AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Overview

This article provides an overview of the AWS Cloud Practitioner.

https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-cloud-practitioner

What is AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner?

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is the entry-level AWS certification.

There are 12 AWS certifications, including Cloud Practitioner.

https://aws.amazon.com/certification

What is AWS?

AWS stands for Amazon Web Services. AWS is a cloud computing service provided by Amazon, a company known for its online shopping.

https://aws.amazon.com

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is a rental server service where you pay only for the functions you need to use the server.

What is cloud computing?
Cloud computing is the on-demand delivery of IT resources over the Internet with pay-as-you-go pricing. Instead of buying, owning, and maintaining physical data centers and servers, you can access technology services, such as computing power, storage, and databases, on an as-needed basis from a cloud provider like Amazon Web Services (AWS).

https://aws.amazon.com/what-is-cloud-computing

Typically, when not using cloud computing, you would purchase servers from a company like Dell, install them in racks in a data center, and operate them in-house.

This type of environment that does not use the cloud is called on-premises.

However, in a cloud environment like AWS, you don’t have to purchase and set up servers; AWS has pre-prepared servers set up so that you can use the service immediately.

AWS Free Tier

When you create an AWS account, you are given a free tier, which allows you to use some AWS services for free for a certain period of time after creating an AWS account.

https://aws.amazon.com/free

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Exam Overview

The AWS Cloud Practitioner exam consists of 65 questions, which you have 90 minutes to answer, and is valid for three years.

Below is a summary of the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner qualifications.

Certification nameAWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Exam codeCLF-C02
LevelFoundational
Exam duration90 minutes
Exam formatMultiple-choice, Multiple-response
Number of questions65 questions
Passing score700 out of 1000
Exam languageAvailable in English, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and more
Exam fee$100 USD
Delivery methodOnline proctored or in-person at a testing center
Domains covered– Cloud Concepts (26%)- Security and Compliance (25%)- Technology (33%)- Billing and Pricing (16%)
Validity3 years
Recommended experience– Basic understanding of IT services and their uses in the AWS Cloud platform- Familiarity with the AWS billing system
Study materials– AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Exam Guide- AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials Course (free)- AWS Whitepapers- Practice exams and sample questions
Certification benefits– Validates foundational knowledge of AWS Cloud concepts- Supports career growth in cloud-related roles- Entry point for other AWS certifications
RecertificationRequired every 3 years by retaking the exam or obtaining a higher-level certification

Exam format is either multiple choice or multiple response

The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam requires either multiple choice or multiple response answers.

65 questions; either multiple choice or multiple response

There are no questions that require you to write or answer commands, but the exam tests your understanding of basic AWS technologies, so you will need to prepare properly.

Benefits of becoming an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

Benefits of becoming an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner include:

  • Demonstrate your understanding of basic AWS technologies
  • Gain foundational knowledge for higher-level AWS certifications
  • Helping you find a career as an AWS engineer

How to become an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

To become an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, follow these steps:

  1. Read the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner study materials to understand the content that will be tested on the exam.
  2. Understand AWS better by actually checking the AWS documentation.
  3. Schedule your AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam and pass the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam.

Conclusion

Obtaining the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification will allow you to demonstrate your understanding of fundamental AWS technologies.
Obtaining the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification will also give you the fundamental understanding you need to advance your career as an AWS engineer.

To actually advance your career as an AWS engineer, aim to obtain a higher AWS certification and improve your technical skills. The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner helps you gain a foundational understanding to pursue more advanced AWS certifications.