2026
How I Passed the KCNA with 92%
My approach to studying for the Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate exam: the resources I combined, how I used practice exams and why the exam felt easy on the day. Plus what comes next.
I passed the Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate exam with a score of 92%. That is a result I am genuinely proud of, and I want to share how I got there.
The KCNA is the entry-level certification from the Linux Foundation and the CNCF. It tests your understanding of Kubernetes and the wider cloud native ecosystem. It is a multiple choice exam, so it is about knowing the concepts rather than typing commands under pressure. But do not let that fool you into thinking it is something you can wing.
To be completely honest: the exam felt easy. Not because the exam itself is easy, but because I put in the work beforehand. That is really the whole story of this post.
92%
Score
75%
Passing score
60
Questions
1-2 months
Study time
My approach
I studied for roughly one to two months alongside everything else. Instead of relying on a single source, I combined four different ways of learning. Each one covered a weakness of the others.
KodeKloud KCNA course
This was the backbone of my preparation. The videos explain each concept in small, digestible chunks and the labs let you try things out right away in a real environment. Being able to watch something and then immediately type the commands yourself made the material stick far better than reading alone.
Linux Foundation course
The official course from the people who write the exam. It is a good way to make sure you are covering the curriculum as it is intended. Where KodeKloud gave me the hands-on feel, this course filled in the broader cloud native context: the CNCF landscape, open standards and how all the pieces relate to each other.
Practice exams
Practice exams were how I measured whether I was actually ready. Every wrong answer told me exactly which topic needed another look. I did not just check the correct answer and move on. I went back to the material until I understood why the right answer was right and why the others were wrong.
Hands-on homelab
Running my own cluster and building things on it turned theory into experience. Writing blog posts about what I learned helped too. Explaining pods, services, RBAC or storage in my own words forced me to really understand them. If you cannot explain a concept simply, you do not know it well enough yet.
What the exam covers
Kubernetes fundamentals make up the largest part of the exam, but a good chunk is about the ecosystem around it. Check the official curriculum for the current domains and weights before you start, since they get updated from time to time.
Tips if you are preparing
- 01Combine a video course with hands-on labs. Watching is not the same as doing.
- 02Use the official curriculum as your checklist and tick off every topic.
- 03Treat practice exams as a diagnostic tool, not just a score.
- 04Build something yourself, even if it is a small cluster at home.
- 05Write about what you learn. Teaching is the fastest way to find your gaps.
- 06Do not skip the broader cloud native topics. The exam is more than just Kubernetes.
What's next
The KCNA gave me a solid, verified foundation. It confirmed that the time I have been putting into Kubernetes and cloud native technologies is paying off.
Next up is the CKAD, the Certified Kubernetes Application Developer. That one is a different beast: a hands-on, performance-based exam where you solve real tasks in a live cluster against the clock. Knowing the concepts will not be enough. I will need speed and muscle memory with kubectl. The same approach applies though: study hard, build things and practice until it feels easy.