Adobe Commerce Architect Master study plan
Adobe Commerce Architect Master · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Adobe Commerce Architecture and Solution Design
Diagram the layered request flow from browser to response, labeling each architectural layer and its responsibilities
Compare the tradeoffs of extending core behavior via plugins versus preferences versus observers for three sample requirements
Identify which design pattern (repository, service contract, view model, composite) fits five given module scenarios and justify each choice
Draft a solution design for a multi-store, multi-website catalog with shared and overridden attributes, listing the decision points
Your checkpoint
A one-page architecture decision record for a sample multi-store solution, with a labeled request-flow diagram and a table mapping five requirements to chosen extension mechanisms with rationale
Adobe Commerce Architecture and Solution Design & Custom Module and Extension Development
Write a working custom module from scratch with routes, controllers, layout XML, and a block, then verify it renders
Implement a plugin (before/after/around) and an observer for the same event and document when each fires
Declare and consume a service contract interface with a preference binding, then call it from a controller
Add dependency injection via di.xml and confirm constructor injection resolves without ObjectManager
Your checkpoint
A functioning sample module committed to a scratch repo, with a README listing each file, its purpose, and the extension mechanism used, plus a short note on plugin ordering
Custom Module and Extension Development & Database and Data Modeling
Create a declarative schema (db_schema.xml) for a custom entity with foreign keys, indexes, and a nullable column, then run schema upgrade
Build a repository, collection, and data patch to seed and query the entity
Model an EAV attribute set for a sample product type and explain when EAV versus flat tables is the right call
Write a setup patch that migrates data from an old column into a new table without data loss
Your checkpoint
A schema-and-data migration package that installs cleanly on a fresh instance and upgrades an existing one, with a written comparison of EAV versus flat-table tradeoffs for the entity
Integration and API Architecture & Performance, Scalability, and Caching
Expose a custom REST endpoint and a GraphQL query for the same entity, then compare payload shape and auth requirements
Design an integration that consumes an external API with retries, timeouts, and idempotency, and sketch the failure handling
Map the caching layers (full-page, block, config, opcode) and identify which layer invalidates on a catalog price change
Profile a slow category page and propose three concrete caching or indexing fixes
Your checkpoint
An integration design document covering the REST and GraphQL endpoints, an external-API consumption flow with retry and idempotency rules, and a caching-layer map with three prioritized performance fixes
Performance, Scalability, and Caching & Security and Access Control
Configure and verify full-page cache with a Varnish-style reverse proxy in a local stack, then confirm cache hits on repeat requests
Implement ACL resources and role-based restrictions for a custom admin controller, then test denial paths
Harden a form flow against CSRF and XSS using the platform's built-in protections and validate with a tampered request
Explain how session storage and customer data isolation behave across websites in a multi-store setup
Your checkpoint
A security and caching checklist applied to the sample module: a passing cache-hit test, an ACL denial test, and a CSRF rejection test, each with the command or request used and the observed result
Deployment, Build, and Release Management & Cloud Infrastructure and Environment Configuration
Set up a local environment using the cloud Docker workflow and reproduce a staging-like config split
Define a build-and-release pipeline: static content deploy, DI compile, and config import as distinct stages
Document environment variables versus config.php versus env.php and where each belongs in the release process
Practice a rollback: tag a release, deploy, then revert to the prior tag and verify the storefront
Your checkpoint
A release runbook with the pipeline stages in order, the config-file ownership matrix, and a completed rollback rehearsal log showing before/after state
Frontend and Storefront Architecture & Deployment, Build, and Release Management
Trace a storefront page from layout XML through blocks, view models, and templates, and list every override point
Build a theme that overrides a template and a layout handle without touching core files
Explain how static content deploy and bundling affect first paint, and measure the difference
Review a release for frontend regressions: cache-busting, asset versioning, and deploy ordering
Your checkpoint
A custom child theme that overrides one template and one layout handle, with a before/after load-timing note and a frontend release checklist
Adobe Commerce Architecture and Solution Design & Custom Module and Extension Development & Database and Data Modeling & Integration and API Architecture & Performance, Scalability, and Caching & Security and Access Control & Deployment, Build, and Release Management & Cloud Infrastructure and Environment Configuration & Frontend and Storefront Architecture
Re-derive the heaviest domains from memory: architecture layers, extension mechanisms, and caching layers, then check against notes
Complete a timed full-length practice set and categorize every miss by domain
Re-teach the three weakest sub-topics in writing, then re-test those areas
Consolidate all deliverables into a single portfolio index with a one-line summary each
Your checkpoint
A scored practice-exam report with per-domain accuracy, a prioritized list of the three weakest areas, and a portfolio index linking every prior week's deliverable
Milestones
Week 2: A custom module with a controller, plugin, observer, and service contract renders and resolves correctly on a fresh instance
Week 4: The custom entity is queryable via both REST and GraphQL, and the integration design names concrete retry, timeout, and idempotency rules
Week 6: A release has been built, deployed, and rolled back using the runbook, with the storefront verified after each step
Week 8: Full-length practice score is at or above target, and every missed question is mapped to a domain with a written remediation note