Akamai Web Performance

It is a multiple-choice exam delivered in a proctored setting, with each item having one best answer. The official body publishes the current item count, time limit, and delivery options; check its website before you schedule, since those details change between versions.

Moderately hard for people who only know the UI, easier for those who understand HTTP caching and CDN request flow. Most items are applied scenarios rather than definitions, so surface familiarity with menus and behavior names is not enough. Expect to justify why one configuration is better than another.

Plan on several weeks of part-time study if you already work with a CDN, longer if you do not. Spend the first half on fundamentals - caching headers, TTLs, revalidation, TLS, DNS - and the second half on platform configuration and troubleshooting scenarios. Hands-on sandbox practice accelerates this considerably.

Start with fundamentals and CDN concepts, because caching and edge optimization build directly on them. Then study property configuration, since behaviors and match criteria are how theory becomes a deployable rule. Add measurement and troubleshooting once you can configure, and finish with security and operational practices.

Candidates lose points by confusing cache-control directives, mixing up which behavior applies at which stage of the request flow, and guessing at troubleshooting steps instead of reading the data. Another frequent error is choosing the most advanced feature when a simpler cache or header change solves the problem.

Retake rules, waiting periods, and any associated costs are set by the certifying organization and are updated periodically. Rather than rely on secondhand information, confirm the current retake policy on the official website before your first attempt so you know your options.

No. Proctored multiple-choice exams of this type do not permit notes, documentation, or browser access during the test. If a version allows any reference material, the official candidate handbook will state it explicitly, so read that document rather than assuming.

Fees and validity periods are published by the certification body and change over time, so this page does not quote them. Check the official site for the current price, any regional variation, and the recertification or renewal requirements that apply to your version.

No. A sandbox or trial property is enough to practice rule trees, caching behaviors, and header manipulation. If you cannot get platform access, work through request-flow diagrams and read real response headers from public sites to build the same intuition.