AZ-400 Practice Question: Design and implement build and release pipelines
You have a pipeline that uses Azure Repos Git. You need to enforce that all commits to the main branch are associated with a work item. Which branch policy should you enable?
⚠ Common exam trap
AZ-400 often tests the distinction between branch policies that govern code quality (reviewers, comments, merge types) and those that govern traceability (linked work items) — read the requirement for the word 'work item' and match it directly.
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
✓
Require linked work items
The 'Require linked work items' branch policy in Azure Repos blocks any pull request from completing unless every commit is associated with at least one work item. This directly enforces traceability between code changes and tracked work, which is exactly what the scenario demands. It is configured per branch under Repos > Branches > Branch policies.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Require linked work items
Why this is correct
This branch policy enforces that every pull request must have at least one linked work item before it can be completed. By blocking completion without a work item link, it provides full traceability from code changes back to the original requirement or task, which is critical for audit and compliance.
- ✗
Limit merge types
Why it's wrong here
This policy restricts the merge strategies allowed for completing a pull request, such as 'squash', 'merge', or 'rebase'. It controls how commits are integrated into the target branch and shapes the commit history, but it does not require any work item association, so it does not meet the traceability need.
- ✗
Require a minimum number of reviewers
Why it's wrong here
This policy mandates that a specified minimum number of reviewers must approve the pull request before it can be merged. While it ensures human oversight and improves code quality, it has no mechanism to verify whether a work item is linked, making it irrelevant to the stated requirement.
- ✗
Check for comment resolution
Why it's wrong here
This policy prevents a pull request from being completed if any comment threads remain unresolved. It ensures that all discussions inside the pull request are fully addressed and closed, but it focuses solely on conversation hygiene and does not enforce linking changes to work items.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Managing Infrastructure as Code Using Azure
Key term
Azure Repos
Azure Repos is a set of version control tools that allow teams to manage their source code, track changes, and collaborate on software projects using Git or Team Foundation Version Control (TFVC) within the Microsoft Azure ecosystem.
Key term
Branch
A branch is a pointer to a specific commit in a version control system that allows you to work on features or fixes in isolation from the main codebase.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Microsoft exam blueprint
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.