AZ-204 Exam Preparation

How to Prepare for the AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure Exam?

Preparing for the AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure exam? Follow this comprehensive guide for the AZ-204 exam preparation and get ready to pass the exam!

The drive of enterprises to transfer their operations to the cloud is increasing with every passing day. Public cloud service providers are constantly upgrading their services with the offering of new advancements in technology. Therefore, the demand for Azure certs is also becoming prominent every day.

Microsoft has recently brought the AZ-204 certification exam for an aspiring Azure developer. This exam is the replacement or the revision of the old AZ-203: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure exam. If you have been looking for the best source to learn about the AZ-204 exam preparation, then you have arrived at the right place! 

Try Now: AZ-204 Free Test

The commitment of Microsoft towards its role-based Azure cloud certification model is clearly evident in the arrival of this new certification exam. Microsoft Azure certifications have promising credibility because of the emphasis on the verification of skills needed for specific job roles. Therefore, candidates should always opt for updated certifications to prove their expertise for taking over new job roles effectively. Most important of all, candidates can navigate and adapt effectively throughout their career journey with the Microsoft Azure platform.

The following discussion would outline the important details about the AZ-204 exam, such as exam information, the target audience, and prerequisites for the exam. Subsequently, readers can find an outline of the domains covered in the exam for supporting their Azure AZ-204 certification exam preparation. However, the most important detail of the following discussion would be the steps that candidates should follow for ensuring ideal preparation for the AZ-204 exam.

Note: Not mandatory but Microsoft Azure Fundamental AZ 900 certification can be considered as the entry point to achieve the AZ-204 certification in the Azure developer career path.

Azure AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure Certification 

Before starting your search directly for steps to the AZ-204 exam preparation, it is essential to know the exam better. Candidates should note that the AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure exam is the new updated exam for the role of Microsoft Azure Cloud Developer. Therefore, the ideal audience for the AZ-204 exam is candidates aspiring for participation in all the stages of development.

If you want to pursue a career as a Microsoft Certified Azure Developer and participate in the definition of requirements, designing, development, deployment, and maintaining Microsoft Azure Solutions, then the AZ-204 exam is the right pick for you. 

Understanding the Roles of Azure Cloud Developers

Candidates should also know about the important roles that they would have to take on in their jobs as Microsoft Azure Cloud Developer. The role of an Azure cloud developer involves collaboration with clients, database administrators, and cloud administrators for effectively implementing Azure cloud solutions.

In addition, candidates will also have to specialize in the use of Azure APIs, SDKs, data connections, and data storage options. Furthermore, a Microsoft Azure Cloud Developer would also have to manage tasks such as in-app authentication and authorization, performance tuning, compute and container deployment, monitoring, and debugging.     

Also Read: How to Become Azure Developer?  

Basic Information of the AZ-204 Exam

One of the important things that candidates should clarify before starting the AZ-204 certification exam preparation is that AZ-204 will be the new standard exam for Azure cloud developer certification. The existing Microsoft Azure Developer exam i.e., AZ-203, would expire on May 31, 2020.

Microsoft is currently following the phased release schedule, during which both AZ-203 and AZ-204 Azure exams will be available concurrently. The important reason to go for the AZ-204 exam preparation is that it will cover the new Azure technologies for cloud developers. Therefore, it presents long-term promises for the career of an aspiring cloud developer.

The most significant part of a preparation guide for the AZ-204 exam is the information about the basic exam details such as format and registration cost. The Microsoft Azure AZ-204 exam is available in the English language only and is presently in the beta stage. The registration cost for the exam is $165 USD. Candidates can find performance-based questions with multiple-choice and multiple-answer options in the AZ-204 exam. 

Prerequisites for AZ-204 Exam

After the basic information about the exam, candidates should also verify the requirements for the exam. The requirements help you find out whether you are ready for the AZ-204 exam preparation or not. Candidates should note that there are no specific hardbound prerequisites to appear for the AZ-204 exam. However, the following knowledge and experience requirements establish the candidate in a better position to take the exam.

