tag in the build step.
Commit SHA is unique per change, avoiding collisions.
- B
Specify the :latest tag and always push to that tag.
Why wrong: :latest can be overwritten and is not immutable.
- C
Add a step to pull the image before building to ensure it's present.
Why wrong: Pull doesn't prevent tag conflict on push.
- D
Configure the build to retry on failure with a backoff.
Why wrong: Retries will still fail if the tag exists.
PCDOE Building and implementing CI/CD pipelines Practice Question
This PCDOE practice question tests your understanding of building and implementing ci/cd pipelines. 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.
During a Cloud Build pipeline, a build step fails because the Docker image tag already exists in Container Registry. The team wants to avoid overwriting tags. What is the best practice to resolve this?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Use the commit SHA as the image tag in the build step.
Using the commit SHA as the image tag guarantees uniqueness because each commit produces a distinct SHA. This prevents tag collisions in Container Registry without overwriting, as the SHA is immutable for that commit. It also provides traceability back to the exact source code version that produced the image.
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 the commit SHA as the image tag in the build step.
Why this is correct
Commit SHA is unique per change, avoiding collisions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Specify the :latest tag and always push to that tag.
Why it's wrong here
:latest can be overwritten and is not immutable.
- ✗
Add a step to pull the image before building to ensure it's present.
Why it's wrong here
Pull doesn't prevent tag conflict on push.
- ✗
Configure the build to retry on failure with a backoff.
Why it's wrong here
Retries will still fail if the tag exists.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that retries or pulling images can resolve tag conflicts, when in fact only a unique tag strategy (like commit SHA) prevents the collision at the source.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Container Registry (e.g., Google Container Registry or Artifact Registry) uses tags as mutable references to digests; overwriting a tag breaks the immutable link between the tag and the image content. Using the commit SHA leverages Git's object model, where each SHA is a unique hash of the commit content, ensuring no two builds produce the same tag. In practice, this also enables easy rollback by referencing the SHA of a known good commit.
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 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
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 — study guide chapter
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Building and implementing CI/CD pipelines practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCDOE question test?
Building and implementing CI/CD pipelines — This question tests Building and implementing CI/CD pipelines — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use the commit SHA as the image tag in the build step. — Using the commit SHA as the image tag guarantees uniqueness because each commit produces a distinct SHA. This prevents tag collisions in Container Registry without overwriting, as the SHA is immutable for that commit. It also provides traceability back to the exact source code version that produced the image.
What should I do if I get this PCDOE 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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This PCDOE 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 PCDOE exam.
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