Awake vs Start execution order in Unity - Interactive Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to print a message in the Awake method.

Unity

void Awake() {
    Debug.Log([1]);
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AAwake called

B"Awake called"

CAwake()

DDebug.Log("Awake called")

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Forgetting the quotes around the string.

Passing a method name instead of a string.

The Debug.Log method requires a string argument in quotes to print the message.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to print a message in the Start method.

Unity

void Start() {
    Debug.Log([1]);
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AStart()

BStart called

C"Start called"

DDebug.Log("Start called")

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Passing the message without quotes.

Trying to call Debug.Log inside its own argument.

Debug.Log needs a string argument in quotes to print the message correctly.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the Awake method to correctly print the message.

Unity

void Awake() {
    Debug.Log([1]);
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A"Awake executed"

BDebug.Log("Awake executed")

CAwake executed

DAwake()

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Passing the message without quotes causing a compile error.

Trying to call Debug.Log inside the argument.

The message must be a string in quotes passed to Debug.Log.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to create a MonoBehaviour that prints messages in Awake and Start.

Unity

public class Example : MonoBehaviour {
    void Awake() {
        Debug.Log([1]);
    }
    void Start() {
        Debug.Log([2]);
    }
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A"Awake message"

B"Start message"

CAwake message

DStart message

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Omitting quotes around messages.

Using unquoted words causing errors.

Both Debug.Log calls need string literals in quotes to print messages.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to create a script that prints Awake, Start, and Update messages.

Unity

public class Lifecycle : MonoBehaviour {
    void Awake() {
        Debug.Log([1]);
    }
    void Start() {
        Debug.Log([2]);
    }
    void Update() {
        Debug.Log([3]);
    }
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A"Awake called"

B"Start called"

C"Update called"

DUpdate called

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Leaving out quotes causing compile errors.

Using unquoted words as arguments.

All Debug.Log calls require string literals in quotes to print messages correctly.

Practice

1. In Unity, which method is called first when a scene loads: Awake or Start?

easy

A. Awake is called before Start.

B. Start is called before Awake.

C. Both are called at the same time.

D. Neither is called automatically.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Unity's initialization order

   Unity calls Awake first to initialize objects early.

2. Step 2: Recognize Start timing

   Start runs after Awake, before gameplay begins.

3. Final Answer:

   Awake is called before Start. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Awake runs first = D [OK]

Hint: Remember: Awake sets up early, Start sets up later [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking Start runs before Awake
• Believing both run simultaneously
• Assuming methods need manual calls

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to define the Awake method in a Unity C# script?

easy

A. public void awake() { }

B. private Awake() { }

C. void Awake() { }

D. Awake() => { }

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall Unity method syntax

   Unity calls Awake automatically if defined as void Awake().

2. Step 2: Check access modifiers

   Awake is usually private by default, so void Awake() is correct and common.

3. Final Answer:

   void Awake() { } -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Use void Awake() syntax [OK]

Hint: Awake method is usually defined as void Awake() [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Adding public or private explicitly (not required)
• Using arrow syntax which is invalid here
• Omitting return type

3. Consider this Unity script attached to a GameObject:

void Awake() { Debug.Log("Awake called"); }
void Start() { Debug.Log("Start called"); }

What will be the order of messages in the Console when the scene starts?

medium

A. Only "Awake called" appears

B. "Start called" then "Awake called"

C. Only "Start called" appears

D. "Awake called" then "Start called"

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify method call order

   Unity calls Awake first, so "Awake called" logs first.

2. Step 2: Confirm Start runs after Awake

   Then Start runs, logging "Start called" second.

3. Final Answer:

   "Awake called" then "Start called" -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Awake logs first, Start logs second [OK]

Hint: Awake logs before Start logs in console [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming Start logs before Awake
• Thinking only one method logs
• Confusing method call timing

4. You wrote this script but Start never runs:

void Awake() { Debug.Log("Awake"); }
void start() { Debug.Log("Start"); }

What is the problem?

medium

A. Awake prevents Start from running.

B. start method name is lowercase, should be Start.

C. The script is missing public keyword on Start.

D. Unity does not call Start automatically.

Solution

1. Step 1: Check method names for case sensitivity

   Unity requires exact method names; Start must be capitalized.

2. Step 2: Understand Unity's method calling rules

   Lowercase start is ignored, so Start never runs.

3. Final Answer:

   start method name is lowercase, should be Start. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Method names are case-sensitive [OK]

Hint: Check method names are exactly capitalized [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming Awake blocks Start
• Thinking public keyword is required
• Believing Unity calls lowercase methods

5. You have two scripts on different GameObjects:

Script A:
void Awake() { Debug.Log("A Awake"); }
void Start() { Debug.Log("A Start"); }

Script B:
void Awake() { Debug.Log("B Awake"); }
void Start() { Debug.Log("B Start"); }

What is the correct order of messages in the Console when the scene starts?

hard

A. "A Awake", "B Awake", "A Start", "B Start"

B. "A Awake", "A Start", "B Awake", "B Start"

C. "A Start", "B Start", "A Awake", "B Awake"

D. "B Awake", "A Awake", "B Start", "A Start"

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Awake runs on all objects first

   Unity calls all Awake methods before any Start methods.

2. Step 2: Recognize Start runs after all Awake calls

   After all Awake calls, Unity calls all Start methods.

3. Final Answer:

   "A Awake", "B Awake", "A Start", "B Start" -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   All Awake first, then all Start [OK]

Hint: All Awake run before any Start runs [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking Awake and Start alternate per object
• Assuming Start runs before Awake
• Believing order between objects is random