Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) Study Guide

Developers with the ability to operate, troubleshoot, and monitor applications in Kubernetes are in high demand today. To meet this need, the Cloud Native Computing Foundation created a certification exam to establish a developer's credibility and value in the job market for work in a Kubernetes environment.



The Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) exam format is different from the typical multiple-choice format of other certifications. Instead, the CKAD is performance-based and requires deep knowledge under immense time pressure.



Updated to reflect revisions to the official curriculum made in September 2022, this revised study guide takes you through all the topics you need to fully prepare for the exam. Author Benjamin Muschko also shares his personal experience and tips.


Learn when and how to apply Kubernetes's concepts to manage an application
Understand the objectives, abilities, tips, and tricks needed to pass the CKAD exam
Explore the ins and outs of the kubectl command-line tool
Solve real-world Kubernetes problems in a hands-on command-line environment
Navigate and solve questions during the CKAD exam
New topics include: Deployment strategies, the Helm package manager, resources that extend Kubernetes (CRD), building container images, and more