Databricks Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark

There are currently two versions of this exam - Databricks Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark 3.0 and Databricks Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark 2.4. Each will assess the candidate’s understanding of the basics of Spark architecture and the ability to apply the Spark DataFrame API of the given version. The exam is available in two programming languages: Python and Scala. So a working knowledge of one of those languages is necessary.

The candidate will be tested on their ability to apply the Spark DataFrame API to complete basic data manipulation tasks such as selecting, renaming and manipulating columns; filtering, dropping, sorting, and aggregating rows; handling missing data; combining, reading, writing and partitioning DataFrames with schemas; and working with UDFs and Spark SQL functions.

To pass, candidates must score 70% or better on a 60-question multiple choice exam. Exams are two hours in length and are proctored online through Kryterion, requiring the candidate to have a webcam. To register and pay for an exam, create or login to an account at https://academy.databricks.com then look for the Certifications tab.

To best prepare for the exam, candidates should attend Apache Spark Programming (DB105) and Sections I, II, and IV of Spark: The Definitive Guide should also be helpful in preparation.