Respected, verifiable certifications from a vendor-neutral entity like The Linux Foundation demonstrate the depth of your skills to potential employers, most of whom report they are more likely to hire someone holding such a certification.
The Linux Foundation Certified IT Associate (LFCA) exam demonstrates a user’s expertise and skills in fundamental information technology functions, especially in cloud computing. It is ideal for those getting started in an IT career as an administrator/engineer.
The LFCA is a pre-professional certification intended for those new to the industry or considering starting an IT career as an administrator or engineer. This certification is ideal for users interested in advancing to the professional level through a demonstrated understanding of critical concepts for modern IT systems including cloud computing.
A Certified IT Associate will confirm early proficiency and aptitude in the IT field. The exam is intended to integrate with other qualifications and provides a stepping stone to more advanced credentials.
LFCA will test candidates’ knowledge of fundamental IT concepts including operating systems, software application installation and management, hardware installation, use of the command line and basic programming, basic networking functions, security best practices, and other related topics to validate their capability and preparedness for an entry-level IT position.
The Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator (LFCS) exam is ideal for candidates looking to validate their ability to proficiently install, configure, and operate Linux-based systems, whether on-premises or cloud-based.
NEW EXAM SIMULATOR! Learners will now have access to an exam simulator, provided by Killer.sh, to experience the exam environment. You will have two exam simulation attempts (36 hours of access for each attempt from the start of activation). Simulation includes 20-25 questions (which are exactly the same for every attempt and every user (unlike those found on the actual exams) and graded simulation results.
LFCS is ideal for candidates early in their Linux system administration or open source career. Candidates should have completed training in Linux system administration.
LFCS was developed by The Linux Foundation to help meet the increasing demand for Linux administration talent. The exam consists of performance-based items that simulate on-the-job tasks and scenarios faced by sysadmins in the real world. The exam is independent of distribution-specific tasks, therefore selecting a platform in the exam preparation checklist is no longer required.
Certified Linux systems administrators can work proficiently to operate Linux-based systems, understand key concepts, use Linux to deploy and operate applications and services and understand Linux networking fundamentals and it’s role of supporting cloud-native deployments.
The Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator (LFCS) exam is ideal for candidates looking to validate their ability to proficiently install, configure, and operate Linux-based systems, whether on-premises or cloud-based.
NOTE: As communicated, the LFCS exam has been updated as of 12:01am UTC on May 11, 2023. All exams taken going forward will be based on the domains and competencies below (including retakes).
As of December 31, 2022, Japanese speaking proctors will no longer be available to support our JP exams. Starting January 1, 2023, these exams will be proctored by English speaking proctors. (NOTE: The exam content will still be available in Japanese).
LFCS is ideal for candidates early in their Linux system administration or open source career. Candidates should have completed training in Linux system administration.
LFCS was developed by The Linux Foundation to help meet the increasing demand for Linux administration talent. The exam consists of performance-based items that simulate on-the-job tasks and scenarios faced by sysadmins in the real world. The exam is independent of distribution-specific tasks, therefore selecting a platform in the exam preparation checklist is no longer required.
What It Demonstrates
Certified Linux systems administrators can work proficiently to operate Linux-based systems, understand key concepts, use Linux to deploy and operate applications and services and understand Linux networking fundamentals and it’s role of supporting cloud-native deployments.
The Linux Foundation Certified Cloud Technician (LFCT) exam demonstrates a candidate’s competence of using the command line to configure, manage, and troubleshoot Linux systems and containers in a platform- and distribution-agnostic way.
NEW EXAM SIMULATOR! Learners will now have access to an exam simulator, provided by Killer.sh, to experience the exam environment. You will have two exam simulation attempts (36 hours of access for each attempt from the start of activation). Simulation includes 20-25 questions (which are exactly the same for every attempt and every user (unlike those found on the actual exams) and graded simulation results.
The LFCT is for Linux Power Users, Software Developers, or existing certified candidates (CKA, etc.) who wish to demonstrate their ability to work efficiently in a Linux environment and be more successful at their job. Other candidates for LFCT include Cloud Administrators or LFCA-certified candidates who don’t wish to invest fully in becoming a Linux System Administrator (LFCS).
A Linux Foundation Certified Cloud Technician (LFCT) can proficiently work with modern cloud infrastructure built on Linux, VMs, containers, Git, CI/CD pipelines, and orchestration tools.
An LFCT understands key concepts such as automation, pipelines, change management, validation, and troubleshooting.
As of December 31, 2022, Japanese speaking proctors will no longer be available to support our JP exams. Starting January 1, 2023, these exams will be proctored by English speaking proctors. (NOTE: The exam content will still be available in Japanese).
