AWS certifications are organized into four tiers: Foundational, Associate, Professional, and Specialty. Most people begin with the Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02), earn one or more associate certifications based on their role, and then move up to a professional exam or a focused specialty. You can skip straight to an associate exam if you already have hands-on experience. Here is the full path with free practice for every exam.
Foundational
Start here - broad, entry-level.- FoundationalAWS CLF-C02Cloud PractitionerCloud Practitioner: cloud concepts, core AWS services, security, and billing. The best starting point for most people.View CLF-C02 practice exam →
- FoundationalAWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01)Foundational AI and generative-AI concepts on AWS. A good second foundational exam if you work near AI/ML.View AIF-C01 practice exam →
Associate
Pick the role that matches your work.- AssociateAWS SAA-C03Solutions Architect AssociateSolutions Architect Associate: designing resilient, secure, high-performing, cost-optimized architectures. The most popular AWS certification.View SAA-C03 practice exam →
- AssociateAWS DVA-C02Developer AssociateDeveloper Associate: building and deploying applications on AWS. For developers.View DVA-C02 practice exam →
Professional
Advanced, for experienced practitioners.- ProfessionalAWS SAP-C02Solutions Architect ProfessionalSolutions Architect Professional: complex, multi-account, enterprise-scale architecture. SAA-level knowledge is strongly recommended first.View SAP-C02 practice exam →
- ProfessionalAWS DOP-C02DevOps Engineer ProfessionalDevOps Engineer Professional: CI/CD, automation, monitoring, and incident response at scale.View DOP-C02 practice exam →
Specialty
Deep expertise in one area.Compare popular exams
How CertGrid helps you pass
Every exam in this path has a full CertGrid practice bank: hundreds of exam-style questions, an explanation for every answer (including why each wrong option is wrong), and timed mock exams that score like the real thing. Start free and upgrade to Pro for unlimited practice across the whole path.
Frequently asked questions
Which AWS certification should I get first?
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) is the usual starting point and needs no prior experience. If you already have hands-on AWS experience, you can start directly with an associate exam such as Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03).
Do I need the Cloud Practitioner before an associate exam?
No. CLF-C02 is not a prerequisite for the associate exams - it is optional. Many experienced engineers skip straight to SAA-C03. It is a helpful confidence-builder if you are new to AWS.
Which AWS associate certification is most popular?
Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03) is the most widely pursued AWS certification and a common requirement for cloud roles.
How hard is the jump to the professional exams?
The professional exams (SAP-C02, DOP-C02) are a significant step up in scenario depth and scope. AWS recommends associate-level knowledge and real hands-on experience before attempting them.