This AZ-400 practice question tests your understanding of design and implement a source control strategy. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
You have a GitHub repository with a GitHub Actions workflow that builds a .NET application. The workflow should only run when changes are pushed to the main branch, but it currently runs on every push to any branch. How should you fix the workflow trigger?
Add 'on: push: branch: [main]' to the workflow.
Why wrong: The correct key is 'branches', not 'branch'.
Add 'on: push: paths: [main]' to the workflow.
Why wrong: Paths filter on file paths, not branch names.
Add 'on: pull_request: branches: [main]' to the workflow.
Why wrong: Pull request events are not push events.
Add 'on: push: branches: [main]' to the workflow.
This restricts the trigger to pushes on main.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Add 'on: push: branches: [main]' to the workflow.
Option D is correct because the GitHub Actions workflow syntax to restrict a push trigger to a specific branch uses `on: push: branches: [main]`. This ensures the workflow only executes when commits are pushed to the main branch, not on pushes to any other branch.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Add 'on: push: branch: [main]' to the workflow.
Why it's wrong here
The correct key is 'branches', not 'branch'.
Add 'on: push: paths: [main]' to the workflow.
Why it's wrong here
Paths filter on file paths, not branch names.
Add 'on: pull_request: branches: [main]' to the workflow.
Why it's wrong here
Pull request events are not push events.
Add 'on: push: branches: [main]' to the workflow.
Why this is correct
This restricts the trigger to pushes on main.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the singular `branch` with the plural `branches` or mix up `paths` with `branches`, leading them to select options that either use invalid syntax or apply the wrong filter entirely.
Detailed technical explanation
GitHub Actions triggers are defined using the `on` keyword, and for push events, the `branches` filter accepts an array of branch name patterns (e.g., `[main]` or `['main', 'develop']`). The `paths` filter is used to limit workflow runs to pushes that modify specific files or directories, not branches. Understanding the distinction between `branches` and `paths` is critical for precise workflow control, especially in monorepos where you may want to trigger builds only for certain code changes.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Design and implement a source control strategy — This question tests Design and implement a source control strategy — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Add 'on: push: branches: [main]' to the workflow. — Option D is correct because the GitHub Actions workflow syntax to restrict a push trigger to a specific branch uses `on: push: branches: [main]`. This ensures the workflow only executes when commits are pushed to the main branch, not on pushes to any other branch.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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