CKAD — Exam Format & Strategy
Exam Format Recap
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Questions | 15-20 |
| Passing score | 66% |
| Format | Performance-based (real cluster) |
| Open resources | kubernetes.io/docs, kubernetes.io/blog, github.com/kubernetes |
| Retake | 1 free retake included |
| Environment | PSI remote proctored browser |
| Kubernetes version | Check CNCF website (usually latest stable) |
Time Management Strategy
With 2 hours and ~17 questions, you have roughly 7 minutes per question.
The Three-Pass Approach
Pass 1 (60 minutes): Do all easy and medium questions first. If a question takes more than 5 minutes, flag it and move on.
Pass 2 (40 minutes): Return to flagged questions. You now have context from other questions that may help.
Pass 3 (20 minutes): Review your answers. Check for typos in YAML, verify resources are created in the correct namespace.
Time Allocation by Difficulty
| Difficulty | Time | Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Easy (imperative commands) | 2-3 min | Do these first, bank extra time |
| Medium (YAML + debugging) | 5-7 min | Standard allocation |
| Hard (multi-step, complex YAML) | 8-12 min | Flag if stuck, return later |
