Level up with Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate

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Posted originally May 20, 2020, and updated March 22, 2021

Whether you’re a professional developer or you write code for fun, developing with Microsoft Azure puts the latest cloud technology and best-in-class developer tools at your fingertips. You can even use your preferred language to build for the cloud. How do you prove to the world that you have these modern skills?

The Azure Developer Associate certification validates that you have what it takes to design, build, test, and maintain cloud applications and services on Azure. You earn it by passing Exam AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure.

If your responsibilities include all phases of cloud development—from requirements definition and design, to development, deployment, and maintenance, performance tuning, and monitoring—this is the certification for you.

What kind of knowledge and experience should you have?

As a candidate for this certification, you should have one or two years of professional development experience, including experience with Azure. Other requirements include the ability to program in a language supported by Azure. Proficiency in Azure SDKs, Azure PowerShell, Azure CLI, data storage options, data connections, and APIs is also important, along with experience in app authentication and authorization, compute and container deployment, debugging, performance tuning, and monitoring.

How can you get ready?

To help you plan your journey, check out our infographic, The journey to Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate. You can also find it in the resources section on the certification and exam pages, which contains other valuable help for Azure developers.

The journey to Azure Developer Associate.png

Azure Developer Associate certification journey

To map out your journey, follow the sequence in the infographic. First, decide whether this is the right certification for you.

Next, to understand what you’ll be measured on, review the Exam AZ-204 skills outline guide on the exam page.

Sign up for training that fits your learning style and experience:

Complement your training with additional resources, like Microsoft Docs, the Developer’s Guide to Azure, or the Azure Architecture Center.

Then take a trial run with Microsoft Official Practice Test AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure. All objectives of the exam are covered in depth, so you’ll find what you need to be ready for any question.

After you pass the exam and earn your certification, check out the many other certification opportunities. Want to add to your toolkit? Consider skilling up on AI apps or in DevOps.

Note: Remember that Microsoft Certifications assess how well you apply what you know to solve real business challenges. Our training resources are useful for reinforcing your knowledge, but you’ll always need experience in the role and with the platform.

Celebrate your Azure talents with the world

When you earn a certification or learn a new skill, it’s an accomplishment worth celebrating with your network. It often takes less than a minute to update your LinkedIn profile and share your achievements, highlight your skills, and help boost your career potential. Here’s how:

  • If you’ve earned a certification already, follow the instructions in the congratulations email you received. Or find your badge on your Certification Dashboard, and follow the instructions there to share it. (You’ll be transferred to the Acclaim website.)
  • To add specific skills, visit your LinkedIn profile and update the Skills and endorsements section. Tip: We recommend that you choose skills listed in the skills outline guide for your certification.

Keep your certification up to date

If you’ve already earned your Azure Developer Associate certification, but it’s expiring in the near future, we’ve got good news. You can now renew your current certifications by passing a free renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn—anytime within six months before your certification expires. For more details, please read our blog post Is your certification expiring soon? Renew it for free today!

Plus, effective June 2021, a certification is valid for one year from the date you earned it. This shift aligns with the rapid evolution of cloud technology and skills. Get more information in our blog post Stay current with in-demand skills through free certification renewals.

It’s time to level up!

As a developer, when you grow your Azure skills, you can take advantage of more than 200 services to build, deploy, and manage applications—in the cloud, on-premises, and at the edge—using the tools and frameworks of your choice. Earn your certification, and open up new possibilities for your career and for turning your ideas into solutions on Azure.

Related announcements

Understanding Microsoft Azure certifications
Finding the right Microsoft Azure certification for you

Master the basics with Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-learn-blog/level-up-with-microsoft-certified-azure-developer-associate/ba-p/2107663 https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-learn-blog/level-up-with-microsoft-certified-azure-developer-associate/ba-p/2107663 2021-03-22 15:00:00Z