The Linux Foundation / CNCF
The operator exam. You are given a live cluster and a command line, and asked to fix, configure and recover it under time pressure.
Online proctored, performance-based, solved entirely at a command line. Based on Kubernetes v1.35.
Straight from the published curriculum. The weights are how much of the exam each area is worth, so they are the honest guide to where your study time should go.
2 hours, $445. Online proctored, performance-based, solved entirely at a command line. The certification stays valid for 2 years.
5 domains. The heaviest is Troubleshooting at 30% of the exam, so it is the one worth over-preparing.
Comfortable in a Linux shell without looking up basic commands. Containers and images as everyday tools, not new concepts. Reading and editing YAML quickly. Basic networking: DNS, routing, ports.
Yes. It is performance-based: you are given a live environment and a command line, and marked on what you actually do rather than what you can recognise. Reading alone does not prepare you for it.
Exam details from The Linux Foundation / CNCF, checked August 2026. Always confirm on their page before booking.