CKA vs CKAD: which certification should you take first?
By Ibrahim Yesilay · Published · Updated
CKA is for people who run Kubernetes clusters; CKAD is for people who build and deploy applications on them. Both are hands-on exams taken in a live terminal, both are Kubestronaut core, and neither lists a prerequisite. Pick the one that matches your daily work, then take the other.
CKA and CKAD side by side
| Attribute | CKA | CKAD |
|---|---|---|
| Exam format | Performance-based | Performance-based |
| Hands-on? | Yes | Yes |
| Questions | 15-20 performance-based tasks source | 15-20 performance-based tasks source |
| Duration (minutes) | 120 source | 120 source |
| Passing score | 66% source | 66% source |
| Price (USD) | 445 source | 445 source |
| Validity (years) | 2 source | 2 source |
| Prerequisites | None source | None source |
| Exam domains | 5 | 5 |
| Program tier | Kubestronaut core | Kubestronaut core |
| GoldenKube support | Not offered (hands-on exam; labs planned) | Not offered (hands-on exam; labs planned) |
Values are read from official Linux Foundation pages; each has a source link and the check date. Independent community project, not affiliated with or endorsed by CNCF or The Linux Foundation.
How CKA and CKAD differ
CKA (Certified Kubernetes Administrator) is a performance-based, hands-on exam in the Kubestronaut core group of the Golden Kubestronaut program, and CKAD (Certified Kubernetes Application Developer) is a performance-based, hands-on exam in the Kubestronaut core group. Both use the same exam style, so the real difference is subject matter rather than how you are tested. CKA: Performance-based exam on installing, configuring and troubleshooting Kubernetes clusters: storage, workloads and scheduling, cluster architecture, services and networking. CKAD: Performance-based exam on designing, building, configuring and exposing cloud native applications on Kubernetes. The table above sets format, questions, duration, passing score, price, validity, prerequisites and the number of domains side by side, each value read from the official Linux Foundation pages and dated.
Because both are hands-on, the work is in the terminal: you are given tasks in a live environment and judged on the result, so speed with the command line matters for either exam.
What CKA and CKAD cover
CKA is organised into 5 domains and CKAD into 5. The heaviest CKA domain is Troubleshooting (30%), while the heaviest CKAD domain is Application Environment, Configuration and Security (25%). Domain weights come straight from each official certification page and show where the Linux Foundation expects most of your preparation time to go. If your own work sits mainly in one heavy domain of an exam, that exam will feel closer to your daily job; if the heavy domains are unfamiliar, plan more study time for that exam. The lists below give every domain with its weight, checked against the official pages on the date shown at the top of this page.
- CKA: Storage, 10% of the exam
- CKA: Troubleshooting, 30% of the exam
- CKA: Workloads & Scheduling, 15% of the exam
- CKA: Cluster Architecture, Installation & Configuration, 25% of the exam
- CKA: Services & Networking, 20% of the exam
- CKAD: Application Design and Build, 20% of the exam
- CKAD: Application Deployment, 20% of the exam
- CKAD: Application Observability and Maintenance, 15% of the exam
- CKAD: Application Environment, Configuration and Security, 25% of the exam
- CKAD: Services and Networking, 20% of the exam
Who should take CKA
CKA is the administrator exam. It covers cluster architecture, installation and configuration, storage, services and networking, workload scheduling and, most heavily, troubleshooting. It suits platform engineers, SREs, system administrators and anyone responsible for keeping clusters healthy. If you are the person called when a node is not ready or a service is unreachable, CKA matches the work you do. CKA is a performance-based, hands-on exam with 5 domains, led by Troubleshooting (30%), and it sits in the Kubestronaut core group of the program. The table above gives its questions, duration, passing score, price and validity with their sources. Choosing is easier when you compare the domain list with the work you actually did in the last month, and the official certification page remains the place to confirm the current curriculum before you book.
- You install, upgrade or repair clusters.
- You manage storage, networking and scheduling for other teams.
- You want to be strong at diagnosing faults quickly.
- You are aiming at CKS later, which lists CKA as a prerequisite.
