Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) Study Guide

The ability to administer and monitor a Kubernetes cluster is in high demand. Those who want to demonstrate their credibility and value in the job market hold the Cloud Native Computing Foundation's Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) certification-proving they can confidently work in a Kubernetes environment.

The CKA certification exam isn't the typical multiple-choice format of other professional certifications. Instead, it's performance-based, requiring deep knowledge of the tasks under immense time pressure. And the exam has been overhauled for 2025, with an updated curriculum focused on a revised list of competencies. New topics include: Custom Resource Definitions (CRDs) and Operators, the Gateway API, and more.

This updated study guide walks you through all the topics covered to fully prepare you for the exam, including new sections reflecting the recent changes. Author Benjamin Muschko also shares his personal experience with preparing for all aspects of the exam.

Learn when and how to apply Kubernetes concepts to administer and troubleshoot a production-grade cluster Understand the objectives, abilities, and tips and tricks needed to pass the CKA exam Explore the ins and outs of the kubectl command-line tool Demonstrate competency to perform the responsibilities of a Kubernetes administrator Solve real-world Kubernetes problems in a hands-on command-line environment Effectively navigate and solve questions during the CKA exam