  • Minimum of two years of hands-on experience in the development of cloud solutions and working on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform
  • Comprehensive programming expertise in a high-level language supported by Azure

Note: If you’re preparing to become a Microsoft Certified Azure Architect, you should prepare for the Azure Architect certification AZ-303 and AZ-304 exams.

Domains Covered in the AZ-204 Exam

Candidates should note that the first thing they need for an AZ-204 study guide is the outline of exam domains. The domains covered in the exam show a candidate the exact topics they should study for the exam. The domains of the AZ-204 exam are actually the abilities that Microsoft Azure tests in a candidate for verifying their potential as an Azure cloud developer. Here are the domains in the new AZ-204 exam.

  • Developing Azure Compute Solutions
  • Developing for Azure Storage
  • Implementation of Azure Security
  • Monitor, troubleshoot and optimize Azure solutions
  • Connection to and consumption of Azure and third-party services

Note that the AZ-204 is the new standard exam for the Azure cloud developer role. The existing Microsoft Azure Developer exam i.e., AZ-203, would expire on May 31, 2020. Also, as per latest updates from Microsoft, the content for the AZ-204 Exam will be updated on May 18, 2020.

Exam Objectives for AZ-204 Certification Exam

The efficiency of a candidate’s AZ-204 exam preparation also depends largely on their awareness of the exam objectives. An accurate breakdown of the subtopics in each domain along with the weighting of each domain can help candidates find the areas they should focus on for the exam. Here is an outline of the subtopics in each domain alongside their weighting. 

Domain 1: Development of Azure Compute Solutions

This is the first domain of the AZ-204 exam and accounts for 25% to 30% of the questions. The subtopics in the domain are as follows.

  • Implementing SaaS solutions
  • Creating Azure App Service Web Apps
  • Implementing Azure functions

Domain 2: Developing for Azure Storage

The second domain of the AZ-204 exam accounts for almost 10% to 15% of the questions. The subtopics in this domain are.

  • Developing solutions which use Cosmos DB storage
  • Developing solutions which use blob storage

Domain 3: Implementing Azure Security

This domain of the AZ-204 exam accounts for almost 15% to 20% of questions in the exam. The subtopics in this domain are as follows.

  • Implementing user authentication and authorization
  • Implementation of secure cloud solutions

Domain 4: Monitoring, troubleshooting and optimizing Azure Solutions

The fourth domain of the AZ-204 exam accounts for 10% to 15% of the questions in the exam. The subtopics in the domain are as follows.

  • Integration of caching and content delivery in Azure solutions
  • Instrumentation of solutions for enabling monitoring and logging support

Domain 5: Connection to and Consumption of Azure Services and Third-Party Services

Candidates should focus on this domain for the AZ-204 exam preparation that accounts for almost 25% to 30% of questions. The important subtopics in this domain are.

  • Development of App Service Logic App
  • Implementing API management
  • Developing event-based solutions
  • Development of message-based solutions

The domains and the subtopics of the AZ-204 exam clearly show that candidates will find many scenario-based questions. The focus on practical tasks such as API management and developing solutions for different storage options clearly validates the requirement of training in hands-on tasks.

Most important of all, knowledge about the domains covered in the exam can help your AZ-204 exam preparation by creating the perfect schedule for your preparations. Other than the detailed explanation of individual topics, candidates could invest their efforts according to the weightage of the domains. Therefore, candidates can be able to emphasize more on domains that have a higher weighting. 

Targeted on clearing the AZ-203 certification exam? Then, you need to follow this comprehensive guide for the AZ-203 exam preparation to achieve the Microsoft Certified Azure Developer badge.

Preparation Guide for the Azure AZ-204 Certification Exam 

Now, let us focus on the important theme of this discussion for the AZ-204 exam preparation. A detailed step-by-step approach to prepare for the AZ-204 exam can help candidates overcome confusion regarding their preparation. The best thing is that trusted and proven best practices by experts to prepare for the AZ-204 exam can present better chances of qualifying the exam. Here are some of the recommended pointers that you can use for qualifying the AZ-204 exam in the first attempt. 