Who should take CKAD
CKAD is the application developer exam. It covers designing and building applications, deployment, configuration and security of the application environment, services and networking, and observability and maintenance. It suits developers who ship workloads to Kubernetes and want to be fluent with the objects they use every day, without being responsible for the cluster underneath. CKAD is a performance-based, hands-on exam with 5 domains, led by Application Environment, Configuration and Security (25%), and it sits in the Kubestronaut core group of the program. The table above gives its questions, duration, passing score, price and validity with their sources. Choosing is easier when you compare the domain list with the work you actually did in the last month, and the official certification page remains the place to confirm the current curriculum before you book.
- You write and deploy applications that run on Kubernetes.
- You work with configuration, secrets, probes and deployment strategies.
- You want fluency with the objects you touch daily.
- You are not responsible for operating the cluster itself.
Can you take both, and in which order?
You can take both, and both are Kubestronaut core certifications. Neither lists a prerequisite for the other, so you may start with whichever matches your job. Their formats are the same: tasks in a live terminal against the clock. That means command-line habits you build for one carry over to the other, and many people find the second exam easier to prepare for because the shared skills are already in place. Prerequisites as published by the Linux Foundation: CKA: None. CKAD: None. Each is listed as its own certification in the program, so passing one never counts toward the other. Whichever you choose first, book the exam only when you can answer questions across every domain, not just the heaviest one.
If your goal includes CKS, plan for CKA, because CKS lists a passed CKA as its prerequisite. If you are a developer who only needs workload fluency, CKAD alone may be the better first target and CKA can follow when you are ready to own the cluster side.
How GoldenKube helps with CKA and CKAD
GoldenKube is a free practice app for the multiple-choice certifications in the Golden Kubestronaut program. CKA is a hands-on exam. GoldenKube offers practice only for multiple-choice exams, so there is no CKA practice here; terminal labs are planned but not available. CKAD is a hands-on exam. GoldenKube offers practice only for multiple-choice exams, so there is no CKAD practice here; terminal labs are planned but not available. You get 10 free guest answers, then a free account; no credit card is needed. Practice does not replace the official curriculum, and passing practice questions does not guarantee a pass on the real exam.
Neither exam can be practised on GoldenKube. For these, use the official curriculum and a real or local cluster. The conceptual groundwork is covered by KCNA and KCSA practice, which are available here.
Verdict: CKA or CKAD first?
Choose CKA if you operate clusters or want to reach CKS; choose CKAD if you build and ship applications on Kubernetes. They share the same hands-on format, so skills transfer in both directions, and the program needs both eventually. Start with the one closest to your daily work.
Next steps
CKA
Not offered (hands-on exam; labs planned)
CKAD
Not offered (hands-on exam; labs planned)
GoldenKube offers practice only for multiple-choice exams. The hands-on certification pages are informational.
Frequently asked questions
Which is harder, CKA or CKAD?
The Linux Foundation does not publish a difficulty ranking. They differ in scope: CKA covers cluster administration and troubleshooting, CKAD covers application workloads. Compare the domain lists in this page and judge which is closer to what you already do.
Should I take CKA or CKAD first?
Take the one that matches your daily role. Operators usually start with CKA, developers with CKAD. If you want CKS, you need CKA, so that path starts there.
Is there overlap between CKA and CKAD?
Yes. Both involve workloads, services and networking, and both are taken in a terminal. The weighting and depth differ: CKA adds cluster architecture, storage and heavy troubleshooting; CKAD adds application design, configuration and observability.
Do I need both for Golden Kubestronaut?
Yes. CKA and CKAD are both Kubestronaut core certifications, and the Golden Kubestronaut title requires every certification in the program.
Can I practise CKA or CKAD on GoldenKube?
No. GoldenKube offers practice only for multiple-choice exams; both are hands-on. Terminal labs are planned but not available yet.
What is the exam format of CKA and CKAD?
Both are performance-based exams in a live command-line environment. The table in this page gives the number of tasks, duration, passing score and price for each, read from official pages.
Sources
- CKA certification page (Linux Foundation), checked 23 Oct 2026
- CKAD certification page (Linux Foundation), checked 23 Oct 2026
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