A practical starting path for cloud, AI, data, and infrastructure certifications, from foundation exams to role-based next steps.
If you are new to cloud, start with one foundation exam, then add the next page that matches the platform or job path you actually want.
| If you want to start with… | Open this page first | Why |
|---|---|---|
| AWS cloud basics | CLF-C02 | Best first AWS page for cloud vocabulary, pricing, security, and core service recognition. |
| Azure platform basics | AZ-900 | Best first Azure page for identity, governance, architecture basics, and pricing. |
| Azure AI basics | AI-900 | Best first Azure route if you care about AI workloads, NLP, vision, and generative AI service selection. |
| Microsoft AI fundamentals transition | AI-901 | Best exam-selection page if your target date points to the newer Azure AI Fundamentals path. |
| Google Cloud entry point | ACE | Good first GCP route for platform usage, projects, IAM, and operational fundamentals. |
| Google Cloud GenAI leadership | Generative AI Leader | Good exam-selection page for business-level GenAI adoption before technical GCP depth. |
| Snowflake starting point | COF-C02 | Best first Snowflake route before advanced engineering work. |
| After your foundation exam, move to… | Open this page next | Why |
|---|---|---|
| AWS architecture | SAA-C03 | Best next AWS route for core architecture decisions, resilience, storage, and cost tradeoffs. |
| AWS operations | SOA-C03 | Better next step if your work is operational, support-heavy, or deployment-focused. |
| Azure administration | AZ-104 | Best current Azure route for admin workflow, networking, compute, governance, and monitoring. |
| Azure development | AZ-204 | Best next page if your work is app delivery, integrations, and platform services. |
| Microsoft AI apps and agents | AI-103 | Live practice page if your next step is Azure AI apps, agents, Microsoft Foundry, RAG, or responsible AI implementation. |
| Microsoft Fabric data engineering | DP-700 | Live practice page if your cloud path is shifting into Fabric, lakehouse, or analytics engineering. |
| AWS production GenAI | AIP-C01 | Live practice page if you already know AWS and want the professional GenAI developer path. |
| Multi-cloud infrastructure as code | Terraform Associate (004) | Best current route for Terraform workflow, configuration, state, modules, and HCP Terraform. |
| Kubernetes and cloud native foundations | KCNA | Best MCQ-style cloud-native step after basic cloud vocabulary is stable. |
| Databricks data engineering | Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate | Strong next step for ingestion, transformations, workflows, and governance on Databricks. |
| Snowflake data engineering | DEA-C02 | Best advanced Snowflake route for ingestion, transformations, orchestration, and observability. |