Cloud Certifications Cheatsheet: AWS, GCP, and Azure Paths at a Glance

Cloud certifications are a signal, not a guarantee. They tell an employer you have studied a topic to a recognised standard. They do not prove you can operate real infrastructure under pressure. That said, the right certification at the right level genuinely helps — it gets your CV through screening, gives you a structured way to learn, and builds confidence.

This page is a fast reference for every main certification across AWS, GCP, and Azure, plus the vendor-neutral certs worth knowing.

AWS Certifications#

AWS also offers Speciality certifications in: Security, Advanced Networking, Database, Machine Learning, Data Analytics, and SAP on AWS. These are worth pursuing once you have an associate-level cert and a clear specialisation direction.

The Solutions Architect – Associate is the most widely recognised AWS cert for general cloud engineering roles and is a strong default first choice if you are targeting AWS-heavy organisations.

GCP Certifications#

GCP also offers Professional certs in Cloud Network Engineering, Machine Learning Engineering, and Workspace Administration.

The Associate Cloud Engineer is the right starting point for GCP. It is more technical than the Digital Leader and maps well to hands-on engineering roles.

Azure Certifications#

Microsoft also offers certs in AI fundamentals (AI-900), data fundamentals (DP-900), and specialised paths in data, AI, and industry solutions.

AZ-104 is the standard entry point for Azure administration roles. AZ-900 is worth getting first if you are completely new to Azure, but do not stop there.

Vendor-Neutral Certifications#

The CKA and Terraform Associate are particularly valuable because Kubernetes and Terraform are in widespread use across all three major cloud providers. They complement a cloud-specific cert well.

Which Certification to Get First#

Honest Caveats#

A certification with no hands-on experience behind it is weaker than you think. Hiring managers at strong engineering teams will probe your cert — they will ask questions that require real understanding, not exam knowledge.

A certification backed by a GitHub repository of working cloud projects is significantly more convincing than a cert alone. If you finish studying for AWS SAA, spend a few weeks building something real with those services before you add it to your CV.

Certs are worth pursuing. They structure your learning, prove you can commit to something, and matter for screening. But treat them as the beginning of your learning on a topic, not the end of it.