The Linux Foundation 認定 IT アソシエイト(LFCA-JP) exam demonstrates a user’s expertise and skills in fundamental information technology functions, especially in cloud computing. It is ideal for those getting started in an IT career as an administrator/engineer.
The LFCA is a pre-professional certification intended for those new to the industry or considering starting an IT career as an administrator or engineer. This certification is ideal for users interested in advancing to the professional level through a demonstrated understanding of critical concepts for modern IT systems including cloud computing.
A Certified IT Associate will confirm early proficiency and aptitude in the IT field. The exam is intended to integrate with other qualifications and provides a stepping stone to more advanced credentials.
LFCA will test candidates’ knowledge of fundamental IT concepts including operating systems, software application installation and management, hardware installation, use of the command line and basic programming, basic networking functions, security best practices, and other related topics to validate their capability and preparedness for an entry-level IT position.
The Prometheus Certified Associate (PCA) exam demonstrates an engineers foundational knowledge of observability and skills using Prometheus, the open source systems monitoring and alerting toolkit.
The PCA is a pre-professional certification designed for an engineer or application developer with special interests in observability and monitoring.
Ideal candidates may have achieved Kubernetes certifications such as KCNA, CKA, or CKAD or have completed Prometheus-specific training or Cloud Engineer bootcamps
A certified PCA will confirm foundational knowledge for building or scraping observability data in the application stack whether or not it is cloud native.
The PCA exam is intended to prepare candidates to work with the fundamentals of data monitoring, metrics, alerts, and dashboards using Prometheus.
The PCA demonstrates a candidate’s understanding of best practices for monitoring cloud native applications and infrastructure using Prometheus.
A PCA digital credential ensures the candidate understands how to use observability data to improve application performance, troubleshoot system implementations, and feed that data into other systems.
The Istio Certified Associate (ICA) exam demonstrates a solid understanding of Istio principles, terminology, and best practices in order to set up Istio.
PLEASE NOTE: The ICA (Istio Certified Associate) certification exam can be purchased as of September 21, 2023 but the ability to schedule and take an ICA (Istio Certified Associate) exam will not be available until November 2023. Registrants will be notified as soon as scheduling is available.
The ICA is a pre-professional certification designed for engineers, CI/CD practitioners or anyone with special interests in Istio.
A certified ICA will confirm their foundational knowledge of Istio principles, terminology, and best practices and demonstrate their ability to set up Istio.
The ICA demonstrates a candidate’s solid understanding of Istio principles, terminology, and best practices to set up Istio.
The Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) program provides assurance that CKAs have the skills, knowledge, and competency to perform the responsibilities of Kubernetes administrators.
EXAM SIMULATOR! Learners will now have access to an exam simulator, provided by Killer.sh, to experience the exam environment. You will have two exam simulation attempts (36 hours of access for each attempt from the start of activation). Simulation includes 20-25 questions (which are exactly the same for every attempt and every user (unlike those found on the actual exams) and graded simulation results.
This certification is for Kubernetes administrators, cloud administrators and other IT professionals who manage Kubernetes instances.
CKA was created by The Linux Foundation and the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) as a part of their ongoing effort to help develop the Kubernetes ecosystem. The exam is an online, proctored, performance-based test that requires solving multiple tasks from a command line running Kubernetes.
A certified K8s administrator has demonstrated the ability to do basic installation as well as configuring and managing production-grade Kubernetes clusters. They will have an understanding of key concepts such as Kubernetes networking, storage, security, maintenance, logging and monitoring, application lifecycle, troubleshooting, API object primitives and the ability to establish basic use-cases for end users.
The Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) exam certifies that candidates can design, build and deploy cloud-native applications for Kubernetes.
This certification is for Kubernetes engineers, cloud engineers and other IT professionals responsible for building, deploying, and configuring cloud native applications with Kubernetes.
CKAD has been developed by The Linux Foundation and the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), to help expand the Kubernetes ecosystem through standardized training and certification. This exam is an online, proctored, performance-based test that consists of a set of performance-based tasks (problems) to be solved in a command line.
The Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) can design, build and deploy cloud-native applications for Kubernetes.
A CKAD can define application resources and use Kubernetes core primitives to create/migrate, configure, expose and observe scalable applications.
The exam assumes working knowledge of container runtimes and microservice architecture.
The successful candidate will be comfortable:
– working with (OCI-compliant) container images
– applying Cloud Native application concepts and architectures
– working with and validating Kubernetes resource definitions.
The Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) program provides assurance that a CKS has the skills, knowledge, and competence on a broad range of best practices for securing container-based applications and Kubernetes platforms during build, deployment and runtime. CKA certification is required to sit for this exam.
A Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) is an accomplished Kubernetes practitioner (must be CKA certified) who has demonstrated competence on a broad range of best practices for securing container-based applications and Kubernetes platforms during build, deployment and runtime.
