Data, AI and cloud exams

Exams343Vendors26

343 exams · 26 vendors

Prometheus Certified Associate (PCA) exam price, length, validity and renewal

CNCF · PCA

Official page

Exam facts

Price$250 per attempt, US list priceExam only; bundles with a course or THRIVE-ONE subscription cost more
Length90 min
Valid for2 years
LevelFoundational (CNCF calls it Associate)
Sourcetraining.linuxfoundation.org/certification/prometheus-certified-associate/Last checked Nov 6, 2026

Changes

AddedPrometheus Certified Associate (PCA)Added by the depth pass; values read on the official pageOfficial page ↗

Other CNCF exams

CNCF program
DevOps$250Certified Argo Project Associate (CAPA)A foundational exam on automation, delivery and infrastructure as code.CAPA · Foundational · 90 min · valid 2 yearsDevOps$250Certified Backstage Associate (CBA)A foundational exam on automation, delivery and infrastructure as code.CBA · Foundational · 90 min · valid 2 yearsDevOps$250Certified Cloud Native Platform Engineering Associate (CNPA)For platform engineers, DevOps practitioners, SREs, cloud native developers, infrastructure architects and IT professionals validating foundational platform engineering skills.CNPA · Foundational · 120 min · valid 2 yearsDevOps$250Certified GitOps Associate (CGOA)For DevOps engineers, platform and software engineers, CI/CD practitioners and other team members who build internal developer platforms with GitOps built in.CGOA · Foundational · 90 min · valid 2 yearsKubernetes$250Cilium Certified Associate (CCA)A foundational exam on running and building on Kubernetes.CCA · Foundational · 90 min · valid 2 yearsKubernetes$250Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA)For beginners showing foundational knowledge of Kubernetes and the wider cloud native ecosystem.KCNA · Foundational · 90 min · valid 2 yearsSecurity$250Kubernetes and Cloud Native Security Associate (KCSA)Pre-professional exam for people starting in cloud native security who want to show foundational security knowledge.KCSA · Foundational · 90 min · valid 2 yearsKubernetes$250Kyverno Certified Associate (KCA)A foundational exam on running and building on Kubernetes.KCA · Foundational · 90 min · valid 2 yearsCloud$250Linux Foundation Certified IT Associate (LFCA)A pre-professional certification for people new to IT or starting a career as an administrator or engineer, covering fundamentals including cloud computing.LFCA · Foundational · 90 min · valid 2 yearsAI and MLNew$250Model Context Protocol Associate (MCPA)For practitioners proving foundational knowledge of Model Context Protocol concepts, use cases and implementation considerations for agentic AI systems.MCPA · Foundational · 90 min · valid 2 yearsDevOps$250OpenTelemetry Certified Associate (OTCA)A foundational exam on automation, delivery and infrastructure as code.OTCA · Foundational · 90 min · valid 2 yearsAI and MLNew$250PyTorch Certified Associate (PTCA)For early-stage practitioners with some Python and machine learning experience who are beginning to use PyTorch.PTCA · Foundational · 120 min · valid 2 yearsKubernetes$250Istio Certified Associate (ICA)An associate exam on running and building on Kubernetes.ICA · Associate · 120 min · valid 2 yearsCloudUnverified$299PTCA Certification PathwayAn associate exam on cloud concepts, administration and day-to-day operations.Associate · 120 minKubernetes$445Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)For Kubernetes administrators who install, configure, troubleshoot and manage production Kubernetes clusters.CKA · Associate · 120 min · valid 2 yearsKubernetes$445Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD)For developers who design, build and deploy cloud native applications on Kubernetes.CKAD · Associate · 120 min · valid 2 yearsDevOps$445Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator (LFCS)For Linux system administrators proving distribution-independent administration skills in a performance-based exam that simulates on-the-job tasks.LFCS · Associate · 120 min · valid 2 yearsDevOpsNew$445Certified Cloud Native Platform Engineer (CNPE)For experienced platform engineers, senior DevOps and SRE practitioners, platform architects and infrastructure engineers who design and evolve production-grade platforms.CNPE · Professional · 120 min · valid 2 yearsKubernetesBetaUnverified$445Certified Kubernetes Network Engineer (CKNE)Validates hands-on skill in Kubernetes networking, security and troubleshooting for platform engineers, network engineers and SREs.CKNE · Specialty · 120 min · valid 2 yearsSecurity$445Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS)For Kubernetes practitioners who hold the CKA and secure container-based applications and Kubernetes platforms during build, deployment and runtime.CKS · Specialty · 120 min · valid 2 years
ExamPrice
Certified Argo Project Associate (CAPA)CAPAA foundational exam on automation, delivery and infrastructure as code.$250
Certified Backstage Associate (CBA)CBAA foundational exam on automation, delivery and infrastructure as code.$250
Certified Cloud Native Platform Engineering Associate (CNPA)CNPAFor platform engineers, DevOps practitioners, SREs, cloud native developers, infrastructure architects and IT professionals validating foundational platform engineering skills.$250
Certified GitOps Associate (CGOA)CGOAFor DevOps engineers, platform and software engineers, CI/CD practitioners and other team members who build internal developer platforms with GitOps built in.$250
Cilium Certified Associate (CCA)CCAA foundational exam on running and building on Kubernetes.$250
Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA)KCNAFor beginners showing foundational knowledge of Kubernetes and the wider cloud native ecosystem.$250
Kubernetes and Cloud Native Security Associate (KCSA)KCSAPre-professional exam for people starting in cloud native security who want to show foundational security knowledge.$250
Kyverno Certified Associate (KCA)KCAA foundational exam on running and building on Kubernetes.$250
Linux Foundation Certified IT Associate (LFCA)LFCAA pre-professional certification for people new to IT or starting a career as an administrator or engineer, covering fundamentals including cloud computing.$250
Model Context Protocol Associate (MCPA)MCPANewFor practitioners proving foundational knowledge of Model Context Protocol concepts, use cases and implementation considerations for agentic AI systems.$250
OpenTelemetry Certified Associate (OTCA)OTCAA foundational exam on automation, delivery and infrastructure as code.$250
PyTorch Certified Associate (PTCA)PTCANewFor early-stage practitioners with some Python and machine learning experience who are beginning to use PyTorch.$250
Istio Certified Associate (ICA)ICAAn associate exam on running and building on Kubernetes.$250
PTCA Certification PathwayUnverifiedAn associate exam on cloud concepts, administration and day-to-day operations.$299
Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)CKAFor Kubernetes administrators who install, configure, troubleshoot and manage production Kubernetes clusters.$445
Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD)CKADFor developers who design, build and deploy cloud native applications on Kubernetes.$445
Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator (LFCS)LFCSFor Linux system administrators proving distribution-independent administration skills in a performance-based exam that simulates on-the-job tasks.$445
Certified Cloud Native Platform Engineer (CNPE)CNPENewFor experienced platform engineers, senior DevOps and SRE practitioners, platform architects and infrastructure engineers who design and evolve production-grade platforms.$445
Certified Kubernetes Network Engineer (CKNE)CKNEBetaUnverifiedValidates hands-on skill in Kubernetes networking, security and troubleshooting for platform engineers, network engineers and SREs.$445
Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS)CKSFor Kubernetes practitioners who hold the CKA and secure container-based applications and Kubernetes platforms during build, deployment and runtime.$445

