iTranslated by AI
Achieving All AWS Certifications: A Comprehensive Summary
Introduction
I started working with AWS for business, and since then, I've been steadily earning AWS certifications. I have finally achieved "All Certifications" status.
This article is primarily for my own reflection, but I would like to summarize my impressions of each certification and what I gained from the process.
What are AWS Certifications?
These are certifications that prove your expertise and skills regarding Amazon Web Services (AWS).
As of June 2025, when I am writing this article, there are a total of 12 certifications.
Reference: My Background
I'm not sure how helpful this will be, but I'll list my background for reference.
Honestly, I'm just an ordinary web engineer, so I want to show that anyone can achieve AWS All Certifications.
- Born in 1992, living in Shizuoka Prefecture, university graduate (pseudo-IT major)
- Working for an IT company in the prefecture, 10th year since graduation
- Usually develop both frontend and backend
- TS main
- Frontend is centered around React (SPA, Next)
- Backend includes Fastify, etc.
- AWS experience: about 5 years
- Mainly infrastructure construction for business web systems
- I like CI/CD and IaC, so I mostly build environments using CDK.
Timeline
I first took the exam for the most entry-level one, the Cloud Practitioner (CIF), back in 2021.
AWS certifications are valid for three years, but passing a higher-level exam extends the validity of lower ones. Therefore, I believe the most reliable approach is generally to start from the lower-level certifications.
| Certification Name | Date Obtained |
|---|---|
| AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CIF) | 2021/11 |
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA) | 2021/12 |
| AWS Certified Developer - Associate (DVA) | 2022/02 |
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional (SAP) | 2022/08 |
| AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate (SOA) | 2023/05 |
| AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional (DOP) | 2023/12 |
| AWS Certified Security - Specialty (SCS) | 2023/12 |
| AWS Certified Database - Specialty (DBS) | 2024/02 |
| AWS Certified Machine Learning - Specialty (MLS) | 2024/04 |
| AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate (DEA) | 2024/06 |
| AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF) | 2025/01 |
| AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer - Associate (MLA) | 2025/02 |
| AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty (ANS) | 2025/03 |
*Note: AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate is currently discontinued.
Study Methods
As for my study methods, I mainly used the widely popular CloudLicense.
I used the official exam guide as a reference, read explanation articles for each service—regardless of whether they were official or unofficial (Zenn, Qiita, etc.)—and then repeatedly practiced past exam questions.
I went through the material about twice for ANS and SAP, which I found particularly difficult, but for the others, once was enough.
I used Udemy at first, but because the number of questions wasn't sufficient for some exams, I preferred CloudLicense, which offers a good amount of practice questions for almost every exam.
A Side Note (Perhaps a Bit Intuitive)
Whether it's good or bad, once you take various exams aiming for all certifications, you gradually start to grasp the "patterns in how AWS creates questions."
I can't quite put it into words, but you start to get a gut feeling (and experience) for options that are "obviously wrong."
If you want to fully utilize this intuition to aim for all certifications in the shortest time, it might be a good idea to schedule the harder certifications for the latter half, once you've developed a feel for the questions.
Impressions of Each Certification
I will summarize what each of the 12 currently active certifications was like.
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Since it is an introductory certification, I think it will feel very easy if you are already using AWS in your work.
For those with no prior cloud experience, the difficulty level increases slightly as you have to start by learning cloud-native concepts (such as auto-scaling and the shared responsibility model).
AWS Certified AI Practitioner
A recently newly established introductory certification for the AI field.
The balance is about half basic AI concepts and half questions like "which service should be used in this case?" regarding AWS AI services.
When I took this exam, I had already earned certifications like SAP and MLS (mentioned later), so I was somewhat familiar with many services even if I hadn't used them. Since I also hold the G-test certification, I didn't struggle much.
However, it is quite specialized, so if you approach it with the same mindset as the Cloud Practitioner exam, it might feel significantly more difficult.
AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
This is the certification many people likely aim for after obtaining the CIF.
My understanding is that once you have this, you can handle basic AWS projects.
The difficulty increases significantly because the scope is quite broad, ranging from basics to applied concepts.
I believe you can pass by studying areas you've never handled in depth, while keeping your study moderate for parts that overlap with your daily work.
AWS Certified Developer - Associate
This certification is more developer-oriented than the SAA.
When I took the exam, there was a lot of content related to the "Code" series, such as CodeCommit and CodeBuild, but I wonder how it is now since some of those services have been scaled back.
Because I am usually involved in development work, I felt it was easier than the SAA.
