Expect a serverless focus and long scenarios.
Recent pass reports describe heavy coverage of Lambda, API Gateway, SQS, SNS, KMS, CloudWatch and IAM roles, with long questions and close answers that used most of the 130 minutes.
AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02) Exam Guide
Validates knowledge of developing, securing, deploying, troubleshooting and optimizing cloud applications using AWS services.
The exam gives you development scenarios and asks which code change, service setting or deployment approach fixes the problem. Learn the core developer services from one course, build a small serverless app, then use practice tests to learn the details that separate close answers. Book DVA-C02 by 30 November or prepare for DVA-C03 from 1 December.
Understand the exam
Syllabus
Domain 1Development with AWS services32%
- Task 1Develop code for applications hosted on AWS
- Task 2Develop code for AWS Lambda
- Task 3Use data stores in application development
Example scenario: A Lambda function that processes orders sometimes times out and the same order is charged twice when it retries. What would you change in the function and its event source?
Domain 2Security26%
- Task 1Implement authentication and/or authorization for applications and AWS services
- Task 2Implement encryption by using AWS services
- Task 3Manage sensitive data in application code
Example scenario: A developer stored a database password in a Lambda environment variable in plain text. How would you change this so the password can rotate without redeploying?
Domain 3Deployment24%
- Task 1Prepare application artifacts to be deployed to AWS
- Task 2Test applications in development environments
- Task 3Automate deployment testing
- Task 4Deploy code by using AWS Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) services
Example scenario: A new Lambda version must reach 10% of traffic first and roll back automatically if errors rise. Which deployment settings would you use?
Domain 4Troubleshooting and optimization18%
- Task 1Assist in a root cause analysis
- Task 2Instrument code for observability
- Task 3Optimize applications by using AWS services and features
Example scenario: An API's response time doubles at peak times, but the Lambda function's own duration is unchanged. Where would you look next?
Official DVA-C02 exam guide · DVA-C02 until 30 November 2026
Format
- Questions
- 65
- Duration
- 2h 10m
- Passing score
- 720 / 1000
- Delivery
- Test centre or online
- Languages
- English, Chinese (Simplified), Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish
Question types
Choose the single best answer from four options; one is correct and three are distractors.
CertUp example
A Lambda function reads a database password from a plain-text environment variable. The password must rotate regularly without redeploying the function. What should the developer do?
Show answer
Store the password in AWS Secrets Manager and read it at runtime. Secrets Manager can rotate the value and the function always fetches the current one.
Choose two or more correct answers from five or more options; you must select every correct option to get credit.
CertUp example
Which TWO changes make a Lambda function that processes queue messages safe to retry?
Show answer
Make the processing idempotent, and configure a dead-letter queue for repeated failures. Retries then cannot double-charge, and poison messages do not loop forever.
Eligibility and booking
Create an AWS Certification account with a personal email and schedule with Pearson VUE at a test centre or online. Book DVA-C02 for a date up to 30 November 2026; DVA-C03 bookings open on 27 October for exams from 1 December. Non-native English speakers can request 30 extra minutes.
Make a study plan
Read the exam guide, then take one course and build a small serverless application as you go. Leave time at the end for practice tests in review mode.
Plan for 30–80 hours. Plan for the low end if you build on AWS every day; add time if serverless services and AWS tooling are new to you.
- 1Understand the examRead the syllabus and format, check you’re eligible and pick a target date.3 h
- 3Learn the core conceptsWork through one main course or book, topic by topic.36 h
- 4Practice with mock examsTake timed practice tests and review every mistake.18 h
- 5Prepare for exam dayBook the exam and check the ID and delivery rules.3 h
If your exam date falls on or after 1 December 2026, check that your course and practice tests cover DVA-C03.
Learn the core concepts
One full course covers the outline. Build something yourself so the scenario questions map to code you have deployed.
Best paid video courseUltimate AWS Certified Developer Associate 2026 DVA-C02
Best deep-dive courseAWS Certified Developer - Associate
Best official planExam Prep Plan: AWS Certified Developer - Associate (DVA-C02)Build one small app end to end. Deploy an API Gateway, Lambda and DynamoDB app with SAM, add Cognito sign-in and a CodePipeline release. Set a billing alert and delete the resources when you finish.
Practice with mock exams
Start with AWS's free question set. Then use a practice bank in review mode first, so you read the reasoning for every option, before switching to timed exams.
Official Practice Question Set (DVA-C02)
AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 Practice Exams 2026Official Practice Exam (DVA-C02)Are you ready?
- You can explain how Lambda retries, concurrency and dead-letter queues behave for each event source.
- You can choose between Cognito user pools, identity pools and IAM roles for a given app.
- You finish fresh timed practice exams within the time and can explain why each wrong option is wrong.
Prepare for exam day
Choose the checklist for your test-centre or online appointment.
Before going to the test centre
Before testing from home
- Bring two IDs, or one primary and one secondary ID, matching the name in your AWS Certification account.
- Arrive 15 to 30 minutes before your appointment.
- Store your belongings as instructed. Breaks are allowed, but the exam clock keeps running.
- Run the OnVUE system test on the computer and network you will use.
- Prepare a private room and a clear desk, and have one government-issued photo ID ready.
- Start check-in early. Arriving more than 15 minutes late forfeits the exam fee.
- You cannot leave the camera view or take a break during the 130 minutes.
You can reschedule or cancel up to 24 hours before the appointment, and reschedule twice at most. Results are posted to your AWS Certification account within five business days.
Advice from exam takers
Learn why answers are wrong, not just which are right.
After a failed attempt, several replies advised redoing practice tests in review mode and working out whether each miss came from a concept, a missed keyword or two confused services, rather than memorizing answers.
Your AWS experience sets the timeline.
Developers who use AWS daily report about two weeks of review and one practice provider. A backend engineer with no AWS production work passed after about a month with one course and its practice tests.