Databricks
Databricks Data Engineer Associate
Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate
Databricks' entry certification for data engineers who build ELT pipelines on the lakehouse with Spark SQL, Python, and Delta Lake. Increasingly requested for data engineering roles in Databricks shops.
Full program: 7 decks, 911 cards.
What's on the exam
Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate Exam Guide (exam version as of May 4, 2026)
Databricks Intelligence Platform
6%Core platform components: architecture, Delta Lake, Unity Catalog · Compute services, limitations, and cost models; choosing compute per workload
Data Ingestion and Loading
21%Batch, streaming, and incremental ingestion patterns · COPY INTO from cloud object storage · Auto Loader with schema enforcement and evolution · Lakeflow Connect standard and managed connectors · JDBC/ODBC and REST ingestion from notebooks · Choosing between ingestion methods · Semi-structured and nested data ingestion
Data Transformation and Modeling
22%Bronze-to-silver cleaning with PySpark/SQL · Joins, unions, and column/row manipulation · Deduplication and aggregations · Basic Spark tuning parameters · Gold layer objects: materialized views, views, streaming tables · Data quality checks and validation rules
Working with Lakeflow Jobs
16%Control flow: retries, branching, looping · Task types and DAG dependencies · Schedules and trigger types (scheduled, file arrival, table update) · Time-based vs data-driven triggers
Implementing CI/CD
10%Databricks Git Folders workflow · Declarative Automation Bundles (formerly Databricks Asset Bundles): variables, targets, deployment · Databricks CLI in CI/CD workflows
Troubleshooting, Monitoring, and Optimization
10%Lakeflow Jobs run history and pipeline health · Spark UI: skew, shuffle, and spill bottlenecks · Liquid Clustering and predictive optimization · Cluster startup failures, library conflicts, out-of-memory issues
Governance and Security
15%Managed vs external tables in Unity Catalog · GRANT, REVOKE, and DENY privileges · Column masking and row-level security · Unity Catalog ABAC policies
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Databricks Data Engineer Associate cost?
The Databricks Data Engineer Associate costs $200. Per attempt, plus applicable taxes; retakes are full price.
How long is the Databricks Data Engineer Associate and how many questions does it have?
45 scored questions (plus unscored pilot items) — 90 minutes.
What do you need to pass the Databricks Data Engineer Associate?
Pass/fail; passing threshold not published.
Can you retake the Databricks Data Engineer Associate?
14-day waiting period between attempts; each attempt paid.
What is the best way to study for the Databricks Data Engineer Associate?
Start from the official outline and your primary study materials: the exam is weighted by domain (Databricks Intelligence Platform 6%, Data Ingestion and Loading 21%, Data Transformation and Modeling 22%, Working with Lakeflow Jobs 16%, Implementing CI/CD 10%, Troubleshooting, Monitoring, and Optimization 10%, Governance and Security 15%). Once you've learned the material, spaced-repetition flashcards organized by those domains are an efficient way to retain it and refresh it before test day.
Ready to prepare?
Our Databricks Data Engineer Associate program is organized by this outline's domains and scheduled by spaced repetition, with a path from first card to test day.
Flashcards are a memory tool. Learn the material first, then use NoReread to retain it and refresh what you already know. It doesn't replace studying the subject.