GitHub Foundations #10 Bonus — Full-Scale Practice Exam (50 Questions with Explanations)
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This is the stage where you confirm that the concepts covered from #1 through #9 have actually settled in. You will work through 50 questions arranged to match the seven domains of the real GitHub Foundations exam. This is the final post of the series.
The real exam gives you 120 minutes for 75 scored questions. This practice exam uses 50 questions, so the time limit and passing line are scaled proportionally. If you get 38 or more questions (76%) right, you are in passing range and can go ahead and book the exam.
How to take it #
- Aim to finish within 90–110 minutes (the real exam is 75 questions in 120 minutes; this one is scaled to 50)
- Answer one question at a time, but resist checking the explanation immediately — grade yourself after finishing all 50
- 38 or more correct (76%) puts you in passing range
- If one domain keeps tripping you up, go back to the corresponding post (#2–#9) and review
Domain distribution #
The official domain weights are published in the official study guide and can be revised. This practice exam uses its own distribution that weights collaboration features and Git/GitHub basics more heavily.
| Domain | Questions | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Domain 1: Introduction to Git and GitHub | 10 | Q1–Q10 |
| Domain 2: Working with repositories | 7 | Q11–Q17 |
| Domain 3: Collaboration features | 14 | Q18–Q31 |
| Domain 4: Modern development | 7 | Q32–Q38 |
| Domain 5: Project management | 3 | Q39–Q41 |
| Domain 6: Privacy, security, and administration | 6 | Q42–Q47 |
| Domain 7: The GitHub community | 3 | Q48–Q50 |
Domain 1: Introduction to Git and GitHub (Q1–Q10) #
Q1. Which statement correctly describes the relationship between Git and GitHub?
Explanation
Git is an independent distributed version control system created in 2005, while GitHub is a hosting service where you store Git repositories and get collaboration features such as Pull Requests and Issues. Git works completely without GitHub and can also be used with other hosting services such as GitLab and Bitbucket.
Q2. Which Git area is used to select the changes that will go into the next commit?
Explanation
The staging area is the waiting area where you pick which changes go into the next commit. The working directory is where you actually edit files, and the repository (.git) is where commits are permanently recorded. The three-area model is the basic frame for understanding how Git works.
Q3. Which command moves a modified file into the staging area?
Explanation
git add moves changes from the working directory into the staging area, and git commit turns that content into a snapshot. git push sends local commits to a remote repository, which is a different step entirely.
Q4. What does Git store with each commit?
Explanation
Git uses a snapshot model, not deltas. A commit is a record that points to the state of every file at that moment, and unchanged files are stored as references to identical objects already saved, avoiding duplication. This model is what makes branching and moving between points in history so cheap.
Q5. What does git init actually do?
Explanation
git init does exactly one thing: it creates a hidden directory called .git inside the current directory. Every commit and setting from then on is stored inside it. Creating a remote repository happens separately on the GitHub web UI or API, and recording files still requires add and commit.
Q6. Which statement about distributed version control systems is correct?
Explanation
In distributed version control, every cloned repository contains the full history from the first commit to the present. That is why commits, branches, and history queries all work without a network connection. This is the point that distinguishes it from centralized systems, where you must connect to a server to commit.
Q7. How do you set the author name and email recorded in commits?
Explanation
The git config –global user.name and user.email settings are recorded as the author information on every subsequent commit. Your GitHub profile and local Git configuration are separate; the commit email must match an email on your GitHub account for contributions to appear on your contribution graph.
Q8. Which statement correctly describes a GitHub organization account?
Explanation
GitHub accounts come in personal, organization, and enterprise tiers. An organization is not owned by an individual; its repositories are managed jointly through members and team-based permissions. Whether an account is paid, or uses two-factor authentication, is a separate setting from the account type.
Q9. What information does git status show?
Explanation
git status summarizes which files are untracked, modified, or staged for the next commit. Browsing history is the job of git log. The status output also includes hints about which command to use next.
Q10. Which of the following is NOT part of a commit object?
