Azure Repos for source control - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ service_behavior

intermediate

Understanding Branch Policies in Azure Repos

In Azure Repos, you want to ensure that code changes to the main branch are reviewed before merging. Which branch policy setting will enforce this?

A Require a minimum number of reviewers before pull request completion

B Allow direct pushes to the main branch without pull requests

C Disable pull requests on the main branch

D Automatically merge pull requests without any review

💡 Hint

Think about how to enforce code reviews before changes are accepted.

Setting a minimum number of reviewers ensures that pull requests must be reviewed before merging, enforcing code quality and collaboration.

❓ Architecture

intermediate

Choosing the Right Repository Type in Azure Repos

You need to store a project with a history of changes and support for branching and merging. Which repository type in Azure Repos should you choose?

A Git repository

B Team Foundation Version Control (TFVC) repository

C File share repository

D Azure Blob Storage

💡 Hint

Consider which repository type supports distributed version control with branching.

Git repositories support distributed version control with branching and merging, making them suitable for modern development workflows.

❓ security

advanced

Securing Azure Repos with Permissions

You want to restrict who can delete branches in your Azure Repos project. Which permission setting should you configure?

A Deny 'Delete repository' permission

B Allow 'Contribute' permission on branches

C Deny 'Force push' permission on branches

D Allow 'Create branch' permission

💡 Hint

Think about permissions that control branch modifications and deletions.

Denying 'Force push' prevents users from overwriting or deleting branch history, protecting branches from accidental or malicious deletion.

✅ Best Practice

advanced

Implementing Effective Pull Request Practices

Which practice is recommended to improve collaboration and code quality when using Azure Repos pull requests?

A Merge pull requests without comments to save time

B Allow all team members to approve without review

C Avoid linking work items to pull requests

D Use descriptive titles and detailed descriptions in pull requests

💡 Hint

Think about how clear communication helps team collaboration.

Descriptive titles and detailed descriptions help reviewers understand the purpose and context of changes, improving review quality.

🧠 Conceptual

expert

Understanding Azure Repos Integration with Azure Pipelines

When you connect an Azure Repos Git repository to Azure Pipelines, what is the main benefit of this integration?

A It disables pull requests to speed up deployment

B It automatically triggers builds on code changes to ensure continuous integration

C It stores pipeline logs inside the repository

D It prevents any code merges until manual approval

💡 Hint

Consider how automation helps developers get feedback quickly.

Connecting Azure Repos to Azure Pipelines enables automatic build triggers on code changes, supporting continuous integration and faster feedback.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of Azure Repos in software development?

easy

A. To design user interfaces

B. To store code safely and track changes over time

C. To run applications in the cloud

D. To manage virtual machines

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Azure Repos role

   Azure Repos is a service that stores source code and tracks changes made by developers.

2. Step 2: Compare options with Azure Repos function

   Options A, B, and D describe other Azure services or tasks unrelated to source control.

3. Final Answer:

   To store code safely and track changes over time -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Azure Repos = Code storage and version tracking [OK]

Hint: Azure Repos is about code storage and history [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing Azure Repos with Azure App Services
• Thinking Azure Repos manages cloud infrastructure
• Mixing source control with deployment services

2. Which Git command is used to send your local code changes to Azure Repos?

easy

A. git pull

B. git clone

C. git push

D. git branch

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify command to send changes

   The git push command uploads local commits to the remote repository like Azure Repos.

2. Step 2: Understand other commands

   git clone copies a repo, git pull fetches and merges changes, git branch manages branches.

3. Final Answer:

   git push -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Send changes = git push [OK]

Hint: Push means send your changes to the server [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using git clone to send changes
• Confusing git pull with git push
• Thinking git branch sends code

3. Given this Git command sequence in Azure Repos:

git clone https://dev.azure.com/org/project/_git/repo
cd repo
git checkout -b feature1
git commit -m "Add feature"
git push -u origin feature1

What is the result?

medium

A. A new branch 'feature1' is created locally and pushed to Azure Repos

B. The main branch is overwritten with feature1 changes

C. The repository is deleted from Azure Repos

D. The commit message is ignored

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze branch creation and commit

   git checkout -b feature1 creates and switches to a new branch named 'feature1'. The commit adds changes to this branch.

2. Step 2: Understand push command effect

   git push -u origin feature1 uploads the new branch and sets it to track the remote branch in Azure Repos.

3. Final Answer:

   A new branch 'feature1' is created locally and pushed to Azure Repos -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Branch created and pushed = A new branch 'feature1' is created locally and pushed to Azure Repos [OK]

Hint: Checkout -b creates branch; push uploads it [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming main branch is overwritten
• Thinking repository is deleted
• Ignoring the commit message effect

4. You try to push changes to Azure Repos but get an error about non-fast-forward updates. What should you do to fix this?

medium

A. Run git pull to update your local branch before pushing

B. Delete the remote repository and push again

C. Use git clone again to overwrite your local repo

D. Ignore the error and push with --force immediately

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand non-fast-forward error

   This error means the remote branch has changes your local branch lacks, so push is rejected to avoid overwriting.

2. Step 2: Fix by syncing local branch

   Running git pull fetches and merges remote changes into your local branch, resolving conflicts before push.

3. Final Answer:

   Run git pull to update your local branch before pushing -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Sync local branch first = git pull [OK]

Hint: Pull first to sync before pushing [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Forcing push without syncing
• Deleting remote repo unnecessarily
• Cloning again instead of pulling

5. Your team uses Azure Repos and wants to protect the main branch from direct changes. Which feature should you enable to require pull requests for all changes?

hard

A. Create a new repository for each developer

B. Enable Git Large File Storage (LFS)

C. Set up Azure Pipelines for continuous deployment

D. Branch policies with pull request requirements

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify feature to protect main branch

   Branch policies in Azure Repos allow setting rules like requiring pull requests before merging to main.

2. Step 2: Evaluate other options

   Git LFS manages large files, pipelines automate deployment, and creating repos per developer doesn't protect main branch.

3. Final Answer:

   Branch policies with pull request requirements -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Protect main branch = branch policies [OK]

Hint: Use branch policies to require pull requests [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing deployment pipelines with branch protection
• Thinking Git LFS controls code changes
• Creating multiple repos instead of using policies