Design and implement build and release pipelines →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

AZ-400 Practice Question: Design and implement build and release pipelines

Exhibit

{
  "triggers": ["main"],
  "pool": {
    "vmImage": "ubuntu-latest"
  },
  "steps": [
    {
      "script": "echo Hello, world!"
    }
  ]
}

Refer to the exhibit. You have this GitHub Actions workflow YAML. The workflow does not trigger when you push to the main branch. What is the most likely issue?

⚠ Common exam trap

The trap here is that candidates familiar with Azure Pipelines might choose option D, thinking `triggers` is a misspelling of `trigger`, but GitHub Actions requires `on`, not `trigger`.

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

✓

The correct keyword is 'on', not 'triggers'.

GitHub Actions workflows use the `on` keyword to define triggers, not `triggers`. The YAML snippet incorrectly uses `triggers`, which is not a valid key in GitHub Actions syntax; the workflow engine ignores it, so no push event on `main` will start the workflow. This is a common syntax error where the candidate confuses Azure Pipelines (which uses `trigger`) with GitHub Actions (which uses `on`).

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 branch name should be in a list under 'branches' inside 'push'.
Why it's wrong here
In GitHub Actions, branch filtering for a push event belongs under the top-level `on` key as `on.push.branches`, which is an array of branch name patterns. However, the exhibit's root issue is that it uses `triggers` instead of `on`; simply placing `branches` under `push` will not fix the invalid workflow syntax.
✗
The 'vmImage' should be 'windows-latest' for scripts.
Why it's wrong here
The `vmImage` setting selects the hosted runner operating system, and `ubuntu-latest` fully supports running shell scripts, including both bash and PowerShell Core. Changing to `windows-latest` is unnecessary and would not address the real problem: the use of the invalid top-level `triggers` key instead of `on`.
✓
The correct keyword is 'on', not 'triggers'.
Why this is correct
GitHub Actions uses the top-level `on` key to define the events that trigger a workflow, such as `push` or `pull_request`. The exhibit incorrectly uses `triggers`, which is not a recognized key in GitHub Actions syntax, causing the workflow to be invalid or never run.
✗
The 'triggers' keyword is misspelled; it should be 'trigger'.
Why it's wrong here
The correct keyword is `on`, not `trigger`; `trigger` is not a valid top-level key in GitHub Actions, which uses `on` to map event names to their configurations. Changing `triggers` to `trigger` would still leave the workflow invalid because GitHub Actions does not recognize that keyword.

Go deeper

AZ-400 Practice Question: Design and implement build and release pipelines

Exhibit

Why each option matters

Option-by-option breakdown

Related to this question