CKS is a performance-based certification exam that tests candidates’ knowledge of Kubernetes and cloud security in a simulated, real world environment. Candidates must have taken and passed the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) exam prior to attempting the CKS exam. CKS may be purchased but not scheduled until CKA certification has been achieved.
CKA Certification must be active (non-expired) on the date the CKS exam (including Retakes) is scheduled.
Obtaining a CKS demonstrates a candidate possesses the requisite abilities to secure container-based applications and Kubernetes platforms during build, deployment and runtime, and is qualified to perform these tasks in a professional setting.
FinOps Certified Practitioner covers FinOps fundamentals and an overview of key concepts in each of the three sections of the FinOps lifecycle: Inform, Optimize, and Operate. It is designed for professionals who desire a basic understanding of FinOps and how it is applied to enhance business value from cloud spend. Organizations undergoing an public cloud-first strategy or who are in the midst of a public cloud migration will also benefit greatly.
FinOps Certified Professional course is the most in-depth and hands-on FinOps training available. It is designed for experienced FinOps practitioners who want to move to the next level to further their careers, further their knowledge in their current practice, and round out their FinOps knowledge with other professionals who have similar and varied backgrounds.
Individuals in a large variety of cloud, finance and technology roles to validate their FinOps knowledge and enhance their professional credibility.
Advanced your knowledge of FinOps with a range of training and certification options.
Check out the FinOps Foundation learning opportunities at learn.finops.org.
The Prometheus Certified Associate (PCA) exam demonstrates an engineers foundational knowledge of observability and skills using Prometheus, the open source systems monitoring and alerting toolkit.
The PCA is a pre-professional certification designed for an engineer or application developer with special interests in observability and monitoring.
Ideal candidates may have achieved Kubernetes certifications such as KCNA, CKA, or CKAD or have completed Prometheus-specific training or Cloud Engineer bootcamps
A certified PCA will confirm foundational knowledge for building or scraping observability data in the application stack whether or not it is cloud native.
The PCA exam is intended to prepare candidates to work with the fundamentals of data monitoring, metrics, alerts, and dashboards using Prometheus.
The PCA demonstrates a candidate’s understanding of best practices for monitoring cloud native applications and infrastructure using Prometheus.
A PCA digital credential ensures the candidate understands how to use observability data to improve application performance, troubleshoot system implementations, and feed that data into other systems.
As of December 31, 2022, Japanese speaking proctors will no longer be available to support our JP exams. Starting January 1, 2023, these exams will be proctored by English speaking proctors. (NOTE: The exam content will still be available in Japanese).
The Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) program provides assurance that CKAs have the skills, knowledge, and competency to perform the responsibilities of Kubernetes administrators.
This certification is for Kubernetes administrators, cloud administrators and other IT professionals who manage Kubernetes instances.
CKA was created by The Linux Foundation and the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) as a part of their ongoing effort to help develop the Kubernetes ecosystem. The exam is an online, proctored, performance-based test that requires solving multiple tasks from a command line running Kubernetes.
A certified K8s administrator has demonstrated the ability to do basic installation as well as configuring and managing production-grade Kubernetes clusters. They will have an understanding of key concepts such as Kubernetes networking, storage, security, maintenance, logging and monitoring, application lifecycle, troubleshooting, API object primitives and the ability to establish basic use-cases for end users.
As of December 31, 2022, Japanese speaking proctors will no longer be available to support our JP exams. Starting January 1, 2023, these exams will be proctored by English speaking proctors. (NOTE: The exam content will still be available in Japanese).
The Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) exam certifies that users can design, build and deploy cloud-native applications for Kubernetes.
This certification is for Kubernetes engineers, cloud engineers and other IT professionals responsible for building, deploying, and configuring cloud native applications with Kubernetes.
CKAD has been developed by The Linux Foundation and the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), to help expand the Kubernetes ecosystem through standardized training and certification. This exam is an online, proctored, performance-based test that consists of a set of performance-based tasks (problems) to be solved in a command line.
The Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) can design, build and deploy cloud-native applications for Kubernetes.
A CKAD can define application resources and use Kubernetes core primitives to create/migrate, configure, expose and observe scalable applications.
The exam assumes working knowledge of container runtimes and microservice architecture.
The successful candidate will be comfortable:
– working with (OCI-compliant) container images
– applying Cloud Native application concepts and architectures
– working with and validating Kubernetes resource definitions
As of December 31, 2022, Japanese speaking proctors will no longer be available to support our JP exams. Starting January 1, 2023, these exams will be proctored by English speaking proctors. (NOTE: The exam content will still be available in Japanese).
The Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) program provides assurance that a CKS has the skills, knowledge, and competence on a broad range of best practices for securing container-based applications and Kubernetes platforms during build, deployment and runtime. CKA certification is required to sit for this exam.
A Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) is an accomplished Kubernetes practitioner (must be CKA certified) who has demonstrated competence on a broad range of best practices for securing container-based applications and Kubernetes platforms during build, deployment and runtime.
CKS is a performance-based certification exam that tests candidates’ knowledge of Kubernetes and cloud security in a simulated, real world environment. Candidates must have taken and passed the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) exam prior to attempting the CKS exam. CKS may be purchased but not scheduled until CKA certification has been achieved.
CKA Certification must be active (non-expired) on the date the CKS exam (including Retakes) is scheduled.
Obtaining a CKS demonstrates a candidate possesses the requisite abilities to secure container-based applications and Kubernetes platforms during build, deployment and runtime, and is qualified to perform these tasks in a professional setting.
The Linux Foundation Certified Cloud Technician (LFCT) exam demonstrates a candidate’s competence of using the command line to configure, manage, and troubleshoot Linux systems and containers in a platform- and distribution-agnostic way.
NEW EXAM SIMULATOR! Learners will now have access to an exam simulator, provided by Killer.sh, to experience the exam environment. You will have two exam simulation attempts (36 hours of access for each attempt from the start of activation). Simulation includes 20-25 questions (which are exactly the same for every attempt and every user (unlike those found on the actual exams) and graded simulation results.
The LFCT is for Linux Power Users, Software Developers, or existing certified candidates (CKA, etc.) who wish to demonstrate their ability to work efficiently in a Linux environment and be more successful at their job. Other candidates for LFCT include Cloud Administrators or LFCA-certified candidates who don’t wish to invest fully in becoming a Linux System Administrator (LFCS).
A Linux Foundation Certified Cloud Technician (LFCT) can proficiently work with modern cloud infrastructure built on Linux, VMs, containers, Git, CI/CD pipelines, and orchestration tools.
An LFCT understands key concepts such as automation, pipelines, change management, validation, and troubleshooting.
As of December 31, 2022, Japanese speaking proctors will no longer be available to support our JP exams. Starting January 1, 2023, these exams will be proctored by English speaking proctors. (NOTE: The exam content will still be available in Japanese).
認定Kubernetesクラウドネイティブアソシエイト (KCNA-JP) exam is the Japanese version of the KCNA, which demonstrates a user’s foundational knowledge and skills in Kubernetes and the wider cloud native ecosystem.
The KCNA is a pre-professional certification designed for candidates interested in advancing to the professional level through a demonstrated understanding of kubernetes foundational knowledge and skills. This certification is ideal for students learning about or candidates interested in working with cloud native technologies.
A certified KCNA will confirm conceptual knowledge of the entire cloud native ecosystem, particularly focusing on Kubernetes. The KCNA exam is intended to prepare candidates to work with cloud native technologies and pursue further CNCF credentials, including CKA, CKAD, and CKS.
KCNA will demonstrate a candidate’s basic knowledge of Kubernetes and cloud-native technologies, including how to deploy an application using basic kubectl commands, the architecture of Kubernetes (containers, pods, nodes, clusters), understanding the cloud-native landscape and projects (storage, networking, GitOps, service mesh), and understanding the principles of cloud-native security.
COMING SOON! The Kubernetes and Cloud Native Security Associate (KCSA) exam demonstrates a user’s understanding of the baseline security configuration of Kubernetes clusters to meet compliance objectives, including the ability to harden security controls, test and monitor the security, and participate in assessing security threats and vulnerabilities.
The KCSA is a pre-professional certification designed for candidates interested in advancing to the professional level through a demonstrated understanding of foundational knowledge and skills of security technologies in the cloud native ecosystem.
A certified KCSA will confirm an understanding of the baseline security configuration of Kubernetes clusters to meet compliance objectives.
KCSA will demonstrate a candidate’s basic knowledge of the baseline security configuration of Kubernetes clusters to meet compliance objectives, including their ability to harden security controls, test and monitor the security, and participate in assessing security risks and vulnerabilities.
The Istio Certified Associate (ICA) exam demonstrates a solid understanding of Istio principles, terminology, and best practices in order to set up Istio.
PLEASE NOTE: The ICA (Istio Certified Associate) certification exam can be purchased as of September 21, 2023 but the ability to schedule and take an ICA (Istio Certified Associate) exam will not be available until November 2023. Registrants will be notified as soon as scheduling is available.
The ICA is a pre-professional certification designed for engineers, CI/CD practitioners or anyone with special interests in Istio.
A certified ICA will confirm their foundational knowledge of Istio principles, terminology, and best practices and demonstrate their ability to set up Istio.
The ICA demonstrates a candidate’s solid understanding of Istio principles, terminology, and best practices to set up Istio.