CI/CD interview questions — Easy

199 easy-level CI/CD questions from our Automation Testing bank, each with the correct answer and an explanation of why it is correct.

What this covers

CI/CD appears throughout Automation Testing interviews. At easy level, interviewers are typically checking that you know the fundamentals and can describe them precisely — definitions, defaults, and the basic mechanics. Work through these, then explain your answer out loud; the second part is what interviews actually test.

20 example questions

  1. 1. In the context of CI/CD, pipeline stage is best described as:

    • A. Gradually routing a small percentage of traffic to a new version.
    • B. A phase in the pipeline such as build, test, or deploy.correct
    • C. GitHub Actions trigger running a workflow for PRs.
    • D. Release strategy switching traffic between two identical environments.

    Why: pipeline stage: A phase in the pipeline such as build, test, or deploy.

  2. 2. Which of the following best describes cron schedule trigger in CI/CD?

    • A. Gradually routing a small percentage of traffic to a new version.
    • B. Release strategy switching traffic between two identical environments.
    • C. Time-based trigger for nightly or periodic pipeline runs.correct
    • D. Groovy-based pipeline-as-code definition for Jenkins.

    Why: cron schedule trigger: Time-based trigger for nightly or periodic pipeline runs.

  3. 3. In the context of CI/CD, on: pull_request is best described as:

    • A. A phase in the pipeline such as build, test, or deploy.
    • B. Groovy-based pipeline-as-code definition for Jenkins.
    • C. GitHub Actions trigger running a workflow for PRs.correct
    • D. Time-based trigger for nightly or periodic pipeline runs.

    Why: on: pull_request: GitHub Actions trigger running a workflow for PRs.

  4. 4. Which of the following best describes on: pull_request in CI/CD?

    • A. GitHub Actions trigger running a workflow for PRs.correct
    • B. Groovy-based pipeline-as-code definition for Jenkins.
    • C. Release strategy switching traffic between two identical environments.
    • D. Machine or container that executes pipeline jobs.

    Why: on: pull_request: GitHub Actions trigger running a workflow for PRs.

  5. 5. Which of the following best describes code coverage gate in CI/CD?

    • A. Packaged output of a build stage consumed by later stages.
    • B. Independent jobs executing simultaneously to shorten pipeline time.
    • C. Threshold check failing the build when coverage is too low.correct
    • D. Time-based trigger for nightly or periodic pipeline runs.

    Why: code coverage gate: Threshold check failing the build when coverage is too low.

  6. 6. Which of the following best describes pipeline stage in CI/CD?

    • A. A phase in the pipeline such as build, test, or deploy.correct
    • B. Threshold check failing the build when coverage is too low.
    • C. Packaged output of a build stage consumed by later stages.
    • D. Groovy-based pipeline-as-code definition for Jenkins.

    Why: pipeline stage: A phase in the pipeline such as build, test, or deploy.

  7. 7. Which of the following best describes build artifact in CI/CD?

    • A. Machine or container that executes pipeline jobs.
    • B. Gradually routing a small percentage of traffic to a new version.
    • C. Packaged output of a build stage consumed by later stages.correct
    • D. A phase in the pipeline such as build, test, or deploy.

    Why: build artifact: Packaged output of a build stage consumed by later stages.

  8. 8. Which of the following best describes canary release in CI/CD?

    • A. Machine or container that executes pipeline jobs.
    • B. Gradually routing a small percentage of traffic to a new version.correct
    • C. GitHub Actions trigger running a workflow for PRs.
    • D. Release strategy switching traffic between two identical environments.

    Why: canary release: Gradually routing a small percentage of traffic to a new version.

  9. 9. Which of the following best describes blue-green deployment in CI/CD?

    • A. A phase in the pipeline such as build, test, or deploy.
    • B. Release strategy switching traffic between two identical environments.correct
    • C. GitHub Actions trigger running a workflow for PRs.
    • D. Independent jobs executing simultaneously to shorten pipeline time.

    Why: blue-green deployment: Release strategy switching traffic between two identical environments.

  10. 10. In CI/CD, what does build artifact do or refer to?

