Google Cloud certifications run from foundational business-level exams up to deep Professional role certifications. Most people start with Cloud Digital Leader, earn the Associate Cloud Engineer to prove hands-on skills, and then specialise with a Professional exam that matches their role. You can go straight to Associate or Professional if you already have experience. Here is the path with free practice for every exam.
Foundational
Business and concept level - no hands-on required.- FoundationalGoogle Cloud Digital LeaderCloud Digital Leader: what Google Cloud is, its products, and how they drive business value. The entry point.View Cloud Digital Leader practice exam →
- FoundationalGoogle Cloud Generative AI LeaderGenerative AI Leader: generative-AI concepts and Google Cloud AI products at a business level.View Generative AI Leader practice exam →
Associate
Prove hands-on skills.- AssociateGCP Associate Cloud EngineerAssociate Cloud Engineer: deploying, monitoring, and operating Google Cloud resources. The usual next step.View Associate Cloud Engineer practice exam →
- AssociateGoogle Cloud Associate Data PractitionerAssociate Data Practitioner: working with data on Google Cloud - ingestion, storage, and analysis.View Associate Data Practitioner practice exam →
Professional
Specialise in your role.- ProfessionalGoogle Cloud Professional Cloud ArchitectProfessional Cloud Architect: designing and planning secure, scalable Google Cloud solutions. The flagship exam.View Cloud Architect practice exam →
- ProfessionalGoogle Cloud Professional Data EngineerProfessional Data Engineer: building and operationalising data processing systems.View Data Engineer practice exam →
- ProfessionalGoogle Cloud Professional Machine Learning EngineerProfessional Machine Learning Engineer: designing and productionising ML models on Google Cloud.View ML Engineer practice exam →
- ProfessionalGoogle Cloud Professional Cloud DeveloperProfessional Cloud Developer: building scalable, reliable cloud-native applications.View Cloud Developer practice exam →
- ProfessionalGoogle Cloud Professional Cloud DevOps EngineerProfessional Cloud DevOps Engineer: CI/CD, SRE practices, and service reliability.View DevOps Engineer practice exam →
- ProfessionalGoogle Cloud Professional Cloud Network EngineerProfessional Cloud Network Engineer: implementing and managing Google Cloud networking.View Network Engineer practice exam →
- ProfessionalGoogle Cloud Professional Cloud Security EngineerProfessional Cloud Security Engineer: designing and configuring secure Google Cloud environments.View Cloud Security Engineer practice exam →
- ProfessionalGoogle Cloud Professional Security Operations EngineerProfessional Security Operations Engineer: detection, investigation, and response on Google Cloud.View Security Operations Engineer practice exam →
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 Google Cloud certification should I get first?
Cloud Digital Leader is the usual starting point and needs no hands-on experience. If you already work with Google Cloud, you can start with the Associate Cloud Engineer instead.
Is Cloud Digital Leader required before the Associate exam?
No. It is optional and not a prerequisite. Many engineers go straight to the Associate Cloud Engineer.
Which Google Cloud Professional certification is most popular?
Professional Cloud Architect is the flagship and most widely pursued Google Cloud certification.
How much experience do the Professional exams need?
Google recommends around three or more years of industry experience, including one or more years designing and managing solutions on Google Cloud, before the Professional exams.