Your AWS cert path. Ethnus Codemithra article cover.

AWS certification path: which exam first, and in what order

Codemithra Team

Codemithra Team

  • Updated on

Start with two decisions, not one exam name. First, decide whether you need Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) at all. Second, pick the Associate exam that matches the role you want. AWS treats Cloud Practitioner as a recommended on-ramp for people new to cloud. It is not a required first step for everyone. A reader with existing hands-on AWS or IT experience can go straight to an Associate exam chosen by role. AWS states this directly on its Solutions Architect Associate exam page. The rest of this guide walks through the sequence, level by level, so you can pick an order and start.

The four certification levels today

AWS organises its certifications into four levels: Foundational, Associate, Professional and Specialty, per AWS's certification overview. Foundational currently covers Cloud Practitioner and AI Practitioner, an exam AWS added after the original version of this article was published. Associate now spans five exams: Solutions Architect, Developer, CloudOps Engineer, Data Engineer and Machine Learning Engineer. Professional covers Solutions Architect, DevOps Engineer and the newer Generative AI Developer exam. Specialty stays the narrowest tier, currently represented by Security and Advanced Networking.

The diagram below shows the order most candidates follow, with the exam code for each stop.

The order most candidates follow. Foundational: Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) or AI Practitioner (AIF-C01). Recommended, not required, for those new to AWS. Then Associate: Pick one exam matched to your target role: Solutions Architect (SAA-C03), Developer (DVA-C02), CloudOps Engineer (SOA-C03), Data Engineer (DEA-C01) or Machine Learning Engineer (MLA-C01). Then Professional: Solutions Architect (SAP-C02), DevOps Engineer (DOP-C02) or Generative AI Developer (AIP-C01), once you have hands-on experience beyond the associate level. Then Specialty (optional): Security or Advanced Networking, for a deep focus on one domain rather than a broader role.
The order most candidates follow through the four AWS certification levels.

Do you need Cloud Practitioner first

Cloud Practitioner is a genuine option, not a gate. The Solutions Architect Associate page recommends Cloud Practitioner for candidates without IT or cloud experience. For anyone with that background already, it lists the exam as recommended, not required, per the SAA-C03 exam page. If you have already deployed or supported an application on AWS, even informally, you can register for an Associate exam directly.

The exam itself is short and inexpensive to sit. Cloud Practitioner uses exam code CLF-C02. It runs 65 questions in 90 minutes and costs $100. It carries no required prerequisites, per the official Cloud Practitioner exam page. That makes it a low-risk check on your baseline knowledge before you commit time to Associate-level study.

Official AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification badge, published by AWS.
The official AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner badge, used here to identify the exam, not as a personal credential.

Try this check today. List the AWS services you have used directly, even in a personal project or a lab. Three or more services used hands-on is a fair signal that you can skip Cloud Practitioner. Fewer than that, and CLF-C02 first gives you a structured pass through the fundamentals before a harder exam.

Choosing your associate exam by role

Associate level splits by job, not by difficulty. Solutions Architect (SAA-C03) suits a design or generalist track, covering how services fit together into a working system. Developer (DVA-C02) suits someone writing and deploying application code on AWS. CloudOps Engineer (SOA-C03) suits an operations focus. It is the current name for what AWS previously called SysOps Administrator. The rename took effect on 30 September 2025, per the official CloudOps Engineer exam page. Existing SysOps Administrator credentials were not renamed retroactively. Data Engineer (DEA-C01) and Machine Learning Engineer (MLA-C01) suit a data or machine learning track. Both are newer additions to the Associate tier, confirmed on the Data Engineer and Machine Learning Engineer exam pages.

Official AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate certification badge, published by AWS.
The official AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate badge, used here to identify the exam, not as a personal credential.

To compare the workload across levels before you commit, look at the exam facts side by side. Checked against the official AWS exam pages on 8 September 2026.

CLF-C02 vs SAA-C03 vs SAP-C02. 65 questions, 90 minutes, 100 USD: No required prerequisites. 65 questions, 130 minutes, 150 USD: 1+ year hands-on AWS experience recommended. 75 questions, 180 minutes, 300 USD: 2+ years hands-on AWS experience recommended
Checked against the official AWS exam pages on 8 September 2026.
Exam Code Questions Duration Price Recommended experience
Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 65 90 minutes $100 None required
Solutions Architect Associate SAA-C03 65 130 minutes $150 1+ year designing AWS solutions
Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 75 180 minutes $300 2+ years designing and implementing AWS solutions

Each figure comes from its own AWS exam page: Cloud Practitioner, Solutions Architect Associate and Solutions Architect Professional. Developer Associate (DVA-C02) nearly matches the Solutions Architect Associate format. It runs 65 questions and 130 minutes for $150, with 1 or more years of hands-on development experience recommended, per the Developer Associate exam page.

