Jeff’s Note #
Unlike generic exam dumps, ADH analyzes this scenario through the lens of a Real-World Lead Developer.
For AWS DVA-C02 candidates, the confusion often lies in distinguishing how to incrementally deploy serverless function updates using SAM. In production, this is about knowing exactly which SAM CLI commands optimize developer productivity by avoiding full rebuilds, especially when only Lambda functions change. Let’s drill down.
The Certification Drill (Simulated Question) #
Scenario #
FinetuneAI, a startup specializing in AI-powered content generation, is building a serverless backend using AWS API Gateway, AWS Lambda, and Amazon DynamoDB. Their engineers use the AWS Serverless Application Model (AWS SAM) framework to develop and deploy the application. However, whenever they push updates that only modify Lambda function code, the entire serverless application artifacts are rebuilt and redeployed, significantly slowing deployment iterations.
The Requirement: #
The engineering lead wants to streamline their deployment workflow using AWS SAM Accelerate so that only the changed Lambda functions are redeployed without rebuilding or redeploying artifacts unrelated to those functions.
The Options #
- A)
sam deploy --force-upload - B)
sam deploy --no-execute-changeset - C)
sam package - D)
sam sync --watch
Google adsense #
leave a comment:
Correct Answer #
D) sam sync --watch
Quick Insight: The Developer Imperative #
AWS SAM Accelerate’s
sam synccommand is specifically designed for rapid, iterative deployments of serverless applications by syncing only changed resources—primarily Lambda functions. With the--watchflag, it continuously monitors code changes, redeploying only what’s necessary, eliminating the need for full artifact rebuilds or manual packaging.
Content Locked: The Expert Analysis #
You’ve identified the answer. But do you know the implementation details that separate a Junior from a Senior?
The Expert’s Analysis #
Correct Answer #
Option D: sam sync --watch
The Winning Logic #
The sam sync command is part of AWS SAM Accelerate, introduced to reduce deployment cycle time by intelligently syncing only updated Lambda functions and related resources. The --watch flag allows continuous monitoring of local file changes and incremental redeployment, avoiding rebuilding or reuploading unchanged artifacts such as DynamoDB tables or API Gateway configurations.
sam deploy --force-upload(Option A) forces artifact uploads but still results in full deployments, not incremental updates.sam deploy --no-execute-changeset(Option B) packages the changeset but does not deploy or watch for incremental changes.sam package(Option C) only packages the template artifacts; it does not deploy changes or support incremental sync.
Thus, sam sync --watch uniquely satisfies the requirement to incrementally redeploy only Lambda functions that changed, saving development time and build overhead.
The Trap (Distractor Analysis): #
- Why not A (
--force-upload)? Forces reupload but re-deploys all artifacts, increasing deployment time. - Why not B (
--no-execute-changeset)? Stops before deployment, useful for inspection but not for incremental deployment. - Why not C (
package)? Only packages code for deployment pipeline; does not deploy or sync code changes.
The Technical Blueprint #
# Typical command to start accelerating Lambda function deployments with continuous sync
sam sync --watch
This command will scan your codebase for changes and incrementally update the Lambda functions in your AWS environment, dramatically speeding up development iterations.
The Comparative Analysis #
| Option | API/CLI Complexity | Performance | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Medium | Moderate | Force upload all artifacts; full deployment |
| B | Low | None | Create changeset only; no deployment |
| C | Low | None | Package deployment artifacts only |
| D | Low | High | Incremental Lambda function deploys; continuous watch |
Real-World Application (Practitioner Insight) #
Exam Rule #
For the exam, always pick sam sync (especially with --watch) when the question involves accelerated iterative deployment of Lambda function code updates.
Real World #
In real projects, engineers use sam sync --watch during active development for lightning-fast Lambda code iterations without disrupting other infrastructure parts like DynamoDB or API Gateway.
(CTA) Stop Guessing, Start Mastering #
Disclaimer
This is a study note based on simulated scenarios for the AWS DVA-C02 exam.