Build it, ship it, pass it.
A browser-based lab that gives every student their own real Kubernetes cluster, 16 hands-on CKAD tasks scored by programmatic validators, and an attempt history that shows exactly what you missed — and why.
What it does
Three things, done well.
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
From sign-up to scored, in four moves.
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.
One click spins a 2-node kind cluster and an embedded desktop. Provisioning runs once across all 16 tasks.
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
A question, an instance, a grader. Side by side.
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
Mapped to the published CKAD curriculum.
Domain weights mirror the official CKAD exam blueprint. All 16 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.
Pricing
Pay once. No subscription.
Create a free account and try the first 3 questions for 15 minutes. Go full access for 14 days, or buy a single attempt — no recurring charges either way.
- ✓Free account includes 3 questions · 15 minutes
- ✓Paid access unlocks 16 graded tasks · 120 minutes · unlimited retakes
- ✓Real on-demand kind cluster, every attempt
- ✓Programmatic, partial-credit validators
- ✓Persistent attempt log + canonical solutions
- ✓Unlimited retakes for 14 days from purchase
- ✓7-day refund, no questions asked
One full 120-minute exam attempt with all 16 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.
What does €29 actually buy me?
14 days of full lab access from the moment of purchase: all 16 graded CKAD tasks, unlimited retakes during the window, and the canonical solutions. Your attempt history stays on your account permanently — you just can't open new lab sessions after day 14. 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
17 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 €29 unlocks 14 days of full lab access — all 16 graded CKAD tasks, unlimited retakes, and a permanent attempt history. No subscription, no upsell.
- One-time €29 · 14 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