Moving to professional level

Professional exams assume real Associate-level experience, not just an Associate certificate. AWS recommends 2 or more years designing and implementing solutions before Solutions Architect Professional (SAP-C02). It recommends a similar 2 or more years operating AWS environments before DevOps Engineer Professional (DOP-C02), per the DevOps Engineer Professional exam page. A newer option, Generative AI Developer Professional (AIP-C01), targets developers with 2 or more years building production AWS applications. It also expects at least 1 year of hands-on generative AI work, confirmed on the Generative AI Developer Professional exam page. It is currently active, not a beta.

Anyone planning to sit Solutions Architect Professional or Developer Associate in the last quarter of 2026 should check the exact dates first. AWS has scheduled a refresh. SAP-C03 registration opens 27 October 2026. The last day for SAP-C02 is 16 November 2026, and SAP-C03 becomes generally available on 17 November 2026. DVA-C03 follows a similar timeline. DVA-C03 registration opens on 27 October 2026, and the last DVA-C02 exam runs on 30 November 2026. DVA-C03 becomes available from 1 December 2026, per the official AWS training and certification update. Today, SAP-C02 and DVA-C02 remain the current, bookable versions.

Where specialty certifications fit

Specialty exams suit someone who wants depth in one domain rather than a broader role. They sit outside the main Foundational to Professional sequence. Security and Advanced Networking remain open today. Advanced Networking is scheduled to retire on 31 December 2026, per AWS's certification overview. Older guides sometimes mention a "Big Data Analytics" specialty. That is not a current AWS certification name, and the topic area now sits mainly under the Data Engineer Associate exam.

Machine Learning - Specialty is no longer an option for new candidates. Its last exam day was 31 March 2026, a date already past. Existing holders keep an active credential for 3 years from when they earned it, per the Machine Learning - Specialty exam page. Readers interested in that domain now have two current entry points instead. One is AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) at the Foundational level. The other is Machine Learning Engineer - Associate (MLA-C01), a distinct exam rather than a direct replacement for the retired Specialty.

Recertification once you pass

Every AWS certification stays valid for 3 years from the date you earn it, per the official recertification page. Standard recertification, usually by retaking the current exam, extends validity for 3 more years. A shorter maintenance option, where available, extends validity by 1 more year instead. Build a reminder around your exam date rather than assume a certificate stays current indefinitely.

How Ethnus Codemithra training lines up with this path

Each stage above has a matching starting point in Ethnus Codemithra training. The AWS Cloud Masterclass gives a first, low-commitment look at AWS before you choose an exam. It runs as a 3-hour session with a hands-on activity building a facial recognition app. It issues a joint Ethnus and NASSCOM FutureSkills certificate for a score of 60% or higher on the closing assessment. For the Foundational exam itself, the AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials course builds toward Cloud Practitioner. It runs an 11-module syllabus across 50-plus hours, plus 250-plus hours of Basic Essentials content. For the Associate step, the AWS Solutions Architect Associate course covers 150-plus hours of architecture content plus 250-plus hours of Basic Essentials. It targets the SAA-C03 exam directly and includes lab access, trainer-led sessions, a resume building workshop and practice interviews.

Ethnus reached the milestone of training over 5 lakh students across all its programs. That figure is historical and organisation-wide, not a claim specific to AWS training, as stated on the Ethnus about page.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to start with Cloud Practitioner?

No. AWS recommends it for people new to cloud computing. It is not a formal prerequisite for any Associate exam, including Solutions Architect Associate.

Which associate exam should I pick first?

Match it to the role you want. Choose Solutions Architect for design, Developer for building applications, CloudOps Engineer for operations, or Data Engineer and Machine Learning Engineer for a data track.

Is Machine Learning - Specialty still worth taking?

No. Its last exam day was 31 March 2026, so new candidates cannot sit it. Consider AI Practitioner or Machine Learning Engineer - Associate instead.

How long does an AWS certification stay valid?

