Top DevOps & Cloud Certifications for 2025
These Are the 5 DevOps & Cloud Certifications I Find Best for 2025
Hello Everyone
Welcome to your AKVAverse, I’m Abhishek Veeramalla, aka the AKVAman, your guide for Cloud, DevOps, and AI.
I know lots of you are confused about all the DevOps and cloud certifications out there. I get so many questions like Which one should I pick? or Will this help me get a job? So, I wanted to share all the most important Certifications that can help you to grab a better job.
Why Certifications Matter (and Which Ones Don’t)
There are so many DevOps tools out there, and even more certifications. It can feel confusing to know which ones are really worth going after. So, what should you actually focus on?
After looking through tons of certification topics and checking what companies ask for in their job postings, the answer is clear: go after the skills and certifications that employers are actually looking for.
In other words, don’t waste time chasing every shiny new certificate. Build the ones that really matter for getting hired.
My Top 5 Picks for 2025
1. CKA (Certified Kubernetes Administrator)
The first certification on my list is the CKA – Certified Kubernetes Administrator. There are a couple of reasons why it stands out.
First, it is one of the most valued DevOps certifications. If you read through job descriptions, you will often see CKA listed as a preferred skill. In some cases, though not very common, it is even marked as a required skill.
Second, Kubernetes certifications are very hands-on. The CKA exam has a wide syllabus, which means you need to learn a lot of Kubernetes concepts and also practice them thoroughly.
In short, earning the CKA proves that you have strong, practical knowledge of Kubernetes, which is a big plus in DevOps roles.
2. Fundamental Cloud Certifications
The second certification I recommend is a cloud fundamentals certification. Many people try to jump straight into advanced cloud certifications like the AWS Solutions Architect Associate, but it’s better to start with a basic cloud certification first.
If you have about a year of experience but try to go for Solutions Architect Associate without doing the Cloud Practitioner first, that is not a good idea.
For AWS, start with the Cloud Practitioner. For Azure, go for AZ-900 (Azure Fundamentals). For Google Cloud, try the Associate Cloud Engineer.
These fundamental certifications are a good next step to get after the CKA.
3. CKAD (Certified Kubernetes Application Developer)
The third certification on my list is the CKAD - Certified Kubernetes Application Developer. Even though it says application developer, most of the topics in this certification are related to DevOps.
If you already have the CKA certification, you have covered about 60% of what is needed for the CKAD. The CKA syllabus recently changed a bit, so there might be a small difference of 5 to 10%.
For now, CKAD is the third certification I recommend. Like CKA, it has a big syllabus and is very hands-on. Before taking the exam, make sure you practice the topics thoroughly. The test is timed, so you need to be well-prepared to finish it on time.
4. Advanced Cloud Certifications
The fourth certification on my list is advanced cloud certifications. After completing the basic cloud certifications, the next step is to pursue advanced ones.
For AWS, this means the Solutions Architect Associate. For Azure, I recommend the Azure DevOps Engineer Expert certification. For Google Cloud, go for the Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer certification.
These three advanced cloud certifications come next on the list.
5. CKS (Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist)
The last certification I suggest is the CKS, which stands for Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist. It is a hard one, but security is really important, so this certificate is getting more popular.
Like other Kubernetes certificates, this one is very hands-on. That means you need to know how to do things in real life, not just read about them, unlike some cloud certificates.
A Thought to Leave You With
You might wonder why out of the five certifications I mentioned, three are Kubernetes-related. While I talked about other certifications too, Kubernetes ones are the most popular in job descriptions right now. That is why I included three Kubernetes certifications out of the five.
Even though I shared five certifications, I’m not saying you must complete all of them. Most of these are listed as preferred skills in DevOps jobs today. The order I gave is just to help you decide which certifications to go for first.
Don’t worry about collecting every certification. Instead, learn tools by doing real projects, adding them to your GitHub, and linking your GitHub on your resume. Employers value practical experience more than multiple certification badges.
If you have any questions about certifications, do leave a comment.
start small, stay curious, and get hands-on.
Until next time, keep building, keep experimenting, and keep exploring your AKVAverse. 💙
Abhishek Veeramalla, aka the AKVAman