Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)
CKA certifies that you can operate a production Kubernetes cluster from the command line. It is unusual among IT certifications: there are no multiple-choice questions at all. The exam is two hours of 15–20 hands-on tasks in a live cluster, graded on the end state you leave behind, with the official Kubernetes documentation open in a second tab. Troubleshooting alone is 30% of the score.
- 15–20 performance-based
- Questions
- 120 min
- Duration
- 66%
- Passing score
- US$445
- Exam cost
tasks (no multiple choice)
includes one free retake and two Killer.sh simulator sessions; confirm current pricing on training.linuxfoundation.org
Exam facts reviewed July 2026 · Independent study resource, not affiliated with Cloud Native Computing Foundation
Who should take it
Platform, infrastructure and DevOps engineers who already run Kubernetes and want the credential that proves it. There are no prerequisites, but the format is unforgiving of book-only study — every task is performed against a real cluster under time pressure, so fluency with kubectl and cluster debugging matters more than breadth of recall.
Skills measured
Domains and weightings as published by Cloud Native Computing Foundation. Full objectives →
- 30%Troubleshooting
- 25%Cluster Architecture, Installation & Configuration
- 20%Services & Networking
- 15%Workloads & Scheduling
- 10%Storage
What’s inside
What you get on Kwizza for this certification — free, no account needed to start.
- 300
- Practice questions
- 3
- Full exams
- 5
- Domains covered
- Free
- Cost
weighted to the official blueprint
every answer explained
Prepare with Kwizza
- Free practice exam — full-length, weighted to the official blueprint, every answer explained
- Study guide — domain-by-domain focus areas, common mistakes, exam-day tips
- Exam objectives — the official domains, unpacked
- Sample questions — real items from our bank, with answers and explanations
- How our exams are made — the quality pipeline behind every question
Frequently asked questions
- Is the CKA multiple choice?
- No. It is entirely performance-based — 15–20 tasks solved on the command line in a live cluster over two hours. You are graded on the resulting cluster state, not on explaining your reasoning.
- Can I use the Kubernetes documentation during the exam?
- Yes, in one additional browser tab, limited to whitelisted domains: kubernetes.io/docs, kubernetes.io/blog, helm.sh/docs, gateway-api.sigs.k8s.io, links surfaced in the exam's Quick Reference, and locally installed distribution docs. You may use the site search, but you may not open external search results.
- What score do I need to pass?
- 66%. Partial credit applies per task, so an incomplete task can still earn marks — never leave one untouched.
- How long does the certification last?
- Two years. Renewal means passing the current exam again before it expires; there is no continuing-education path.
- Which Kubernetes version does the exam use?
- The environment currently runs Kubernetes v1.35. The Linux Foundation updates it to each new minor version roughly four to eight weeks after release, so confirm the version before you book.
- How do Kwizza's practice questions help if the real exam is hands-on?
- They train the recall and judgment layer — which object solves a problem, what a symptom implies, which field to reach for — and that is what makes you fast in the terminal. They are not a substitute for the format: practise against a real cluster as well, and use the two Killer.sh simulator sessions bundled with your exam registration.
Related certifications
- CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) — The networking fundamentals that make Services & Networking click
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) — Cloud architecture judgment alongside container operations