I've been using Terraform quite a bit recently and noticed that HashiCorp have a Terraform Associate certification. Reviewing the exam objectives it sounded like it seemed to cover most of the things I've already been doing, so I decided to give it a go.

Terraform certified associate badge

The exam is run by PSI, so was a slightly different experience to those I've taken for Microsoft certifications. The sign-in process was a bit simpler (eg. scanning your ID with your webcam rather than having to upload them from your phone). The exam software required that I turn off a few background processes (OneDrive, a Zoom background process and the Virtual Machine Management Service). Once I'd done that the software was happy to proceed and when the proctor was satisfied with my room and desk setup I was able to start the exam.

I finished the exam in good time and I was pleased to learn that I passed!

The email summary of my results included a breakdown of how I went in each of the areas covered.

Overall Score: 78%

Breakdown by content area:

  1. Understand infrastructure as code (IaC) concepts: 100%
  2. Understand the purpose of Terraform (vs other IaC): 100%
  3. Understand Terraform basics: 87%
  4. Use Terraform outside the core workflow: 100%
  5. Interact with Terraform modules: 40%
  6. Use the core Terraform workflow: 88%
  7. Implement and maintain state: 72%
  8. Read, generate, and modify configuration: 63%
  9. Understand Terraform Cloud capabilities: 100%

So looks like modules are an area I'm not as strong on! That's fair as I haven't made a lot of use of them so far.

If you're using Terraform, then I'd encourage you to go ahead and take the exam. Have a look at the study guide, sample questions and exam review to ensure you're comfortable with all the topics being covered and how questions will be asked. Then register for the exam and give it a go!