Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD) Certification Practice Test

When should you manually increment the AssemblyVersionAttribute?

1. Before every build

2. With every deploy

3. Only for debugging

4. Whenever the code is refactored

The correct answer is: With every deploy

Manually incrementing the AssemblyVersionAttribute is important during the deployment process to ensure that the version of the assembly being deployed is unique and easily identifiable. This practice helps in managing different versions of an application, particularly in environments where multiple versions might coexist or need to be differentiated. Incrementing the AssemblyVersion during deployment allows developers and systems to track which versions are in use, facilitates the identification of changes associated with bug fixes or new features, and helps to address any compatibility issues that may arise between different versions. It ensures that when you deploy a new version of the software, it is marked distinctly from previous versions, allowing for easier rollback or reference in case of issues. In contrast, incrementing the version before every build or only for debugging doesn't necessarily align with best practices for versioning since it may lead to unnecessarily frequent version changes that don't correlate with actual deployed changes. Incrementing due to refactoring without a corresponding release might also lead to confusion regarding which changes are reflected in a given version. Thus, the practice of incrementing the AssemblyVersionAttribute during deployment is key to maintaining clarity and consistency in version management.