Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) Study Guide

The ability to administer and monitor a Kubernetes cluster is in high demand. Those who want to demonstrate their credibility and value in the job market hold the Cloud Native Computing Foundation's Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) certification—proving they can confidently work in a Kubernetes environment.

The CKA certification exam isn't the typical multiple-choice format of other professional certifications. Instead, it's performance-based, requiring deep knowledge of the tasks under immense time pressure. And the CKA was overhauled in 2025, with an updated curriculum covering new topics including Custom Resource Definitions (CRDs) and Operators, the Gateway API, and more.

This updated study guide takes you through all the competencies covered in the exam, including new sections reflecting the recent changes. Author Benjamin Muschko also shares his personal experience with preparing for all aspects of the exam.
Learn when and how to apply Kubernetes concepts to administer and troubleshoot a production-grade cluster
Understand the objectives, abilities, and tips and tricks needed to pass the CKA exam
Explore the ins and outs of the kubectl command-line tool
Demonstrate competency to perform the responsibilities of a Kubernetes administrator
Solve real-world Kubernetes problems in a hands-on command-line environment
Effectively navigate and solve questions during the CKA exam