Explanation
A commit points only to its parent; it cannot know about future child commits. History is reconstructed by walking from the newest commit back toward its parents. A snapshot, a parent pointer, and metadata (author, timestamp, message) are what make up a commit.
Domain 2: Working with repositories (Q11–Q17) #
Q11. Which statement correctly describes a fork?
Explanation
A fork copies a repository into your account on the GitHub server, and the link to the original remains so you can propose changes back through a Pull Request. Downloading to your machine is git clone, a separate step. The standard open source contribution flow is fork first, then clone.
Q12. What characterizes a new repository created from a template repository?
Explanation
A repository created with Use this template inherits only the files and directory structure, and its history starts fresh with a single initial commit. Unlike a fork, there is no link to the original. This is the right approach for distributing project boilerplate.
Q13. Which statement correctly describes the relationship between a tag and a release?
Explanation
A tag is Git’s own pointer attached to a specific commit, such as v1.0.0. A release is GitHub’s feature built on that tag, providing release notes, attached build artifacts, and a download page. Creating a release can create the tag along with it, but the reverse is not automatic.
Q14. What is the main purpose of a gist?
Explanation
A gist is a lightweight way to share a few files’ worth of code snippets, configuration examples, or notes. Each gist is itself a Git repository, so it can be cloned and versioned. You can choose between public and secret gists.
Q15. What role does the README.md file in the repository root play?
Explanation
The root README.md is the document automatically displayed on the repository’s front page, serving as the entry point that explains what the project is and how to get started. The repository description is a separate one-line field. The README of the special profile repository is shown on your profile page.
Q16. Which statement is correct about the code in a public repository that has no LICENSE file?
Explanation
Without a license, default copyright law applies: the code can be read, but no legal right to reuse it has been granted. Having source visible and having an open source license are different things. That is why the convention is to include an explicit LICENSE file in public projects.
Q17. Who can see a repository with internal visibility?
Explanation
Visibility comes in three kinds: public, private, and internal. Internal is available on enterprise accounts; the repository is visible to all members of the same enterprise but hidden from the outside. It is the setting used for internal sharing (InnerSource).
Domain 3: Collaboration features (Q18–Q31) #
Q18. Which notation, written in a Pull Request body, automatically closes Issue 12 when the PR is merged?
Explanation
Writing a closing keyword such as closes, fixes, or resolves followed by the issue number closes that Issue automatically when the PR merges into the default branch. Writing just the number, or mentioning it with ref, only creates a cross-reference link without closing anything.
Q19. What are labels used for?
Explanation
Labels are tags for classifying and filtering Issues and PRs by type or status. Naming commits is done with tags, and permissions are managed with roles, so those are different features. Every repository ships with a default label set and you can add your own.
Q20. Which statement correctly describes a milestone?
Explanation
A milestone groups Issues and PRs under one goal, such as a v2.0 release, and shows the completion ratio and due date together. It is a tool for release-level work management: if labels are the classification axis, milestones are the schedule axis.
Q21. Where do Issue templates live?
Explanation
Issue templates are stored in the .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE directory as Markdown or YAML form files. When templates exist, the new Issue screen adds a type selection step, which keeps bug reports and feature requests consistent. PR templates use .github/pull_request_template.md.
Q22. What happens when you mention @username in an Issue comment?
Explanation
A mention sends the user a notification and pulls them into the conversation. It has nothing to do with granting permissions or assigning reviewers. Mentioning a team (@org/team-name) notifies every member of that team.
Q23. Which syntax creates a checklist item in GitHub Flavored Markdown?
Explanation
A hyphen followed by brackets,
- [ ], is an unchecked item and - [x] is a completed one. Checklists in Issue and PR bodies can be toggled by clicking and are aggregated into a progress indicator. The list marker and the space before the brackets are required for the checkbox to render.Q24. Which syntax creates a multi-line code block in GitHub Flavored Markdown?
