I’m thrilled to share that I recently passed the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) exam! It was both challenging and rewarding, and I want to share how I prepared, plus some tips that might help you on your own journey.

My Preparation Journey

I primarily used two courses on Udemy:

Both were excellent and covered a wide range of Kubernetes topics, from the basics to more advanced concepts. Each course provided hands-on labs and practice scenarios that helped me build the confidence and speed needed for the exam.

Of course, I also spent a lot of time with the official Kubernetes documentation. Having a solid understanding of how to navigate the docs is essential for the exam.

Tips & Tricks for the CKA Exam

Below are some key takeaways and strategies I found particularly valuable:

  1. Practice, Practice, Practice

The CKA is a practical, hands-on exam. You need to be not just familiar with the right commands but also quick in executing them. Develop “muscle memory” by creating and breaking things in your lab environment. Both of the Udemy courses provided scenarios to practice, but don’t stop there—build your own, experiment, and get comfortable troubleshooting.

  1. Know How to Use the Documentation

Yes, you have access to kubernetes.io during exam, but don’t assume that means you won’t need to study. You’ll be under exam pressure, so it’s best to use the docs mainly for referencing YAML snippets or confirming syntax, not for learning concepts on the fly.

  1. Get Comfortable with Vim

Vim can be intimidating at first, but it’s incredibly powerful once you get the hang of it. Being fast with your editor pays off in the exam and in day-to-day DevOps tasks.

  1. Use Ctrl+F (Search) in the Documentation

When searching for a specific YAML definition (like for a PersistentVolumeClaim), using your browser’s search function (Ctrl + F) will save you from endless scrolling. Type something like kind: PersistentVolumeClaim in the relevant documentation page, and you’ll jump straight to the snippet you need.

  1. Use Imperative Commands Where Possible

Imperative commands can be faster to generate basic manifests during the exam. For example:

kubectl create deploy my-deployment --image=nginx --replicas=3

If you need to customize further, use the --dry-run=client -o yaml flags to generate the YAML and then edit it. This approach often saves time compared to manually crafting YAML from scratch or copying from the docs.

  1. Adapting Imperative to Declarative for Certain Resources

Some resources like ReplicaSets or DaemonSets can’t be directly created using imperatives. However, you can create a Deployment manifest and then tweak it. For example:

kubectl create deploy my-daemonset --image=nginx --dry-run=client -o yaml > daemonset.yaml

Then open daemonset.yaml and change:

kind: Deployment  # Replace with DaemonSet
replicas: 1       # Remove this line
strategy: {}      # Remove this line

This gives you a quick starting point without typing everything from scratch.

  1. Take Backups of Critical Files

If the question requires you to modify a file (like a static Pod configuration), always back up the file before making changes. This way, if something goes wrong, you can easily roll back and start over.

  1. Time Management

You have two hours, which is generally enough if you stay focused. If you find yourself stuck on a question for too long, flag it and move on. Return to flagged questions at the end if you have spare time.

  1. Context Switching

Every question in the CKA exam provides context for a specific cluster. Make sure you switch to the correct context before you do anything. Provisioning resources in the wrong cluster means losing valuable time and points.

  1. Copy & Paste Resource Names

When the exam instructions mention creating a resource named super-pod, don’t type it out manually, copy and paste the name. Under stress, a simple typo can cost you points. Also remember that in the Linux terminal, copy/paste can differ (Ctrl+Shift+C, Ctrl+Shift+V) depending on your environment. If you’re not used to those shortcuts, right-click is your friend!

Good luck on your Kubernetes journey! Happy learning and good luck on your exam!