What Is the Best Azure Certification for Developers?
Last Updated on April 26, 2024
Azure is a set of cloud services designed to build, launch, and manage applications. It’s used by system administrators, developers, and information technology (IT) pros to build mobile applications from scratch, manage Internet-scale solutions, and connect data in the cloud.
Can you get a job with Azure certification? Definitely! An Azure certification is a great way to boost your resume and land a fruitful career in cloud technology. It shows that you’re adept in the Microsoft cloud platform, which is steadily gaining traction against similar bigger firms.
But what is the best Azure certification for developers? Multiple options are available for different levels: fundamentals, associate, expert, and specialty. Whichever certification you decide to get, it’s always best to undergo Azure training, like ONLC’s Azure certification training courses, to prepare yourself.
What Is Azure Certification?
An Azure certification verifies a person’s knowledge and skills on the Azure platform. It shows that they can maximize Azure’s features to create, deploy, and manage applications and efficiently use the platform’s development, security, cloud technology, database, and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.
Azure Certifications for Developers
Azure certifications are categorized into four levels: fundamentals, associate, expert, and specialty. Here’s a quick breakdown of the different certifications under each category:
Fundamentals Certifications
The fundamentals certifications cover the basics of the platform, and are ideal for absolute beginners who are new to Azure or cloud technology in general.
- Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)
- Azure Data Fundamentals (DP-900)
- Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900)
Associate Certifications
Some professionals who are already familiar with Azure obtain certification at the associate level. With this option, you can hone your skills in planning, creating, and deploying software.
- Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104)
- Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204)
- Azure Database Administrator Associate (DP-300)
- Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500)
- Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100)
- Azure Data Engineer Associate (DP-203)
- Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102)
- Azure Stack Hub Operator Associate (AZ-600)
- Azure Network Engineer Associate (AZ-700)
- Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate (AZ-800 + AZ-801)
Expert Certifications
Expert certifications are ideal for people who are adept at the Azure platform and already have a solid amount of experience working in cloud technology and software development. These certifications require associate certifications to complete.
- Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305)
- DevOps Engineer Expert (AZ-400)
Specialty Certifications
Specialty certifications help you become well-versed in certain capabilities of the platform. They are great for those who are looking to simply boost their knowledge on a specific track or who are only working with Azure for certain projects.
- Azure IoT Developer Specialty (AZ-220)
- Azure for SAP Workloads Specialty (AZ-120)
- Azure Virtual Desktop Specialty (AZ-140)
- Azure Cosmos DB Developer Specialty (DP-420)
Choosing the Best Azure Certification for Developers
Except for expert certifications, you don’t need to complete one level to move on to the next to get Azure certification. That said, the best method is to work your way up so that you get the foundations right and build your skills.
The AZ-900 certification is the best starting point if you’re new to the platform, but it also works as an essential foundation even for experts. From there, you can choose the certification level that suits your existing knowledge of Azure and your cloud technology and software development skills. Choosing the right certification will also depend on the kind of work you’re doing or would like to explore in the future.
ONLC Azure Certification Training Courses
To get ready for Azure certification, it’s best to apply to a prep program such as ONLC’s Azure certification training courses. Here, you can learn about the topics that will be covered in your test, boosting your chances of success.
It’s important to note that Microsoft always updates its certification exams, which means that topics and requirements often change. It’s best, then, to keep an eye on the Microsoft Learn Blog when you’re preparing to get certified. With ONLC, you can rest assured that your course is always up-to-date!
Get Certified in Azure With ONLC
ONLC is an authorized Microsoft Training Partner, making us one of the best sources for the high-quality Azure training classes you need to obtain your professional certification. Get in touch with our Education Advisors today to learn more about our available training courses!
