Choose a credential for the work you want to do
A useful DevOps credential should match the systems you operate: AWS, Google Cloud or Kubernetes. Certification pays off most when it helps you explain delivery automation, failure recovery and service reliability.
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Compare credentialsFollow the roadmap, choose relevant learning resources, build a project, then test your understanding with interview practice.
Explore free DevOps Engineer courses and a suggested learning order
Prepare your DevOps Engineer resume with keywords and evidence
Choose AWS DevOps Professional for established AWS operations work, Google Cloud DevOps for Google Cloud and SRE responsibilities, or CKA when hands-on Kubernetes administration is the missing skill. You do not need all three.
Costs are listed in US dollars before local taxes and currency conversion; discounts, bundles and retakes can change the final price. Difficulty and “worth doing” verdicts are our editorial assessments, not provider guarantees. Recommended experience is not a formal prerequisite unless stated.
Scroll horizontally to compare all columns. Follow an exam link for its current terms.
| Provider | Exam / course name | Cost | Difficulty | Validity | Target experience | Free training options | Worth doing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AWS | AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – ProfessionalProfessional certification | US$300 exam | Advanced | 3 years Renewal policy | Provider recommends 2+ years provisioning, operating and managing AWS environments, plus scripting and delivery experience. | AWS documentation and exam guideFree reading and exam guides; paid labs and full practice exams are separate. | Strong fit for experienced AWS operators |
| Google Cloud | Professional Cloud DevOps EngineerProfessional certification | US$200 exam | Advanced | 2 years Renewal policy | Provider recommends 3+ industry years, including 1+ year managing production systems on Google Cloud. | Google's SRE booksRead the books online free and pair them with the official exam guide. Paid Cloud Skills labs are optional extras. | Strong fit for Google Cloud and SRE work |
| Linux Foundation / CNCF | Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)Professional certification | US$445 exam-only list price | Intermediate–advanced; hands-on | 2 years for newly earned credentials Renewal policy | Best after practical Linux, networking and Kubernetes administration experience; this readiness guidance is editorial. | Kubernetes BasicsFree tutorial and documentation; build a local practice cluster. The paid exam is separate. | Useful for Kubernetes-heavy roles |
Strong fit for experienced AWS operators
Worth doing when: Worth considering when you already automate AWS delivery and operations and want a structured review of production decisions.
Skip or delay when: Not a good first exam for someone who has never operated an application. Build and troubleshoot a deployment pipeline first.
Strong fit for Google Cloud and SRE work
Worth doing when: Useful when your target job combines Google Cloud delivery, monitoring and reliability. Pair exam study with SLOs and an incident-response exercise.
Skip or delay when: Skip if the role has no Google Cloud component; the free SRE books still offer useful learning.
Useful for Kubernetes-heavy roles
Worth doing when: The practical format rewards command-line fluency and troubleshooting. Worth considering when you will administer clusters rather than only deploy through a managed interface.
Skip or delay when: The fee is hard to justify for roles with little Kubernetes work. Learn Linux, containers and networking first.
Build a pipeline that tests and deploys a service, inject a failure, demonstrate rollback and write a short incident review with measurable recovery time.
Explain the problem, your decision, your test and the result. A badge can support that story; it does not establish job readiness or guarantee a salary.
