Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD)
CKAD certifies that you can design, build and run applications on Kubernetes from the command line. Like CKA, it is entirely performance-based: no multiple choice, just two hours of hands-on tasks in live clusters with the official documentation open in one extra tab. CKA is the cluster operator's exam. CKAD is the application developer's, covering configuration, security context and observability rather than etcd and node management.
- Performance-based hands-on tasks
- Questions
- 120 min
- Duration
- 66%
- Passing score
- US$445
- Exam cost
count not published
Includes one free retake and two Killer.sh simulator sessions
Exam facts reviewed July 2026 · Independent study resource, not affiliated with Cloud Native Computing Foundation
Who should take it
Developers who deploy and operate their own services on Kubernetes, and the platform engineers supporting them. There are no prerequisites, but book-only study will not get you through. Every task runs against a real cluster under time pressure, so kubectl fluency is what carries you.
Skills measured
Domains and weightings as published by Cloud Native Computing Foundation. Full objectives →
- 25%Application Environment, Configuration and Security
- 20%Application Design and Build
- 20%Application Deployment
- 20%Services and Networking
- 15%Application Observability and Maintenance
Prepare with Kwizza
- Free practice exam: full-length, weighted to the official blueprint, every answer explained
- Study guide: focus areas for each domain, common mistakes, and exam-day tips
- Exam objectives: the official domains, broken down skill by skill
- Sample questions: real questions from our bank, with answers and explanations
- How our exams are made: the quality checks behind every question
Frequently asked questions
- Is CKAD multiple choice?
- No. It is entirely performance-based. You solve hands-on tasks on the command line in live clusters over two hours, and you are graded on the resulting cluster state.
- How does CKAD differ from CKA?
- CKA is the cluster administrator's exam: etcd, upgrades, node and control-plane troubleshooting. CKAD is the developer's: configuration, security context, probes and deployment strategy. They share a 66% pass mark and the same two-hour format, and their content barely overlaps.
- Can I use the documentation during the exam?
- Yes, in one extra browser tab, limited to kubernetes.io/docs, kubernetes.io/blog and helm.sh/docs, plus links in the exam's Quick Reference and locally installed docs. Note that gateway-api.sigs.k8s.io is permitted for CKA but not for CKAD.
- How long is it valid?
- Two years from your pass date, renewed by retaking the exam before it expires. Certifications earned before April 2024 remain valid for three years under the older policy.
- Which Kubernetes version does the exam use?
- The environment currently runs Kubernetes v1.35. The Linux Foundation moves it to each new minor version shortly after release, so confirm the current version before you book.
- How do Kwizza's practice questions help if the real exam is hands-on?
- They train recall and judgment: which object or field solves a problem, what a symptom implies, which probe prevents which failure. That knowledge is what makes you fast in the terminal. They are not a substitute for the format, though. Practise against a real cluster too, and use the two Killer.sh sessions bundled with your registration.
Related certifications
- Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA): The cluster-operations counterpart to this exam
- HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate (004): Infrastructure as code alongside container delivery