CKAD
Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD)
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ExploreAbout this exam
The Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) is a vendor-neutral credential created by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation in collaboration with The Linux Foundation. It certifies that a developer can design, build, configure, and expose cloud-native applications for Kubernetes - defining application resources and using core primitives to build, monitor, and troubleshoot scalable applications and tools. The exam is aimed at application developers with working knowledge of container runtimes and microservice architecture who are comfortable working with OCI-compliant container images, applying cloud-native application concepts and architectures, and working with and validating Kubernetes resource definitions. There are no prerequisites, and the experience level is listed as intermediate.
The CKAD is an online, proctored, performance-based test made up of hands-on tasks solved from a command line against a real Kubernetes cluster, and candidates have two hours to complete them. Tasks are weighted by domain: Application Design and Build (20%), Application Deployment (20%), Application Observability and Maintenance (15%), Application Environment, Configuration and Security (25%), and Services and Networking (20%). The exam is based on Kubernetes v1.37, and the environment is aligned with the most recent Kubernetes minor version within roughly four to eight weeks of a release.
Preparation is hands-on: build fluency with kubectl and resource manifests, work through each curriculum domain, and rehearse under time pressure. Enrollment includes an exam simulator from Killer.sh with two attempts of 17 questions each, 36 hours of access per attempt.
What you'll study
About CKAD preparation
What is the CKAD exam format?
It is an online, proctored, performance-based test consisting of a set of tasks solved in a command line running Kubernetes - not multiple choice. You work directly against a live environment, and the environment is based on Kubernetes v1.37. Candidates have two hours to complete the tasks.
How much does the CKAD cost, and what is included?
The certification exam only is $445 and includes one free retake, so you get two exam attempts total. Bundles are also offered: exam plus a THRIVE-ONE annual subscription for $625, or exam plus the Kubernetes for Developers (LFD259) course for $645.
How long do I have to schedule and take the exam?
Enrollment includes 12 months of exam eligibility to schedule and sit the exam, so you can pick a slot that fits your preparation. The certification itself is valid for two years once you pass, and CKAD participates in the CARE program for certification maintenance.
Is the exam difficult, and what experience level does it target?
The listed experience level is intermediate, and there are no prerequisites. The exam assumes working knowledge of container runtimes and microservice architecture, plus comfort with OCI-compliant container images and Kubernetes resource definitions. Candidates consistently describe it as a practical, time-pressured test of real cluster work rather than memorization.
How is the exam scored, and what is the passing score?
Scoring is automatic and results come quickly, but the passing score is not published in the official program materials, so treat any specific number you see elsewhere with caution. Focus instead on completing every task correctly within the two-hour window; partial task completion still earns credit toward your result.
Which domains should I study first?
Application Environment, Configuration and Security carries the most weight at 25%, so start there - ConfigMaps, Secrets, ServiceAccounts, requests and limits, quotas, and security contexts. Then cover Application Design and Build (20%), Application Deployment (20%), and Services and Networking (20%), finishing with Application Observability and Maintenance (15%).
What is included to help me prepare?
Enrollment includes access to an exam simulator provided by Killer.sh: two simulation attempts, each with 17 questions and 36 hours of access per attempt from activation. The two attempts contain different question sets, and the simulator returns graded results so you can find weak domains before exam day.
What is the most common way candidates run out of time?
Slow manifest authoring. Generating YAML from scratch instead of using imperative kubectl commands and dry-run output, and re-reading documentation for basics, both burn minutes. Practice producing Pods, Deployments, Services, ConfigMaps, and Secrets from the command line until it is routine, then rehearse full task sets under a timer.
Can the exam change with new Kubernetes releases?
Yes. Quarterly exam updates are planned to match Kubernetes releases, and the CKAD environment is aligned with the most recent Kubernetes minor version within approximately four to eight weeks of the Kubernetes release date. Check the official FAQ for the current exam environment version before you sit it.