Refer to the exhibit. What statement is true about @DirtiesContext?

Question

Exhibit

Options

• AIt will close the existing cached ApplicationContext and recreate a new one before the test
• BIt will close the existing cached ApplicationContext and recreate a new one after the test method.
• CIt will keep the existing cached ApplicationContext, all changes to Spring managed beans will be
• DIt will recreate only the Spring managed beans that are modified inside the test method.

• A
  4% (1)
• B
  88% (22)
• C
  8% (2)

Explanation

@DirtiesContext defaults to AFTER_METHOD mode, meaning it marks the Spring ApplicationContext as dirty and triggers it to be closed and rebuilt after the annotated test method finishes - making B correct.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A describes @DirtiesContext(methodMode = MethodMode.BEFORE_METHOD), which is a valid but non-default configuration - the default is after, not before.
• C is the opposite of what the annotation does; its entire purpose is to invalidate the cached context, not preserve it with in-place changes.
• D is incorrect because @DirtiesContext rebuilds the entire ApplicationContext, not just the specific beans that were modified - Spring has no mechanism to selectively recreate individual beans on that basis.

Memory tip: Read the name literally - "dirties" means you've contaminated the context (e.g., modified a bean's state), so Spring tears it down after you're done with it, like washing a dish after a meal, not before.

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