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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.