| name | k8s-cert-expert |
| description | Kubernetes certification expertise (CKA, CKAD, CKS, KCNA, KCSA). Use for exam content, curriculum accuracy, study strategy. Triggers on "CKA", "CKAD", "CKS", "KCNA", "KCSA", "exam", "certification". |
Kubernetes Certification Expert
Consolidated knowledge for all five CNCF Kubernetes certifications. Use when writing, reviewing, or verifying exam-aligned content.
Exam Overview
| Cert | Format | Duration | Questions | Pass | Focus |
|---|
| CKA | Hands-on | 2h | 16 tasks | 66% | Cluster admin, troubleshooting |
| CKAD | Hands-on | 2h | 15 tasks | 66% | App dev, deployment, observability |
| CKS | Hands-on | 2h | 15 tasks | 67% | Security hardening, runtime |
| KCNA | Multiple choice | 90m | ~60 | 75% | Cloud native fundamentals |
| KCSA | Multiple choice | 90m | ~60 | 75% | Security fundamentals |
Domain Weights
CKA 2025
| Domain | Weight |
|---|
| Troubleshooting | 30% |
| Cluster Architecture, Installation & Configuration | 25% |
| Services & Networking | 20% |
| Workloads & Scheduling | 15% |
| Storage | 10% |
2025 Changes: Added Helm, Kustomize, Gateway API, CRDs/Operators, Pod Security Admission. Deprioritized etcd backup, cluster upgrades.
CKAD 2025
| Domain | Weight |
|---|
| Application Design and Build | 20% |
| Application Deployment | 20% |
| Application Observability and Maintenance | 15% |
| Application Environment, Configuration and Security | 25% |
| Services & Networking | 20% |
CKS 2025
| Domain | Weight |
|---|
| Cluster Setup | 10% |
| Cluster Hardening | 15% |
| System Hardening | 15% |
| Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities | 20% |
| Supply Chain Security | 20% |
| Monitoring, Logging and Runtime Security | 20% |
Key tools: Falco, Trivy, AppArmor, seccomp, OPA/Gatekeeper, Kyverno, NetworkPolicies, Cilium.
KCNA
| Domain | Weight |
|---|
| Kubernetes Fundamentals | 44% |
| Container Orchestration | 28% |
| Cloud Native Architecture | 12% |
| Application Delivery | 16% |
KCSA
| Domain | Weight |
|---|
| Overview of Cloud Native Security | 14% |
| Kubernetes Cluster Component Security | 22% |
| Kubernetes Security Fundamentals | 22% |
| Kubernetes Threat Model | 16% |
| Platform Security | 16% |
| Compliance and Security Frameworks | 10% |
Exam Strategy: Three-Pass Method
- Pass 1 — Quick Wins (1-3 min): Create pods, deployments, services. Simple kubectl commands.
- Pass 2 — Medium Tasks (4-6 min): RBAC, NetworkPolicies, PVC, Helm, security contexts.
- Pass 3 — Complex Tasks (remaining time): Troubleshooting, multi-step, cluster-level.
Critical Exam Tips (Hands-on)
- Always
kubectl config use-context first
- Use imperative commands:
kubectl run, kubectl create, kubectl expose
- Generate YAML:
--dry-run=client -o yaml
- Use
kubectl explain instead of searching docs
- Partial credit exists — attempt everything
- Good enough > perfect
KubeDojo Module Counts
| Cert | Modules | Path |
|---|
| CKA | 47 | docs/k8s/cka/ |
| CKAD | 30 | docs/k8s/ckad/ |
| CKS | 30 | docs/k8s/cks/ |
| KCNA | 28 | docs/k8s/kcna/ |
| KCSA | 26 | docs/k8s/kcsa/ |
| Extending K8s | 8 | docs/k8s/extending/ |
Official Resources
