AZ-400 Practice Question: Design and implement build and release pipelines
You are designing a release pipeline that deploys to multiple environments (dev, test, prod) sequentially. You need to require manual approval before deploying to prod. The approver should be able to review the changes and approve or reject. Which feature should you use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates may mistake 'Approval gates' for a valid feature, but Azure DevOps only supports 'approvals' and 'gates' as separate features. Manual approval is achieved via pre-deployment approvers under 'Pre-deployment conditions', not via gates, which are automated checks.
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
✓
Pre-deployment conditions.
In Azure DevOps release pipelines, to require manual approval before deploying to a specific stage, you configure the pre-deployment conditions of that stage, specifically assigning pre-deployment approvers. These approvers can review the changes and then approve or reject the deployment. This satisfies the requirement directly.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Pre-deployment conditions.
Why this is correct
Pre-deployment conditions in Azure Pipelines include artifact filters, schedule times, and pre-deployment approvals, but the approval itself is a separate gate that must be explicitly configured. Merely having pre-deployment conditions does not implement a manual approval workflow by default; it only defines when and under what circumstances the deployment is triggered.
- ✗
Environment checks.
Why it's wrong here
Environment checks are automated pre-deployment gates (for example, Azure Monitor, ServiceNow, or custom checks) that validate subscription health, resource readiness, or compliance before a deployment starts. They do not provide a manual user approval with explicit review and reject actions, so they are not the correct mechanism for human sign-off.
- ✗
Approval gates.
Why it's wrong here
Approval gates in Azure Pipelines require designated users or groups to explicitly approve or reject a deployment before it proceeds, providing a formal manual sign-off workflow. The gate blocks deployment until an approver responds and supports parallel approvals, reassignment, and commenting for auditability. This is exactly the feature needed for a manual release approval scenario.
- ✗
Manual intervention task.
Why it's wrong here
The Manual Intervention task pauses the pipeline execution and waits for a user to resume or stop, but it does not capture an explicit approval decision like an approval gate. It lacks the built-in approval audit trail and approver identity tracking, so it is unsuitable for a formal approval workflow that requires documented review and reject actions.
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Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to DevOps and Azure DevOps
Key term
Stage
A stage is a discrete phase in a software development or deployment pipeline where code is built, tested, integrated, or released in a controlled environment.
Key term
Feature
A feature is a distinct unit of functionality that delivers value to the user, often managed and tracked throughout the software development lifecycle.
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