DevOps and infrastructure as code exams from other vendors

Track
DevOpsUnverified$99GitHub ActionsFor people with expertise in automating software development workflows with GitHub Actions.GitHub · GH-200 · FoundationalDevOpsUnverified$99GitHub AdministrationFor people with experience administering GitHub Enterprise environments, including user identity and access management, GitHub Actions, enterprise-level governance, and the administration of features that support secure...GitHub · GH-100 · FoundationalDevOpsUnverified$99GitHub CopilotCandidates for this exam should possess expertise in using GitHub Copilot to improve software development productivity, quality, and security.GitHub · GH-300 · FoundationalDevOpsUnverified$99GitHub FoundationsFor people with foundational knowledge of GitHub and its core features.GitHub · GH-900 · FoundationalDevOpsUnverified$100APM and Distributed Tracing FundamentalsTests base knowledge of Datadog APM, covering application instrumentation, insight discovery, visualization and troubleshooting.Datadog · Foundational · 120 min · valid 3 yearsDevOpsUnverified$100Datadog Database Monitoring Fundamentals Certification ExamEvaluates skills in configuring database monitoring integrations, analyzing performance metrics and troubleshooting database health with Datadog.Datadog · Foundational · 120 min · valid 3 yearsDevOpsUnverified$100Datadog FundamentalsFoundational exam testing the core knowledge required to use the Datadog platform effectively, from Agent configuration to data visualization.Datadog · Foundational · 120 min · valid 3 yearsDevOpsUnverified$100Log Management FundamentalsTests base knowledge of logging and log management with Datadog, from log collection and parsing to analysis and troubleshooting.Datadog · Foundational · 120 min · valid 3 years
ExamPrice
GitHub ActionsGH-200UnverifiedFor people with expertise in automating software development workflows with GitHub Actions.$99
GitHub AdministrationGH-100UnverifiedFor people with experience administering GitHub Enterprise environments, including user identity and access management, GitHub Actions, enterprise-level governance, and the administration of features that support secure...$99
GitHub CopilotGH-300UnverifiedCandidates for this exam should possess expertise in using GitHub Copilot to improve software development productivity, quality, and security.$99
GitHub FoundationsGH-900UnverifiedFor people with foundational knowledge of GitHub and its core features.$99
APM and Distributed Tracing FundamentalsUnverifiedTests base knowledge of Datadog APM, covering application instrumentation, insight discovery, visualization and troubleshooting.$100
Datadog Database Monitoring Fundamentals Certification ExamUnverifiedEvaluates skills in configuring database monitoring integrations, analyzing performance metrics and troubleshooting database health with Datadog.$100
Datadog FundamentalsUnverifiedFoundational exam testing the core knowledge required to use the Datadog platform effectively, from Agent configuration to data visualization.$100
Log Management FundamentalsUnverifiedTests base knowledge of logging and log management with Datadog, from log collection and parsing to analysis and troubleshooting.$100
About this exam
What the official page says
  • Price: "Certification exam only - $250"
  • Duration: "90 minutes"
  • Validity: "Valid for 2 Years"

Certifications are valid for 2 years and are renewed by retaking and passing the exam before the expiration date, which extends them 2 years from the new pass date.

Each exam purchase includes one free retake, which must be taken within 12 months of the original purchase; SINGLE-attempt purchases and no-shows get no retake.

CNCF policy