Three years from the date you earn it. Standard recertification adds 3 more years, and a maintenance option, where offered, adds 1 more year.

Is a big exam-code change coming soon?

Yes, for two exams. SAP-C03 replaces SAP-C02 from 17 November 2026. DVA-C03 replaces DVA-C02 from 1 December 2026. Both current versions stay bookable until those dates.

If you are ready to commit to the associate step of this path, start with the AWS Solutions Architect Associate course at Ethnus Codemithra. It follows the current SAA-C03 syllabus and includes lab access and trainer support.

Tags

[yearmonthtags]
Tags

About the Author

Codemithra Team

Codemithra Team

The Codemithra team comprises an accomplished group of mentors who bring to the table real-world subject matter knowledge and industry experience. Our mentors are experts who effectively and quickly take our learners to the next level.

Read More

Codemithra is here to help you!

Ethnus User Agreement

I agree to submit my personally identifiable information to Ethnus, who may use it to communicate regarding their events, courses, and other services through various media including phone calls, text messages, email, and social media. I also agree with Ethnus' Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

I agree with Ethnus sharing my personal data, including email address, with Salesforce family of companies, who may contact me for sales and marketing purposes and as described in Salesforce's Privacy Statement.

Privacy Policy

This Privacy Notice describes how we collect and use your personal information in relation to Ethnus websites, applications, products, services, events, and experiences that reference this Privacy Notice (together, "Ethnus Offerings").

This Privacy Notice does not apply to the "content" processed, stored, or hosted by our customers using Ethnus Offerings in connection with an Ethnus account. This Privacy Notice also does not apply to any products, services, websites, or content that are offered by third parties or have their own privacy notice.

Personal Information We Collect

We collect your personal information in the course of providing Ethnus Offerings to you.

Here are the types of information we gather:

        a) Information You Give Us: We collect any information you provide in relation to Ethnus Offerings. Click here to see examples of information you give us. Example: Name, email, phone, etc.

        b) Automatic Information: We automatically collect certain types of information when you interact with Ethnus Offerings. Example: IP address, location, browser identity, etc.

        c) Information from Other Sources: We might collect information about you from other sources, including service providers, partners, and publicly available sources. Example: marketing analytics, keywords, etc.

How We Use Personal Information

We use your personal information to operate, provide, and improve Ethnus Offerings. Our purposes for using personal information include:

        a) Provide Ethnus Offerings: We may use your personal information to provide and deliver Ethnus Offerings and process transactions related to Ethnus Offerings, including registrations, subscriptions, purchases, and payments.

        b) Measure, Support, and Improve Ethnus Offerings: We use your personal information to measure use of, analyze the performance of, fix errors in, provide support for, improve, and develop Ethnus Offerings.

        c) Recommendations and Personalization: We use your personal information to recommend Ethnus Offerings that might be of interest to you, identify your preferences, and personalize your experience with Ethnus Offerings.

        d) Comply with Legal Obligations: In certain cases, we have a legal obligation to collect, use, or retain your personal information.

        e) Communicate with You: We use your personal information to communicate with you in relation to Ethnus Offerings via different channels (e.g., by phone, email, chat) and to respond to your requests.

        f) Marketing: We use your personal information to market and promote Ethnus Offerings. We might display interest-based ads for Ethnus Offerings.

        g) Purposes for Which We Seek Your Consent: We may also ask for your consent to use your personal information for a specific purpose that we communicate to you.

Cookies

To enable our systems to recognize your browser or device and to provide Ethnus Offerings, we use cookies.

How We Share Personal Information

Information about our customers is an important part of our business and we are not in the business of selling our customers' personal information to others. We share personal information only as described below and with Ethnus Consultancy Services Private Limited, . and its affiliates that are either subject to this Privacy Notice or follow practices at least as protective as those described in this Privacy Notice.

Transactions Involving Third Parties: We make available to you services, software, training, and content provided by third parties for use on or through Ethnus Offerings. You can tell when a third party is involved in your transactions, and we share information related to those transactions with that third party. For example, you can order services, software, and content from sellers using the Authorized Training Partner's marketplace and we provide those sellers information to facilitate your subscription, purchases, or support.

Other than as set out above, you will receive notice when personal information about you might be shared with third parties, and you will have an opportunity to choose not to share the information.

How We Secure Information

        a) We protect the security of your information during transmission to or from websites, applications, products, or services by using encryption protocols and software.

        b) We maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards in connection with the collection, storage, and disclosure of personal information.

