Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate Practice Exams
KCNAValidates foundational knowledge of Kubernetes and the broader cloud native ecosystem — container orchestration fundamentals, cloud native architecture, observability, and application delivery. The entry point into CNCF's Kubernetes certification path (CKA, CKAD, CKS).
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5 flashcard sets · 5 learning tests · 2 timed exams · 60-question bank
Overview
What this certification is and how the exam works.
The Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) certification, from the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) and Linux Foundation, validates foundational knowledge of Kubernetes and the wider cloud native ecosystem. The exam covers five domains: Kubernetes Fundamentals (46% — the API, objects, architecture, and scheduling), Container Orchestration (22% — container runtimes, networking, and the container ecosystem), Cloud Native Architecture (16% — autoscaling, serverless, service meshes, and the CNCF landscape), Cloud Native Observability (8% — telemetry, monitoring, logging, and tracing), and Cloud Native Application Delivery (8% — CI/CD, GitOps, and application delivery practices). The exam is 60 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, with a passing score of 75%. No prior Kubernetes experience is required, making it the standard entry point into CNCF's certification path.
Why should I take the exam?
What this credential does for your career.
- 1The vendor-neutral entry point into Kubernetes and cloud native — no prior hands-on experience required
- 2Directly precedes and prepares for the hands-on Kubernetes certifications: CKA, CKAD, and CKS
- 3Covers the full CNCF landscape, not just Kubernetes — container runtimes, service mesh, observability, and GitOps
- 4Increasingly requested for DevOps, platform engineering, and cloud infrastructure roles
Skills measured
What you need to know to pass this exam.
- ✓Describe core Kubernetes objects: Pods, Deployments, Services, ConfigMaps, and Secrets
- ✓Explain Kubernetes architecture: control plane components, kubelet, and the API server
- ✓Understand Kubernetes scheduling, networking, and storage fundamentals
- ✓Explain container fundamentals: images, runtimes (containerd, CRI-O), and the Open Container Initiative (OCI)
- ✓Describe container networking models and the Container Network Interface (CNI)
- ✓Understand cloud native architecture concepts: autoscaling, serverless, and service meshes
- ✓Navigate the CNCF landscape and understand the role of key CNCF projects
- ✓Describe cloud native observability: telemetry, the Prometheus/OpenTelemetry ecosystem, logging, and tracing
- ✓Understand CI/CD and GitOps principles for cloud native application delivery
About our KCNA practice exams
Our Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate KCNA question bank holds 60 exam-style questions with a written explanation on every answer, mapped to the five exam domains published for KCNA, covering Kubernetes Fundamentals, Container Orchestration, Cloud Native Architecture, Cloud Native Observability and Cloud Native Application Delivery.
Alongside the bank there are two full-length timed exams at the real 90-minute limit and 75% pass mark, plus five topic-based learning tests for working a single domain at a time. Randomised mock exams are dealt on demand from the full 60-question pool, so you never run out of fresh papers.
- Questions
- 60
- Exam domains
- 5
- Timed exams
- 2
- Pass mark
- 75%
How our practice content is created
Practice questions are independently developed using the official CNCF / Linux Foundation KCNA exam guide and CNCF / Linux Foundation documentation. Each question is checked for alignment with the current exam objectives and reviewed for technical accuracy before publication.
The KCNA bank cites 44 distinct CNCF / Linux Foundation documentation pages, and every question links the source it was written against — so you can check any answer at first hand.
Official KCNA exam guideCNCF / Linux Foundation is a trademark of its respective owner. This is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorised by CNCF / Linux Foundation.
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Official resources
Provider documentation and study material for this exam.
5 flashcard sets · 5 learning tests · 2 timed exams · 60-question bank