This CKAD Exam study guide is here to help you get ready for the CKAD Certification exam. It includes all the stuff you need. CKAD is a top Kubernetes certification that focuses on how to develop with Kubernetes.
In this guide, I’ll share all the resources you’ll need to prepare for the CKAD exam. Plus, I’ll give you tips that helped me pass the CKAD exam with a score of 92 out of 100.
What is the Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) exam?
The Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) certification stands as one of the most sought-after credentials in today’s industry landscape. Geared towards engineers with a passion for conceiving, creating, constructing, and overseeing applications within Kubernetes.
This program, the Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD), serves to validate the aptitude, understanding, and proficiency of individuals in fulfilling the role of Kubernetes application developers.
Register for the CKAD Certification [Save 20% Today]
To begin your journey of becoming a Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) – start by registering for the CKAD exam on the Linux Foundation portal. When you register you get free access to two sessions of killer.sh CKAD practice exams that will help you clear the CKAD exam.
Register today and use our exclusive coupon code TECK20 for the CKAD exam to get a 20% discount on CKAD (and KCNA, CKA, and CKS certifications ). This code expires soon.
CKAD Exam Voucher: Use coupon Code TECK20 at checkout
Hurry Up: Offer valid or Limited Time ⏳
- Upon registration, you have ONE YEAR to schedule and complete the exam.
- The CKAD exam is conducted online and remotely proctored.
- To pass the exam, you must achieve a score of 66% or higher.
- CKAD Certification is valid for 3 years. If you give the exam after April 1st 2024, it will be valid for only two years
- You are allowed a maximum of 2 attempts to take the test. However, if you miss a scheduled exam for any reason, your second attempt will be invalidated.
- Free access to killer.sh for the CKAD practice exam.
Note: You can always check the latest Kubernetes Certification Voucher Codes to save costs on the CKA, CKAD, and CKS certification registration
Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) Exam Preparation Guide
This section will go over the complete resources and official CKAD kubernetes documentation pages that can help you prepare for the exam better.
CKAD Exam Prerequisites
CKAD does not require any candidate to have any other certification before appearing for the CKAD exam. The only thing required to clear the exam is practice, practice, and practice.
CKAD Exam details
| Exam Duration | 2 hours |
| Pass Percentage | 66% |
| CKAD Exam Kubernetes Version | Kubernetes v1.29 |
| CKAD Validity | 3 Years Starting from 04/01/2024, CKAD and CKA Kubernetes certifications will have a validity period of 2 years |
| Exam Cost | $395 USD ( GET 20 % OFF using Coupon TECK20) |
CKAD exam is an open book exam i.e. you can use the following websites while you are taking the exam (Resources Allowed):-
- https://kubernetes.io/docs/
- https://github.com/kubernetes/
- https://kubernetes.io/blog/ and their subdomains. This includes all available language translations of these pages (e.g. https://kubernetes.io/zh/docs/)
The online proctored exam is taken on PSI’s Proctoring Platform “Bridge”, using the PSI Secure Browser (a web browser created to guarantee a secure exam delivery over a virtual connection). Read more about the system and testing environment requirements.
Read more about the CKAD Exam user interface here.
CKAD Exam Syllabus
The following are the domains and competencies part of the CKAD syllabus along with their respective topics and weightage.
| Topic | Concepts | Weightage |
|---|---|---|
| Application Design and Build | 1. Define, build, and modify container images 2. Understand Jobs and CronJobs 3. Understand multi-container Pod design patterns (e.g. sidecar, init, and others) 4. Utilize persistent and ephemeral volumes | 20 % |
| Application Environment, Configuration, and Security | 1. Discover and use resources that extend Kubernetes (CRD) 2. Understand authentication, authorization, and admission control 3. Understanding and defining resource requirements, limits, and quotas 4. Understand ConfigMaps 5. Create & consume Secrets 6. Understand ServiceAccounts 7. Understand SecurityContexts | 25% |
| Services & Networking | 1. Understand API deprecations 2. Implement probes and health checks 3. Use the provided tools to monitor Kubernetes applications 4. Utilize container logs 4. Debugging in Kubernetes | 20% |
| Application Deployment | 1. Use Kubernetes primitives to implement common deployment strategies (e.g. blue/green or canary) 2. Understand Deployments and how to perform rolling updates 3. Use the Helm package manager to deploy existing packages | 20% |
| Application Observability and Maintenance | 1. Understand API deprecations 2. Implement probes and health checks 3. Use provided tools to monitor Kubernetes applications 4. Utilize container logs 4. Debugging in Kubernetes | 15% |
We will look at each section in detail below.
CKAD Preparation Course
Purchasing a CKAD course will make it easier for you to comprehend every concept required for the CKAD exam. I strongly advise you to enroll in a top-notch guided CKAD course of your choosing if you are a novice with no prior experience working with Kubernetes environments.
I advise enrolling in Mumshad’s CKAD preparation course. There are many quizzes in his course, and they are of the highest caliber.
CKAD Practice Exams
To practice for the CKAD exam, you can try the Mock exams. It will help you build confidence and practice many scenarios for the exam.
Personally, I think that this course is the only thing necessary to pass the exam.
CKAD Exam Practice Labs
The best way to prepare is to practice a lot! The below setups will give you a Kubernetes cluster where you can do all the required practice. The exam expects you to solve problems on a live cluster.