Internet Advertising and Third Parties

Ethnus Offerings may include third-party advertising and links to other websites and applications. Third party advertising partners may collect information about you when you interact with their content, advertising, or services. For more information about third-party advertising, including interest-based ads, please read our Interest-Based Ads notice.

Access and Choice

You have choices about the collection and use of your personal information. Many Ethnus Offerings include settings that provide you with options as to how your information is being used. You can choose not to provide certain information, but then you might not be able to take advantage of certain Ethnus Offerings.

        a) Communications: If you do not want to receive promotional messages from us, please unsubscribe or adjust your communication preferences in the emails.

        b) Advertising: If you don't want to see interest-based ads, please adjust your Advertising Preferences.

        c) Browser and Devices: The Help feature on most browsers and devices will tell you how to prevent your browser or device from accepting new cookies, how to have the browser notify you when you receive a new cookie, or how to disable cookies altogether.

Children's Personal Information

We don't provide Ethnus Offerings for purchase by children. If you're under 18, you may use Ethnus Offerings only with the involvement of a parent or guardian.

Retention of Personal Information

We keep your personal information to enable your continued use of Ethnus Offerings, for as long as it is required in order to fulfill the relevant purposes described in this Privacy Notice, as may be required by law (including for tax and accounting purposes), or as otherwise communicated to you. How long we retain specific personal information varies depending on the purpose for its use, and we may delete your personal information in accordance with applicable law.

Contacts, Notices, and Revisions

If you have any concern about privacy at Ethnus, you may also contact us at the addresses below:

Ethnus Consultancy Services Pvt Ltd,

SST Chambers, No.151/17/1 Second Floor, 36th Cross Rd, 5th Block, Jayanagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560041

Or, email us at [email protected]

Or call us at: +91 - 8929 334 324

You will find the updated contact information on our website: www.ethnus.com/contact/

If you interact with Ethnus Offerings on behalf of or through your organization, then your personal information may also be subject to your organization's privacy practices, and you should direct privacy inquiries to your organization.

Our business changes constantly, and our Privacy Notice may also change. You should check our website frequently to see recent changes. You can see the date on which the latest version of this Privacy Notice was posted. Unless stated otherwise, our current Privacy Notice applies to all personal information we have about you and your account. We stand behind the promises we make, however, and will never materially change our policies and practices to make them less protective of personal information collected in the past without informing affected customers and giving them a choice.

Terms & Conditions

This Privacy and Security Policy is provided for the benefit of customers and clients of Ethnus Consultancy Services Private Limited. ("Ethnus") as well as other consumers and parties who use Ethnus and/or its website(s), particularly codemithra.com ("Website", "www.codemithra.com", "Codemithra" or "Ethnus Codemithra"), and/or applications ("Apps") (collectively, "Ethnus Services" or "Ethnus Platform").

Since Ethnus serves several different audiences, customers find it helpful to read the Terms of Use that apply specifically to them based upon the purpose for which they use Ethnus. For this reason, we link to three separate agreements below for employer customers, job seeker customers, and staffing customers, respectively.

For your convenience, we define each of these audiences that Ethnus serves as follows:

"Employer Customer" means an entity using Ethnus Services that is seeking to hire an individual as an employee and/or independent contractor to be employed by it directly.

"Job Seeker Customer" means an individual using Ethnus Services who is seeking to be employed as an employee or independent contractor by an employer.

"Staffing Customer" means a staffing company using Ethnus Services that provides staffing services to their own Staffing Clients.

So long as your use of the Ethnus website and services remains within the scope of the particular audience or customer for which you began using Ethnus (e.g. a job seeker does not use Ethnus as an employer, or an employer does not use Ethnus as a job seeker), the complete Terms of Use applicable to your use of the Ethnus website and services is contained within the applicable Terms of Use linked below.

Employer Terms of Use

The following Terms of Use apply to any Ethnus Employer Customer seeking to hire employees or independent contractors for its own business. If you seek to find employees or independent contractors for the benefit of your clients (and not yourself), you need to review the Terms of Use specifically for our Ethnus Staffing Customers accessible at www.Codemithra.com/terms/staffing.

Ethnus, Inc. ("Ethnus") provides online services through which employers and staffing companies seeking employees and independent contractors can efficiently and effectively review and interview candidates. Ethnus provides these services and its suite of features and products through its Apps and Website (collectively, "Ethnus Services") subject to these terms of use ("Terms of Use") and the agreements incorporated herein.

