The correct answer is to cherry-pick the bug fix commit to the feature branch, then revert the commit on main. This approach is correct because cherry-picking applies the specific commit to the intended feature branch without altering the main branch’s history, while reverting creates a new commit that undoes the accidental change on main, preserving a linear, traceable project history. On the Project Management Professional PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of version control best practices under the “Quality Management” and “Communications Management” knowledge areas, where maintaining a clean audit trail is critical. A common trap is to reset or force-push, which rewrites history and disrupts collaboration; instead, remember that revert is safe for shared branches. Memory tip: “Cherry-pick the fix, revert the mistake—keep history clean for history’s sake.”
PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of process — managing technical aspects. 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.
Network Topology
Refer to the exhibit. The project team uses Git for version control. The lead developer accidentally committed a bug fix directly to the main branch instead of the feature branch. What is the best course of action to maintain a clean history?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Cherry-pick the bug fix commit to the feature branch, then revert the commit on main.
Option B is correct because it preserves a clean Git history by first cherry-picking the bug fix commit from main to the feature branch (ensuring the fix is applied where intended), then reverting the commit on main to remove the accidental change without rewriting history. This avoids merge commits or destructive operations, maintaining a linear and traceable project history.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Revert the commit on main and do nothing else.
Why it's wrong here
The fix would be lost from the feature branch.
✓
Cherry-pick the bug fix commit to the feature branch, then revert the commit on main.
Why this is correct
Cherry-pick applies the fix to feature, revert removes it from main cleanly.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Merge main into feature to include the bug fix.
Why it's wrong here
Merging main into feature would bring other changes and create a messy history.
✗
Reset main to the commit before the bug fix, then force push.
Why it's wrong here
Force push after reset can disrupt other collaborators.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse 'revert' with 'reset' or assume merging is always safe, overlooking that cherry-picking is the precise tool to move a single commit to another branch without altering the source branch's history.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cherry-picking applies a specific commit's changes as a new commit on the target branch, preserving the original commit's diff but generating a new SHA-1 hash, which avoids duplicating the exact commit object. Reverting creates a new commit that undoes the changes of the target commit, leaving the original commit in the log for auditability. In a real-world scenario, if other developers have already pulled the accidental commit on main, a force push (Option D) would cause divergent histories and require them to rebase or re-clone, disrupting the team.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the PMP exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PMP question in full detail.
Process — Managing Technical Aspects — This question tests Process — Managing Technical Aspects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Cherry-pick the bug fix commit to the feature branch, then revert the commit on main. — Option B is correct because it preserves a clean Git history by first cherry-picking the bug fix commit from main to the feature branch (ensuring the fix is applied where intended), then reverting the commit on main to remove the accidental change without rewriting history. This avoids merge commits or destructive operations, maintaining a linear and traceable project history.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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