Explanation
A block wrapped in 3 backticks becomes a code block, and adding a language such as python after the opening backticks applies syntax highlighting. Four-space indentation also creates a code block but cannot specify a language, so the backtick form is the standard.
Q25. Which statement correctly describes a Pull Request?
Explanation
A PR is a request to merge a branch’s changes into a target branch, and code review, comments, and additional commits all happen on top of it. Its name resembles the git pull command but they are unrelated, and PRs are a feature of hosting services like GitHub, not of Git itself.
Q26. What characterizes a draft Pull Request?
Explanation
A draft PR is an intentionally unfinished PR opened early to share direction or run CI ahead of review. While in draft, the merge button is disabled; when ready, you switch it to Ready for review to request a formal review.
Q27. Which of the following is NOT a state you can choose when submitting a Pull Request review?
Explanation
The three review submission states are Comment (feedback only), Approve, and Request changes. There is no review state called Force merge. An outstanding Request changes review can block merging depending on protection rules.
Q28. What does the CODEOWNERS file do?
Explanation
CODEOWNERS maps path patterns to owners (users or teams); when a PR touches those paths, the owners are automatically assigned as reviewers. Combined with branch protection, it can even block merging without a code owner’s approval.
Q29. What does the Squash and merge strategy do?
Explanation
Squash and merge combines a PR’s multiple commits into one before adding it to the target branch, keeping the default branch history clean at one commit per PR. Option A describes Merge commit and option B describes Rebase and merge. No strategy resolves conflicts for you — that is always a human’s job.
Q30. When is Discussions a better fit than Issues?
Explanation
Discussions is the space for conversations that do not resolve into a work item: questions and answers, ideas, announcements. Bug and task tracking belongs in Issues, line-level review in PRs, and vulnerability reports in security advisories — each has its own dedicated channel.
Q31. Which statement correctly describes GitHub Pages?
Explanation
GitHub Pages builds a repository’s HTML, CSS, and Markdown content into a static site served on a github.io domain (or a custom domain). It is widely used for project documentation sites and personal pages. It cannot run dynamic server-side code.
Domain 4: Modern development (Q32–Q38) #
Q32. Which hierarchy of GitHub Actions terms is correct?
Explanation
A workflow is the whole automated process triggered by an event; a job inside it is a unit that runs on a single runner; and a job consists of steps that execute sequentially. Jobs run in parallel by default, and you can order them with needs.
Q33. Where, and in what format, do GitHub Actions workflow files live?
Explanation
Workflows are defined as YAML files under the repository’s .github/workflows directory (plural). Because they are files, they are version-controlled and reviewable alongside the code. The web editor is just an interface for editing those files.
Q34. How do you define when a workflow runs?
Explanation
The on key is the trigger definition. You can specify events such as push, pull_request, schedule (cron), and workflow_dispatch (manual runs). runs-on selects the kind of runner a job executes on, so its role is different.
Q35. What is a GitHub Actions runner?
Explanation
A runner is the execution environment a job runs on. You can use GitHub-hosted runners (Ubuntu, Windows, macOS) or register your own servers as self-hosted runners. Storing build outputs is the job of the artifacts feature.
Q36. What is the difference between Codespaces and the github.dev editor?
Explanation
github.dev is the free web editor you open from a repository with the period key; you can edit and commit code, but there is no compute to run it. Codespaces is a full development environment on a cloud VM, so terminals, builds, debugging, and port forwarding all work.
Q37. Which statement correctly describes GitHub Copilot?
Explanation
Copilot is an AI pair-programming tool that suggests code in context inside your editor and answers questions through chat. CI belongs to Actions and scheduling to Projects; keeping those roles separate helps you avoid mixing them up on exam questions.
Q38. Which statement correctly describes GitHub Packages?
Explanation
Packages is a registry that hosts npm, Maven, NuGet, RubyGems, container images (GHCR), and more, using the same permission model as your repositories. The Marketplace is a storefront for Actions and apps, so its nature is different. A release is a tag-based distribution page, not a package registry.
Domain 5: Project management (Q39–Q41) #
Q39. Which combination of views does GitHub Projects provide?