CKAD does not have any MCQ-type format – so hands-on practice is a must.
CKAD Exam Study Resources
Here, I will be discussing official Kubernetes resources that can be used to prepare for each topic of the CKAD exam. You can use these documentation pages during the exam for reference.
Kubernetes Objects Shortcuts
Use the following Kubernetes object shortcuts to save time:
| Objects | Shortcuts |
|---|---|
| pods | po |
| deployments | deploy |
| services | svc |
| serviceaccounts | sa |
| nodes | no |
| configmaps | cm |
| namespaces | ns |
| ingresses | ing |
| persistentvolumes | pv |
| persistentvolumeclaims | pvc |
| replicasets | rs |
Top 5 Tips for CKAD Exam
Practice , Practice , Practice …
This exam is hands-on in nature, emphasizing the importance of proficiency with the Kubernetes command line interface (kubectl).
It is essential to cultivate a high level of comfort and familiarity with kubectl, practicing the art of typing commands swiftly and accurately.
As mentioned earlier, please ensure that you review the practice exam provided in Mumshad Mannambeth’s Udemy course. It is highly recommended to enroll in the two killer,sh, hands-on sessions and aim for outstanding scores in order to thoroughly prepare yourself before attempting the actual exam.
Time Management
Since you will be executing the kubectl command multiple times, setting up aliases can save you valuable seconds with each entry. For instance, assigning an alias like ‘k’ for ‘kube-control’ can potentially grant you an additional minute or two towards the end of the exam
alias k=kubectl
In the exam, you have the privilege to access and consult the Kubernetes documentation pages for obtaining crucial information. This unique aspect sets the Kubernetes certification exam apart from others, as it assesses your capability to effectively utilize the documentation rather than relying solely on memorization.
To excel in the exam, it is essential to become well-acquainted with the documentation’s structure and practice efficient searching techniques. Please be aware that using bookmarks is not allowed during the exam, so it is advised to refrain from attempting to do so.
During the exam, managing your time efficiently is crucial. With approximately 15 to 20 questions of varying difficulty levels, it’s essential to make strategic decisions regarding time allocation. Don’t get trapped on a single challenging question and exhaust all your time.
Do not begin your exam from Question 1! Each question has a Task Weight and you should aim to complete higher score questions first.
Remember that achieving a perfect score is not necessary to pass the exam. A minimum score of 66% or above is sufficient
Review Completed Tasks
After each question, it is crucial to review your work meticulously to ensure accuracy. Avoid the risk of spending 10-15 minutes on a question and unintentionally overlooking potential errors
For example, if you have created a pod , it is highly recommended to check its status before moving on to another task. This verification step ensures that the pod is created and started.
kubelet get pod <podName>
Stress Management
You will be able to complete the exam in 2 hours.
PLEASE DON’T get panic because :
- First: if it is your first attempt then you have the other left.
- Second: is that you only need 66 % to crack the exam 🙂
Configuration Management during the Exam
As mentioned previously, the CKA exam environment consists of six clusters, each with its own dedicated set of nodes. It is essential to emphasize the significance of switching contexts correctly between these clusters before attempting any tasks in the exam.
One common mistake individuals make is performing actions on the wrong cluster. To avoid this, ensure that you carefully switch the context to the intended cluster before executing any commands or tasks. Paying close attention to this detail will help maintain accuracy throughout the exam and prevent errors caused by working on the wrong cluster
At the start of each task you’ll be provided with the command to ensure you are on the correct cluster to complete the task , for example :
kubectl config use-context k8sAn example of command to ssh to a master node :
ssh mk8s-master-0 Us elevated privileges on the master node :
sudo -iCKAD Exam Question
CKAD EXAM QUESTION
# Create a Pod named nginx-ckad in the existing "teckbootcamps-namespace" namespace.
# Specify a single container using nginx:stable image.
# Specify a resource request of 400m cpus and 1G1 of memory for the Pod’s container.CKAD Exam Solution
kubectl config use-context ckad-k8s
controlplane $ kubectl run nginx-ckad --image=nginx:stable --namespace=teckbootcamps-namespace --dry-run=client -o yaml > solution-ckad.yaml
vi solution-ckad.yamlChange the solution-ckad,yaml to add resources request ( cpu & memory )
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
creationTimestamp: null
labels:
run: nginx-ckad
name: nginx-ckad
namespace: teckbootcamps-namespace
spec:
containers:
- image: nginx:stable
name: nginx-resources
resources:
requests:
cpu: 400m
memory: 1Gi
dnsPolicy: ClusterFirst
restartPolicy: Always
status: {}controlplane $ k apply -f solution-ckad.yaml
pod/nginx-ckad created
controlplane $ k get pods -n teckbootcamps-namespace
NAME READY STATUS RESTARTS AGE
nginx-ckad 1/1 Running 0 8sConclusion
Congratulations on finishing our in-depth CKAD exam study guide. You’re well on your way to becoming a Certified Kubernetes Application Developer if you stick to the roadmap we’ve provided and master the key concepts.
Remember to practice on a regular basis, look into additional resources, and keep up with the latest Kubernetes developments. Best wishes on your CKAD exam journey!
Do check out the CKA & CKS certification guides as well.
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