AWS Certification Exam Guide

AWS Certification Levels

AWS certifications include a Business category and four technical levels, each with a different purpose and target audience. If you're new to AWS, start with Foundational; if you have hands-on infrastructure or development experience, Associate is a common starting point.

Business

AI Business Strategist (AIB-C01, Beta) tests AI strategy, business value, governance, and organizational change. Coding or AWS implementation experience is not required.

Foundational (Entry Level)

Tests foundational AWS and cloud-concept knowledge. Even without hands-on experience, you can pass by studying official documentation and practicing questions. Key exams are Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) and AI Practitioner (AIF-C01). CLF-C02 covers cloud fundamentals, core services, pricing models, and basic security; AIF-C01 covers generative AI and machine learning fundamentals. Estimated study time: 40–80 hours.

Associate (Practitioner Level)

Tests the ability to combine AWS services to choose the optimal solution for design, operations, or development. Comparison questions ("which of A or B better meets the requirements?") are common, requiring deep understanding of service trade-offs. Current exams include: Solutions Architect (SAA-C03), CloudOps Engineer (SOA-C03), Developer (DVA-C02), Data Engineer (DEA-C01), and Machine Learning Engineer (MLA-C01). Estimated study time: 80–150 hours, assuming Foundational knowledge or hands-on experience.

Professional (Advanced Level)

Tests advanced architect/DevOps skills such as designing large-scale, multi-account, multi-region environments and automating CI/CD pipelines. Questions and answer choices are long, requiring strong reading comprehension to satisfy multiple constraints (availability, cost, security, operational overhead) at once. Covers Solutions Architect Professional (SAP-C02) and DevOps Engineer Professional (DOP-C02). Typically attempted 6–12 months after earning the corresponding Associate certification; estimated study time is 150–250 hours.

Specialty (Expert Level)

Deep-dive exams in a specialist domain such as security. Hands-on experience and careful study of official documentation determine success. Covers Security (SCS-C03). Typically attempted after earning the corresponding Associate certification or with 2+ years of hands-on experience.

Recommended Study Paths by Career Goal

The optimal exam path depends on your career goals. We cover 6 representative career paths (Cloud Engineer / Infrastructure, Backend Developer, Data Engineer / Analytics, AI / ML Engineer, Security Specialist, Network Specialist) with the rationale for each step and estimated study time in the Learning Roadmap.

Exam Guide Articles

Select an exam to read detailed coverage of exam trends, domain structure, study tips, and sample questions.