CKAD practice exams with hands-on application tasks
A browser-based lab that gives every student their own real Kubernetes cluster, 27 hands-on CKAD tasks scored by programmatic validators, and an attempt history that shows exactly what you missed and why. Choose from 3 fixed exam mocks: an exam-style mock plus two alternate sets, 54 additional task variants in all. Practise the same skills with different requirements before your next timed attempt.
The exam
What is the CKAD exam?
The CKAD (Certified Kubernetes Application Developer) is a performance-based exam from the Linux Foundation and CNCF. You get 2 hours to solve tasks on live Kubernetes clusters from the command line, and need 66% to pass. It costs $445, including one free retake, and the certification is valid for 2 years. The preparation that works is the same kind of work: graded tasks on real clusters, under a clock. Prepium's CKAD practice gives you 27 graded tasks and 3 timed mock exams. All CKAD exam facts →
What it does
What does CKAD practice on Prepium include?
No video courses. No fake simulators. Use quick quizzes to warm up, then work the same kind of cluster, the same kind of task, and the same kind of grader you'll meet on CKAD exam day.
Real Kubernetes, on demand.
Each attempt boots an isolated kind cluster wired through ttyd. kubectl is real, the API objects are real, and the failure modes are real.
Programmatic validators.
Every task ships its own check script that inspects cluster state. You get partial credit for partial work, an output trace per question, and a reviewable diff.
Per-user attempt log.
Every finished exam (score, duration, missed tasks, the validator output, and the canonical solution) is saved to your console. Pattern-spot what you keep getting wrong.
How it works
How does a CKAD practice exam work?
No installs. No local kubeconfig surgery. Open the lab, get a cluster, finish the tasks, read your report.
Create an account.
Email + password, or Google SSO. You land in your student console: profile, target score, sync clock.
Open the lab.
Each mock contains 17 tasks on real clusters with an embedded desktop. Another 10 curriculum labs are available in single-task practice.
Work in-context.
Each question gives you the namespace, a docs link, and a question rail beside the live workspace. Submit when satisfied.
Read the report.
Programmatic validators run on finish. Pass/fail, per-task feedback, and the canonical solution post to your history.
Inside the lab
What does a graded CKAD task look like?
The lab is one window: a question rail on the left, an embedded Linux desktop on the right, and a progress strip you can navigate at any time. Below is what one CKAD task looks like.
Add a readiness probe so traffic only hits ready pods.
The checkout deployment in namespace web serves on port 8080 at path /healthz. Add a readiness probe with an initial delay of 5s and a period of 10s.
Pods must not receive Service traffic until the probe passes. You'll be graded on the probe fields and on the endpoints settling to the ready replicas.
Exam scope
Which CKAD exam domains does it cover?
Domain weights mirror the official CKAD exam blueprint. All 27 lab tasks are tagged to a domain so your attempt history breaks down by exactly the areas the exam measures. See the full task list with descriptions, or practice each task on a real cluster.
Free practice tasks
Practice every CKAD task on a real cluster.
Open any scenario below and solve it on a live Kubernetes cluster with instant, automated grading - reading the task is free, no signup. Browse all CKAD practice tasks →
Curriculum labs: the rest of the CKAD syllabus
Single-task labs for curriculum objectives the exam-style mocks don't cover, each on its own cluster.
Pricing
How much does CKAD practice cost?
Create a free account and solve a real graded Task of the Week with AI Lab Coach, a new task every week. Go full access for 30 days, or buy a single attempt, no recurring charges either way.
- ✓Free account includes the Task of the Week · AI Lab Coach
- ✓Paid access unlocks 27 practice tasks · 120-minute mocks · 5 attempts at the full exam simulation
- ✓Real on-demand kind cluster, every attempt
- ✓Programmatic, partial-credit validators
- ✓Persistent attempt log + canonical solutions
- ✓AI Lab Coach diagnoses your single-task attempts using lab evidence
- ✓5 attempts at the full exam simulation + unlimited practice by task, 30 days
- ✓7-day refund, no questions asked
One full 120-minute exam attempt with 17 tasks, real cluster, and programmatic scoring. Buy more only when you need them.
Buy 1 attempt →Bulk seats, an admin console, aggregate progress reporting. Email [email protected] for a quote.
Each certification is a separate one-time purchase on the same lab engine. See CKA and CKS.
this lab is independent practice, not the exam.
FAQ
Things people ask before signing up.
How do the task variants and mock exam papers work?
