Question 1

What is the CKAD exam?

Accepted Answer

The Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) is a hands-on, performance-based certification from the Linux Foundation and CNCF. It tests your ability to design, build, and deploy cloud-native applications on Kubernetes using a live terminal environment. There are no multiple-choice questions; you complete real tasks on actual Kubernetes clusters.

Question 2

How many questions are on the CKAD?

Accepted Answer

The CKAD typically contains between 15 and 20 performance-based tasks. The exact number can vary between sittings. Each task is worth a different number of marks, so prioritising higher-weighted tasks is an important exam strategy.

Question 3

What is the passing score for the CKAD?

Accepted Answer

The passing score for the CKAD is 66%. Results are typically released within 24 hours of completing the exam. If you do not pass on your first attempt, the exam fee includes one free retake.

Question 4

What topics does the CKAD cover?

Accepted Answer

The CKAD covers five domains: Application Design and Build (20%), Application Deployment (20%), Application Observability and Maintenance (15%), Application Environment, Configuration and Security (25%), and Services and Networking (20%). Key areas include multi-container Pods, Deployments, ConfigMaps, Secrets, resource limits, health probes, Jobs, CronJobs, Ingress, and NetworkPolicies.

Question 5

Can I use Kubernetes documentation during the CKAD exam?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Candidates are permitted to have one additional browser tab open to the official Kubernetes documentation at kubernetes.io, as well as the Kubernetes GitHub repository. You cannot use any other resources. Knowing how to quickly find relevant documentation pages is a key skill that can save valuable time during the exam.