Conversely, it might be a bit more difficult for those whose work is primarily PM-related.
AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate
This was previously the only certification that included "practical exam" content. I don't think it has that anymore.
Since it requires a lot of operations-oriented knowledge, it should feel easy for those who have experience actually using the AWS Management Console or performing tasks like health monitoring and alert management.
AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate
This is a recently added certification. It is packed with data analysis knowledge.
For those who daily perform data analyst-type work, it might feel like basic content, but for those whose work is mainly general business or web system development, it might be harder to get into compared to other Associate certifications.
As for myself, I had almost no experience in this area, so I struggled quite a bit.
AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer - Associate
This is also a recently added certification.
I took the exam while the knowledge and momentum from earning the AIF were still fresh, so I was able to have an easier time.
However, be careful as the exam scope is much deeper and broader than the AIF.
Since there are many questions about SageMaker, I think learning while actually using the console helps with understanding.
AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional
Most people who have achieved all certifications say that either this SAP or the ANS was the most difficult, and I agree. Among all AWS certifications, it has the broadest scope and yet feels like it asks very deep questions. I passed with a narrow margin, so I feel like if I were to take it again, I might not pass...
AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional
This exam covers everything related to development, from CI/CD design on AWS to application security and logging. While SAP was tough enough, I felt this was also quite difficult. However, the fact that it overlapped significantly with my daily work was a big help, making it feel a bit easier compared to SAP.
AWS Certified Security - Specialty
A security certification. I think this is the easiest among the Specialty exams. This is because, by the time you take this exam, you have usually passed other major certifications where security-related topics are frequently covered, so there is a high probability of encountering areas you already know. However, deep knowledge of security is required, so you still need to study for that.
AWS Certified Machine Learning - Specialty
A recently added ML Specialty certification. If you have passed AIF and MLA in order, you might find it somewhat easier due to the prior knowledge bonus. Nevertheless, it is a Specialty exam, so there are many complex questions. Also, ML knowledge evolves very quickly, so there is a high probability that study articles by past examinees have become outdated. For example, AWS Data Pipeline can no longer be used for new projects. Having to be careful about past questions and articles that mention such deprecated services might be a unique aspect of this certification.
AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty
A networking Specialty. Personally, this was the most difficult. Usually, if an unfamiliar service is within the exam scope, I would try it out lightly on the AWS Management Console to learn it, but large-scale networking services like Direct Connect are difficult for individuals to try out easily. Therefore, I had no choice but to rely on theoretical study, and it was hard to grasp the operational image. Conversely, for those working in positions close to network infrastructure construction, much of the content might seem basic, so I think the perceived difficulty varies depending on the person.
What I Gained
Next, I will summarize what I gained from achieving all the certifications. These are strictly my personal opinions.
Planning, Motivation for Study, and a Sense of Accomplishment
When aiming for all certifications, the number of exams exceeds 10, so unless you cram them in, it will likely be a long journey. Even though I started studying with a plan, it was difficult to maintain motivation at times—mock exam scores weren't great, and my main job was busy. In that context, the process of executing a study plan and seeing it through to the end without getting discouraged is very meaningful.
By the time you achieve all certifications, you gain confidence, and if studying has become a habit, you can move on to other certification challenges. In fact, I've already set a new goal and am currently studying for it.
Gaining Broad Knowledge of AWS
If you start using AWS because it's required for work, you inevitably become familiar only with the services related to that specific project or system, which risks resulting in a lopsided configuration overall. For example, because you don't understand serverless well, you might settle for a familiar setup by launching an EC2 instance.
While it's fine to have a familiar architecture in your toolkit, I believe there's no silver bullet, and the optimal infrastructure configuration differs from case to case. In such instances, I feel the range and quality of my proposals have definitely improved, with thoughts like, "Perhaps the architecture I studied for SAP would be suitable here." After all, you can't talk about things you don't know.
My Name Was Listed Officially
By applying, your name will be published as one of the "All Certifications Engineers." In this industry, I don't think you'll be put on a pedestal just for having certifications, but I still think it adds some prestige to your career. Also, depending on how the company promotes itself, having an "All Certs" holder allows them to showcase that they are an "AWS-strong company."
Summary
In this article, since I have achieved AWS All Certifications status, I summarized my impressions of each certification and what I gained from them as a way to reflect on my journey.
Since my SAP certification is scheduled to expire this August, I think I will take the recertification exam and challenge myself to become an All Certifications Engineer for the 2026 fiscal year as well.
I hope this content was helpful to you.
Discussion