If you’re planning to take the CKAD exam (Certified Kubernetes Application Developer), finding the right CKAD exam preparation resources can make all the difference. When I first started my CKAD journey, I quickly realized that there’s no shortage of materials online — but not all of them are structured or reliable.
In this post, I’ve put together a curated list of the best CKAD study resources — from official documentation and free tutorials to hands-on labs, video courses, and mock exams. Whether you’re just starting with Kubernetes or fine-tuning your skills before exam day, this guide will help you stay focused, save time, and help you prepare with confidence.
Start with Official Curriculum
Always begin by getting familiar with the official CKAD curriculum. I highly recommend printing it out and keeping it next to your desk — it’s a great way to stay focused and track your progress as you study through various resources like video courses, books, or documentation.
Most importantly, stick to what’s actually covered in the exam. It’s easy to get lost exploring all the cool things Kubernetes can do, but staying aligned with the curriculum will save you time and help you prepare more efficiently.
Link to official CKAD curriculum In case the link does not open, you can click on this curriculum link here and select CKAD from section below.
Documents allowed during the Exam!!
YES!! you read it right. You can actually refer to documentation online while appearing for the exam.
CLICK HERE to get the list of resources allowed during the exam.
Kubectl Cheat Sheet
One of the best resources to bookmark and refer whenever you are stuck remembering the right command to accomplish the task in hand is the Kubectl Cheat Sheet Not only for the exam, but I would highly recommend keeping it handy for your day to day work with Kubernetes.
Udemy Course
Clear winner in this category is the one offered by Mumshad Mannambeth
Link to course: https://www.udemy.com/course/certified-kubernetes-application-developer
Mock Exams
I can’t stress this enough — mock exams are absolutely crucial before the real test. Keep practicing them until you feel confident and can consistently score above 80%.
Mock Exam 1: killer.sh
As soon as you register for the exam, you get 2 free attempts on killer.sh , a simulator with a real exam environment.
Free Practice Questions shared by others
Question set 1: https://github.com/SafeEHA/CKAD-Practice-Questions/tree/main
Question set 2: https://github.com/dgkanatsios/CKAD-exercises
Question set 3: https://github.com/bbachi/CKAD-Practice-Questions/tree/master