Introduction

Passing the Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) exam was a great milestone in my cloud journey. In this post, I’ll walk you through the strategy I used to prepare and pass the exam on the first attempt. I focused on hands-on experience, curated courses, and repeated quiz practice to reinforce core concepts.

Why KCNA?

KCNA is a foundational certification offered by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF). It’s designed to validate your understanding of Kubernetes, cloud-native principles, container orchestration, and open-source tools in the CNCF landscape.

My Study Approach

Here’s the exact roadmap I followed:

📘 1. KodeKloud KCNA Course

KodeKloud’s KCNA course was my primary resource. It explained cloud-native concepts clearly and offered labs that mimicked real-world Kubernetes environments.

  • Why it helped: Balanced theory and hands-on labs.
  • Pro tip: Don’t just watch—complete every lab multiple times.

👉 https://kodekloud.com/courses/kcna/

🛠️ 2. Hands-On Practice with Personal Projects

I built mini-projects using Kubernetes and Docker on my local machine and in the cloud (via kind, minikube, and k3s).

  • What I practiced:
    • Deploying containers with YAML
    • ConfigMaps, Secrets, and Volumes
    • Simple Helm charts
    • GitOps with ArgoCD basics

💡 Tip: Use open-source CNCF tools to get practical exposure. For example, try integrating Prometheus + Grafana or exploring Fluentd for logging.

🧠 3. Udemy Quiz Course

I reinforced my knowledge by solving KCNA-focused quiz questions on Udemy.

  • Why it worked: Helped me assess weak areas and improve recall.
  • Strategy: Take the quizzes multiple times and read explanations.

📚 Recommended Course: [Search for “KCNA Practice Tests” on Udemy]

Exam-Day Tips

  • Time management is key—aim to finish the first pass in 45–50 minutes.
  • Flag difficult questions and return to them after the first round.
  • Trust your preparation and don’t second-guess easy answers.

Final Thoughts

The KCNA is beginner-friendly but still requires dedication and practice. Combining structured learning with hands-on labs and quiz repetition made all the difference for me.

🎯 If you’re aiming to become cloud-native certified, my advice is simple: learn actively, build things, and test yourself often.

Have questions or want to share your KCNA journey? Drop a comment below or reach out on GitHub!