KCNA Curriculum
Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate - Entry-level certification for cloud native fundamentals
About KCNA
Section titled “About KCNA”The KCNA is a multiple-choice exam (not hands-on) that validates foundational knowledge of Kubernetes and cloud native technologies. It’s ideal for those new to cloud native or as preparation for CKA/CKAD.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Format | Multiple choice |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Questions | ~60 questions |
| Passing Score | 75% |
| Validity | 3 years |
Curriculum Structure
Section titled “Curriculum Structure”Updated November 2025 - Observability merged into Cloud Native Architecture
| Part | Topic | Weight | Modules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part 0 | Introduction | - | 2 |
| Part 1 | Kubernetes Fundamentals | 44% | 8 |
| Part 2 | Container Orchestration | 28% | 4 |
| Part 3 | Cloud Native Architecture | 12% | 8 |
| Part 4 | Application Delivery | 16% | 2 |
| Total | 100% | 24 |
Module Overview
Section titled “Module Overview”Part 0: Introduction (2 modules)
Section titled “Part 0: Introduction (2 modules)”- 0.1 KCNA Overview - Exam format and domains
- 0.2 Study Strategy - Multiple-choice exam techniques
Part 1: Kubernetes Fundamentals (8 modules) — 44%
Section titled “Part 1: Kubernetes Fundamentals (8 modules) — 44%”- 1.1 What is Kubernetes - Purpose and architecture
- 1.2 Container Fundamentals - Container concepts
- 1.3 Control Plane - API server, etcd, scheduler
- 1.4 Node Components - kubelet, kube-proxy
- 1.5 Pods - Basic workload unit
- 1.6 Workload Resources - Deployments, StatefulSets
- 1.7 Services - Service types and discovery
- 1.8 Namespaces and Labels - Organization
Part 2: Container Orchestration (4 modules) — 28%
Section titled “Part 2: Container Orchestration (4 modules) — 28%”- 2.1 Scheduling - How pods get assigned
- 2.2 Scaling - HPA, VPA, Cluster Autoscaler
- 2.3 Storage - PV, PVC, StorageClass
- 2.4 Configuration - ConfigMaps and Secrets
Part 3: Cloud Native Architecture (8 modules) — 12%
Section titled “Part 3: Cloud Native Architecture (8 modules) — 12%”Includes Observability (merged November 2025)
- 3.1 Cloud Native Principles - 12-factor apps
- 3.2 CNCF Ecosystem - Projects and landscape
- 3.3 Cloud Native Patterns - Service mesh, GitOps
- 3.4 Observability Fundamentals - Metrics, logs, traces
- 3.5 Observability Tools - Prometheus, Grafana, Jaeger
- 3.8 AI/ML in Cloud Native - AI/LLM workloads, GPU scheduling, model serving
- 3.9 WebAssembly - Wasm as container alternative, WASI, SpinKube
- 3.10 Green Computing & Sustainability - Carbon-aware scheduling, resource efficiency
Part 4: Application Delivery (2 modules) — 16%
Section titled “Part 4: Application Delivery (2 modules) — 16%”- 4.1 CI/CD Fundamentals - Pipelines and deployment
- 4.2 Application Packaging - Helm and Kustomize
How to Use This Curriculum
Section titled “How to Use This Curriculum”- Follow the order - Modules build on each other
- Read actively - Don’t just skim, understand concepts
- Take quizzes - Each module has quiz questions
- Review diagrams - Visual learning is key for multiple-choice
- Focus on “why” - KCNA tests understanding, not commands
Key Differences from CKA/CKAD
Section titled “Key Differences from CKA/CKAD”| Aspect | KCNA | CKA/CKAD |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Multiple choice | Hands-on lab |
| Focus | Concepts | Commands |
| Difficulty | Entry-level | Professional |
| Kubernetes access | None | Full cluster |
Gap Analysis (Nov 2025 Update)
Section titled “Gap Analysis (Nov 2025 Update)”The November 2025 KCNA curriculum update introduced several emerging topics that are minor exam areas but worth being aware of:
- AI/LLM Workloads on Kubernetes — Running inference and training workloads, GPU scheduling, model serving
- WebAssembly (Wasm) — Wasm as a lightweight alternative to containers, WASI, SpinKube
- Green Computing — Carbon-aware scheduling, resource efficiency, sustainability in cloud native
These topics represent a small percentage of questions but signal where the cloud native ecosystem is heading. See Modules 3.8-3.10 above.
Study Tips
Section titled “Study Tips”- Understand, don’t memorize - The exam tests concepts
- Know CNCF projects - Especially graduated ones
- Focus on Parts 1 & 2 - They’re 72% of the exam combined
- Review diagrams - Visuals help with multiple-choice
- Take practice tests - Get comfortable with the format
Start Learning
Section titled “Start Learning”Begin with Part 0: Introduction to understand the exam format, then proceed through each part in order.
Good luck on your KCNA journey!