Each of the 27 labs has two alternate scenarios: 54 additional task variants to practise the same topic with different requirements. Choose a variant in single-task practice, or choose from 3 fixed mock papers: an exam-style paper and two alternate sets, with 17 tasks per paper. Your 5 included full-exam attempts are shared across all papers. Retaking a paper repeats its scenarios and uses one attempt.
What does $39 actually buy me?
30 days of full lab access from activation: all 27 graded CKAD tasks, 5 attempts at the full exam simulation (choose from 3 fixed mocks, 17 tasks per mock, with 5 attempts shared across them), unlimited single-task practice, and the canonical solutions. Your attempt history stays on your account permanently; you just can't open new lab sessions after day 30. No recurring charge, no plan to upgrade. If it doesn't work for you, email [email protected] within 7 days for a full refund.
Is this affiliated with the Linux Foundation or CNCF?
No. prepium.sh is an independent practice environment. We track the published CKAD curriculum closely, but we are not the certifier.
What's the difference between CKA and CKAD?
CKAD focuses on building, deploying, and configuring applications on Kubernetes: pods, deployments, config, probes, services. CKA focuses on operating the cluster itself: installation, etcd, networking, troubleshooting. CKAD assumes someone else runs the cluster; you live inside namespaces. If you write and ship workloads, CKAD is the one for you.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Everything runs in your browser: the cluster, the desktop, the editor, the validators. You'll need a modern browser and a stable connection.
How accurate are the validators?
Each task ships with a check script that inspects cluster state, not a string match on your commands or YAML. There are usually multiple valid solutions; the grader rewards any of them and gives partial credit.
How long should I study for the CKAD?
Most people spend 3-6 weeks of focused study. If you deploy to Kubernetes daily, 1-2 weeks of hands-on practice may be enough. CKAD is a speed exam: you have ~2 hours for 15-20 tasks, so the bottleneck is kubectl fluency and imperative shortcuts, not knowledge. We recommend at least 3-4 full timed attempts before the real exam.
Is the CKAD exam hard?
The CKAD is entirely performance-based, no multiple choice. The challenge is time pressure: 15-20 tasks in roughly 2 hours means you can't afford to write YAML from scratch. This lab is built to drill imperative commands, generators, and the muscle memory that makes the time limit survivable.
Should I take CKAD or CKA first?
CKAD if you only deploy workloads on clusters someone else runs (developers, app teams). CKA if you manage clusters (ops, platform, SRE). They overlap on workloads, config, and networking, so doing both is common; many people start with whichever matches their day job.
Also on prepium.sh
Going for more than one certification?
prepium.sh covers all three CNCF Kubernetes certifications on the same lab engine: real clusters, programmatic validators, and persistent attempt history.
Certified Kubernetes Administrator
29 hands-on lab tasks across cluster architecture, networking, storage, and troubleshooting, plus a 55-question quiz bank.
Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist
16 security lab tasks covering hardening, supply chain, and runtime security, plus a 48-question quiz bank.
Open a cluster. Start ticking tasks.
One-time $39 unlocks 30 days of full lab access, all 27 graded CKAD tasks, 5 attempts at the full timed exam simulation, unlimited single-task practice, and a permanent attempt history. No subscription, no upsell.
- One-time $39 · 30 days of access
- 7-day refund, no questions asked
- Real cluster, not a simulator
- Programmatic, partial-credit scoring
- Solutions revealed after submission
- Persistent, per-user attempt log
See the task, the desktop, and the checks behind your score
Practise one task at a time, or use the timed CKAD exam mode with task navigation and review flags. In a single-task lab, AI Lab Coach can inspect your commands, saved files and current lab state to explain what to fix. Open solutions whenever you need help, then retry to prove the result yourself.
Example feedback: 2 of 3 checks passed
| Requirement | Evidence | How to reach full credit |
|---|---|---|
| Correct workload exists · pass | The expected Deployment was found. | Keep its name and namespace. |
| Required replicas available · fail | 1 available; 2 required. | Inspect Pod events and fix the unavailable replica, then verify rollout status. |
| Labels match · pass | The Pod template matches the selector. | Keep these labels when editing. |
Illustrative feedback, not a student's score or the official exam rubric. Actual tasks show their own checks and point weights, so a passing apply command alone may not earn full credit.
Explore this week's free CKAD task →CKAD access, clearly explained
$39 USD · 30 days · one payment. 27 graded tasks, 5 attempts at the full exam simulation and unlimited single-task practice during the access window. AI Lab Coach helps diagnose attempts in single-task labs. The clock starts when you activate.
Public task descriptions; the selected weekly lab is free with an account. 2 free weekly starts per certification, with AI Lab Coach in the live task. Read this week's free task →
List price before any applicable checkout taxes or discounts. Create an account →