Your privacy is very important to us. We designed our accompanying Privacy and Security Policy to provide important disclosures about how your information will be used by Ethnus in providing you Ethnus Services. These Terms of Use expressly incorporate our Privacy and Security Policy.

Please read these Terms of Use and our Privacy and Security Policy carefully before using any of the diverse Ethnus Services. By visiting the Website, installing any of the Apps, and/or using any of the Ethnus Services, you shall have affirmed your agreement to these Terms of Use.

1. Definitions

2. Modifications - Will Ethnus ever modify these Terms of Use?

3. Ethnus Services - What are the Ethnus Services?

4. Video Content and Services - How and when do you record videos?

5. Pricing, Payments, and Billing - How and when will I be billed for Ethnus Services?

6. Objectionable Content - What if I find content to be objectionable?

7. Customer Conduct

8. Intellectual Property

9. DMCA Policy

10. Reserved for Future Use

11. Resale of Services

12. Indemnification

13. Disclaimer of Warranties

14. Third Party Links and Products

15. Limitations of Liability

16. Exclusions and Limitations

17. General Terms

1. Definitions

"Consumer" means any individual or entity that uses any of the Ethnus Services. Where applicable, the term "Consumer" shall encompass all Ethnus Customers.

"Content" means all material, whether publicly posted or privately transmitted, available on or through any of the Ethnus Services.

"Customer" means, for purposes of this Terms of Use, You, a Job Seeker Customer.

"Customer Content" means any Content uploaded to and/or created through the Ethnus Services by a Ethnus Customer.

"Employer Customer" means an entity using Ethnus Services that is seeking to hire an individual as an employee and/or independent contractor to be employed by it directly.

"GDPR" means the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation.

"Job Seeker Customer" means an individual using Ethnus Services who is seeking to be employed as an employee or independent contractor by an employer.

"Profile Video" means a promotional video created by a Job Seeker Customer to promote themselves as a candidate employee and/or independent contractor. It is not an interview. The Job Seeker Customer completes this independently and on their own.

"Software" means any necessary software used in connection with the Ethnus Services.

"Ethnus Account" means an account associated with a Ethnus Customer who uses or has used Ethnus Services.

"Ethnus Content" means any Content excluding Customer Content and Video Content in which Ethnus does not participate.

"Ethnus Customer" means any person who uses or has used Ethnus Services including, but not limited to, Employer Customers, Job Seeker Customers, and Staffing Customers.

"Ethnus Services" means the suite of features, products and services offered through Ethnus, its Apps, its App Services, the Website, and the Website Services.

"Ethnus Trademarks" means any trademarks, tradenames, logos, and other commercial designs of Ethnus or licensed to Ethnus, whether or not formal registration exists including, but not limited to, "Ethnus."

"Staffing Clients" means third-party employer clients of Staffing Customers.

"Staffing Customer" means a staffing company using Ethnus Services that provides staffing services to their own Staffing Clients.

"Strategic Partners" means those trusted partners that Ethnus employs, engages, or retains to perform functions and/or provide services on its behalf.

"Sub Accounts" means subsidiary accounts created for or by an Employer Customer or Staffing Customer ("such as a consultant group or employer") under its primary account.

"Username" means the valid email address provided by each Ethnus Customer to be used as their username or login identification.

"Video Content" means any video content created by or associated with any Ethnus Customer accessible on and through Ethnus Services including, but not limited to, Profile Videos, Video Questions, Video Interviews, and Welcome Videos.

"Video Interview" means an interview completed through Ethnus Services using a video or "web" camera that an Employer Customer or Staffing Customer requests a Job Seeker Customer complete. A Video Interview may involve a Job Seeker Customer alone or with other participants from an Employer Customer or Staffing Customer. A Video Interview may be pre-recorded by a Job Seeker in response to questions or occur live at which time it would be recorded.

"Video Question" means a question recorded in video and audio that can be sent to potential employee and independent contractor candidates by an Employer Customer or Staffing Customer.

"Website" means all of the content, information and services (in any format whatsoever) accessible through the World Wide Web at the domain name Codemithra.com.

"Website Services" means the services provided by Ethnus through the website at the domain name Codemithra.com, hire.li, and any of our other websites that may be used from time to time