The three exams
| Exam | For | Validates |
|---|---|---|
| CCDAK, Certified Developer for Apache Kafka | Developers and solution architects who build applications with Kafka | Developing, deploying and maintaining streaming applications with Kafka's core APIs |
| CCAAK, Certified Administrator for Apache Kafka | People who manage and maintain Kafka clusters | Configuring, deploying, monitoring and supporting Kafka clusters |
| CCAC, Confluent Cloud Certified Operator | People with strong working knowledge of Confluent Cloud | Managing multi-cloud and global Kafka architectures: Cluster Linking, Stream Governance, managed connectors |
What all three share
Confluent runs all three exams the same way. They take 90 minutes, they're in English, and you take them online with a proctor watching, so you need a webcam, a microphone and Google Chrome. Each certification lasts two years, and if you fail you have to wait 7 days before you can buy another attempt.
Where to start
Confluent also has free Fundamentals accreditation exams that come with a badge you can share, which can be a good first step. If you build applications on Apache Kafka, the CCDAK is the one to go for, and it's the only one this site prepares you for.
Next steps
CCDAK vs CCAAK compares the developer and administrator exams in more detail. If you've settled on the CCDAK, CCDAK exam topics shows what it covers.
