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AZ-400 Practice Question: Which THREE of the following are prerequisites…
Which THREE of the following are prerequisites for implementing a CI/CD pipeline for a .NET Core application?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often mistake optional pipeline components (like unit tests or container registries) as prerequisites, when in fact only the core infrastructure (agent, source control, and target environment) is mandatory for a basic CI/CD pipeline.
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
✓
Build agent (Microsoft-hosted or self-hosted)
A build agent is required to execute the pipeline tasks, such as compiling code, running tests, and packaging artifacts. Microsoft-hosted agents provide a pre-configured environment with common tools, while self-hosted agents allow custom configurations and access to on-premises resources. Without a build agent, the CI/CD pipeline cannot perform any automated build or deployment steps.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Build agent (Microsoft-hosted or self-hosted)
Why this is correct
A build agent, whether Microsoft-hosted or self-hosted, provides the compute environment where pipeline tasks such as restore, build, test, and publish execute. Without an available and properly configured agent, the pipeline has no infrastructure to run on, making it an absolute prerequisite for any implementation.
- ✓
Source control repository (e.g., Git)
Why this is correct
The pipeline integrates with a version control system like Git to obtain source code, trigger runs on commits, and provide repository artifacts for builds. Without a source control repository, there is no code to compile or deploy, so it is a fundamental prerequisite for implementing a pipeline.
- ✗
Unit test framework
Why it's wrong here
Unit test frameworks like NUnit or xUnit are good practice for automated quality checks, but they are not required to implement a functional pipeline. A pipeline can build and deploy code successfully even if no unit tests are defined, so a test framework is not a prerequisite.
- ✗
Docker container registry
Why it's wrong here
A Docker container registry is only necessary if you choose to containerize your application and push images as part of the pipeline. For .NET Core applications, you can deploy directly to Azure App Service or other targets without containerization, making a registry optional rather than a prerequisite.
- ✓
Target deployment environment (e.g., App Service)
Why this is correct
The pipeline's deployment stage needs a concrete target environment, such as an Azure App Service, to release the built artifacts to. Without a specified deployment environment, the pipeline has no destination for its output, making it an essential prerequisite for a complete CI/CD implementation.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Implementing and Managing Source Control
Key term
Pipeline
A pipeline is an automated series of steps that takes code from development to production, ensuring quality and speed.
Key term
Agent
An agent is a software component that runs on a local machine to perform automated tasks, collect data, or execute commands as part of a larger system like CI/CD or monitoring.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This AZ-400 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft 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 AZ-400 exam.