Explanation
Projects lets you switch the same data between a spreadsheet-style table, a kanban-style board, and a schedule-style roadmap view. You add Issues and PRs as items and manage them with custom fields for attributes such as priority and size.
Q40. Which is an example of what GitHub Projects built-in automation can do?
Explanation
Projects’ built-in workflows are automations that react to item state changes: setting Status to Done when an Issue or PR closes, or assigning a default Status to newly added items. Automation in the code domain, such as writing commits or approving reviews, is out of scope.
Q41. What can you check in a repository’s Insights tab?
Explanation
Insights is the tab showing repository activity data such as the Pulse summary, commit frequency, contributor statistics, and traffic. Security alerts live in the Security tab, and billing in account settings. Remember it as the place to gauge a project’s activity.
Domain 6: Privacy, security, and administration (Q42–Q47) #
Q42. Which repository role allows triage work — labeling Issues and PRs and assigning owners — without code push permission?
Explanation
Organization repository roles come in five levels: Read, Triage, Write, Maintain, and Admin. Triage suits community managers who organize Issues and PRs without touching code. Push access starts at Write, and Admin manages all settings.
Q43. What does two-factor authentication (2FA) protect?
Explanation
2FA is an account protection measure that requires a second factor at login, such as an authenticator app code or a security key, in addition to the password. It has nothing to do with encrypting code or scanning for vulnerabilities. Organizations can require 2FA for all members.
Q44. How does a fine-grained personal access token differ from a classic token?
Explanation
A fine-grained PAT can be scoped to specific repositories with per-item read/write permissions, matching the principle of least privilege. Classic tokens have broad scopes and easily end up over-privileged. Both expiration settings and organization usage are controlled more precisely with fine-grained tokens.
Q45. What can branch protection rules enforce?
Explanation
Branch protection enforces rules on protected branches: required approving reviews, required status checks, no direct pushes, and blocking force pushes. It is the mechanism that makes server-side settings, rather than human habits, uphold the rules.
Q46. Which of the following is NOT a Dependabot capability?
Explanation
Dependabot covers three things: dependency vulnerability alerts, security update PRs, and scheduled version update PRs. Cleaning up code style is the territory of linters and formatters, unrelated to Dependabot.
Q47. What does secret scanning’s push protection feature do?
Explanation
Push protection makes the server reject a push outright when a commit contains a secret matching a known pattern, such as an API key or token. The point is prevention before exposure rather than detection after. Blocking force pushes is the role of branch protection.
Domain 7: The GitHub community (Q48–Q50) #
Q48. Which statement correctly describes InnerSource?
Explanation
InnerSource is a culture of opening repositories across teams within an organization and exchanging contributions the way open source does. Open source tools carry over directly: internal visibility, CONTRIBUTING documents, PR reviews. The only difference is that the audience is limited to the organization.
Q49. What is the role of the CONTRIBUTING.md file?
Explanation
CONTRIBUTING.md explains how to contribute to the project: branch rules, commit conventions, review procedures. GitHub shows a link to this document when someone opens a new Issue or PR. The license and code of conduct use separate files, LICENSE and CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md.
Q50. Which statement correctly describes GitHub Sponsors?
Explanation
Sponsors is the feature for sending financial support to the developers and organizations that sustain the open source ecosystem. A Sponsor button appears on profiles and repositories, and monthly sponsorship tiers can be configured. It has nothing to do with advertising or recruiting.
Scoring and next steps #
- 43 or more correct — You are well prepared. Go ahead and book the real exam.
- 38–42 correct — You are in passing range. Review the domains of the questions you missed in the corresponding posts, then book.
- 37 or fewer correct — Return to the domains where your misses cluster (#2–#9), rebuild the concepts, and retake this practice exam a few days later.
The real exam has more questions and more varied wording than this practice set, but the range of concepts it asks about is the same. If you have trained yourself to pair each feature’s name precisely with its role, you will have plenty of time.
This concludes the GitHub Foundations series.