Ultimate Guide to Passing the CKAD Exam: Tips, Resources, and Strategies

Vaibhav GagnejaVaibhav Gagneja
4 min read

Table of contents

I cleared the Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) exam on my first attempt. Despite CKAD being a comparatively tough exam, I managed to pass it in just 14 days. Here's how I did it.

Exam Format

  • Duration: 2 hours

  • Format: Performance-based, practical tasks in a command-line, environment is a minimal Linux setup tailored for Kubernetes operations, remotely proctored exam through audio video and screen sharing

  • Number of Questions: Approximately 15-20

  • Passing Score: 66%​.

Most important tips to remember while learning

  • Familiarize yourself with editor of your choice (vim, nano, emacs, etc)to edit YAML file in CLI environment.

  • Don’t try to write your own YAML at the exam. Use --dry-run=client -o yaml > filename.yaml, or you can export command for faster use like export ds = --dry-run=client -o yaml > filename.yaml .

  • Familiarize yourself with official documentation, no matter where you are stuck while practicing refer only the documentation during practice and learning phase or at least try to for 80% of time.

  • Always use kubectl to deploy resources, and the most important official resource to know well for this (Link).

  • Take the course I mentioned in my previous article

  • Then, the most underrated advice: understand the theory part well, as it helps you remember the commands better by understanding the use case of the resource, even though this is a practical exam.

  • Practice is the key

Important tips while giving the exam

  • Always be aware of the context and namespace you are currently working in.

    • kubectl config current-context

    • kubectl config view --minify --output 'jsonpath={..namespace}'

  • If you are unable to recall or know any command or use case, don't panic and use the following command.

    • kubectl explain --help #if you don't know how to use explain

    • kubectl explain deployments

    • kubectl explain deployments.spec #you can expand this as much as you want, to know the child properties.

    • kubectl create deployment --help #this is also a helpful command which will help during exam

  • If you have enough time, try to learn JSONPath; it is quite helpful, and there is a free course by KodeKloud you can access here.

Strategy during learning

  • Learn theory for the topics you are currently on and then follow hands on labs

  • Don't waste time digging deep into theory; know just enough, and I have linked resources below for theory.

  • Time management is crucial during learning; set a time limit for practice, but not for learning.

  • Use the exam simulator provided by CNCF wisely, you get two exam simulators and two exam attempts, with both simulators containing the same set of questions, and don't panic if you score low on the simulator because it is tougher than the real exam. ( I will provide my set of questions for the simulator in the resources. )

Strategy during exam

  • Foremost, this is not your usual exam; it is quite interesting to take, and moreover, it is an open-book exam, reducing the chances of getting stuck.

  • Don't panic at all; try to keep yourself calm.

  • Just like a question paper, skim through the questions quickly in 1-2 minutes (you'll be able to skim because, with ample practice, the questions will seem familiar).

  • After skimming, you'll identify which questions you can answer quickly and which ones will take more time.

  • Solve the easy questions first, then attempt the hard ones; if you can't solve them, flag the question.

  • There will be one or two tough questions on Dockerfile and older Kubernetes versions, so you can flag them and solve them last, as this strategy helped me handle difficult topics.

  • Keep your environment clean and clutter-free to help you concentrate better, and avoid keeping any cheat sheets or notes, as a tidy space helps manage the limited exam time effectively.

General tips

  • You can reschedule the exam as many times as you want until it expires, and you can also schedule it on the last date of its validity.

  • If you reschedule the exam on the last date and don't pass, you will get an extra 15 days for your second attempt.

  • Carefully read the official CKAD certification exam guides.

These are unique tips that, if followed step by step, will help you ace the exam quickly.

All the best for the exam ....... :-)

Resources

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ckadKubernetes#kubernetes #container Dockercontainer orchestrationCertified Kubernetes Application Developer

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Vaibhav Gagneja
Vaibhav Gagneja