    • A. Threshold check failing the build when coverage is too low.
    • B. GitHub Actions trigger running a workflow for PRs.
    • C. Gradually routing a small percentage of traffic to a new version.
    • D. Packaged output of a build stage consumed by later stages.correct

    Why: build artifact: Packaged output of a build stage consumed by later stages.

  11. 11. In CI/CD, what does on: pull_request do or refer to?

    • A. GitHub Actions trigger running a workflow for PRs.correct
    • B. Machine or container that executes pipeline jobs.
    • C. Groovy-based pipeline-as-code definition for Jenkins.
    • D. Release strategy switching traffic between two identical environments.

    Why: on: pull_request: GitHub Actions trigger running a workflow for PRs.

  12. 12. What is the purpose of build artifact in CI/CD?

    • A. Packaged output of a build stage consumed by later stages.correct
    • B. Release strategy switching traffic between two identical environments.
    • C. Gradually routing a small percentage of traffic to a new version.
    • D. A phase in the pipeline such as build, test, or deploy.

    Why: build artifact: Packaged output of a build stage consumed by later stages.

  13. 13. In CI/CD, what does canary release do or refer to?

    • A. Machine or container that executes pipeline jobs.
    • B. Time-based trigger for nightly or periodic pipeline runs.
    • C. Gradually routing a small percentage of traffic to a new version.correct
    • D. Packaged output of a build stage consumed by later stages.

    Why: canary release: Gradually routing a small percentage of traffic to a new version.

  14. 14. In CI/CD, what does parallel jobs do or refer to?

    • A. Independent jobs executing simultaneously to shorten pipeline time.correct
    • B. GitHub Actions trigger running a workflow for PRs.
    • C. Machine or container that executes pipeline jobs.
    • D. Threshold check failing the build when coverage is too low.

    Why: parallel jobs: Independent jobs executing simultaneously to shorten pipeline time.

  15. 15. What is the purpose of on: pull_request in CI/CD?

    • A. Release strategy switching traffic between two identical environments.
    • B. Threshold check failing the build when coverage is too low.
    • C. Gradually routing a small percentage of traffic to a new version.
    • D. GitHub Actions trigger running a workflow for PRs.correct

    Why: on: pull_request: GitHub Actions trigger running a workflow for PRs.

  16. 16. Which of the following best describes Jenkinsfile in CI/CD?

    • A. GitHub Actions trigger running a workflow for PRs.
    • B. Threshold check failing the build when coverage is too low.
    • C. Groovy-based pipeline-as-code definition for Jenkins.correct
    • D. Independent jobs executing simultaneously to shorten pipeline time.

    Why: Jenkinsfile: Groovy-based pipeline-as-code definition for Jenkins.

  17. 17. In CI/CD, what does pipeline stage do or refer to?

    • A. GitHub Actions trigger running a workflow for PRs.
    • B. Gradually routing a small percentage of traffic to a new version.
    • C. Time-based trigger for nightly or periodic pipeline runs.
    • D. A phase in the pipeline such as build, test, or deploy.correct

    Why: pipeline stage: A phase in the pipeline such as build, test, or deploy.

  18. 18. What is the purpose of cron schedule trigger in CI/CD?

    • A. Time-based trigger for nightly or periodic pipeline runs.correct
    • B. Machine or container that executes pipeline jobs.
    • C. Groovy-based pipeline-as-code definition for Jenkins.
    • D. GitHub Actions trigger running a workflow for PRs.

    Why: cron schedule trigger: Time-based trigger for nightly or periodic pipeline runs.

  19. 19. In CI/CD, what does blue-green deployment do or refer to?

    • A. A phase in the pipeline such as build, test, or deploy.
    • B. Machine or container that executes pipeline jobs.
    • C. Release strategy switching traffic between two identical environments.correct
    • D. Groovy-based pipeline-as-code definition for Jenkins.

    Why: blue-green deployment: Release strategy switching traffic between two identical environments.

  20. 20. In CI/CD, what does runner / agent do or refer to?

    • A. A phase in the pipeline such as build, test, or deploy.
    • B. Independent jobs executing simultaneously to shorten pipeline time.
    • C. Machine or container that executes pipeline jobs.correct
    • D. Threshold check failing the build when coverage is too low.

    Why: runner / agent: Machine or container that executes pipeline jobs.

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