  • Visit the Official Certification Page

If there’s any place to start your preparation for AZ-204, then it should be the official website of Microsoft. Candidate should explore the official AZ-204 certification page carefully to observe all details about the exam. In addition, candidates should also download the exam skills outline from the official certification page. It can clearly help candidates form a comprehensive impression of the exam’s syllabus. You can think of it as the first step in visualizing the journey ahead of you. Candidates should use the exam skills outline for crafting the schedule of their AZ-204 exam preparation. 

  • Try Out Microsoft Learning Platform

The next important requirement for candidates to prepare for the AZ-204 exam refers to learning resources. Candidates should always opt for the Microsoft Learning platform to avail free online training for the AZ-204 exam. The Microsoft Learning platform offers you training in the following aspects that are significantly evident in the AZ-204 exam.

  • Creation of serverless applications
  • Connection of services together
  • Working with relational data in Azure
  • Data Storage in Azure
  • Deployment of the website with Azure virtual machines
  • Management of Azure resources
  • Deployment of a website to Azure with Azure App Service
  • Extraction of knowledge and insights from your data with Azure Databricks
  • Security of cloud data

Candidates can avail exceptional benefits for their AZ-204 exam preparation with these learning paths, especially due to their modular nature. The comprehensive coverage of AZ-204 exam-related topics in the learning paths offered by Microsoft Learn is an exclusive advantage. 

If you aspire to become an Azure security professional, you should go for the Azure Security certification.

  • Go through the Microsoft Documentation

The preparation of candidates should also focus on Microsoft documentation. Whitepapers and expert-authored journals can help candidates gain insights into practical applications of Azure technologies. Subsequently, candidates could also develop familiarity with the format of performance-based questions in the exam. The demonstration of practical use cases in the Microsoft documentation helps candidates strengthen their AZ-204 exam preparation considerably. 

  • Enroll in the Online Training Courses 

Candidates should also try searching for additional training courses by reliable online certification training providers. The primary objective of such training platforms is to ensure the holistic preparation of candidates with the support of experts. Not only do paid certification training courses offer expert guidance but also the support required to address doubts during your preparation. Therefore, the demand for online training courses for the AZ-204 exam preparation has increased recently. 

  • Leverage the Benefits of Practice

After completing their training through Microsoft Learning, Microsoft Documentation, and paid online training courses, candidates may feel confident to appear for the exam. However, it is highly crucial for all candidates to ensure that they have a clear idea about their strengths and weaknesses.

Even though you can always retake the exam, why would you take the risk of failing in the first place? Try to find reliable AZ-204 practice tests and sample questions. The best advantage of practice tests and sample questions is that you can know about the exam’s format clearly.

Most important of all, regular practice in mock exams and sample questions will also improve your speed in answering the questions. Subsequently, candidates can get a clear idea of the areas in which they are underperforming and work on their improvement. Whizlabs AZ-204 practice tests have been curated to help you in taking away all apprehensions of candidates before the actual exam.

  • Participate in the Community Discussions

One of the crucial elements for the AZ-204 exam preparation that often gets ignored is the value of the community. The massive online community of learners aspiring for the Microsoft Azure Cloud Developer job role can support candidates in many ways. For example, you can find a study partner with the same interests as yours or find new resources to prepare for the exam. Furthermore, participation in an online community also helps candidates in feeling recognized, thereby taking away a major portion of their stress. 

Preparing for the AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure exam? Check your current level of preparation with the AZ-204 practice test. Try AZ-204 Free Test now!

Bottom Line

So, if you have decided to start your preparations for the AZ-204 exam, then this might be the right time to start. Candidates could take a look at the details of the existing Microsoft Azure cloud developer certification exam and compare it with the AZ-204 exam.

Most important of all, candidates should understand the differences between AZ-203 and AZ-204 exam clearly before starting the AZ-204 exam preparation. The additional efforts that candidates have to put in the preparations should coordinate perfectly with their preparation schedule. For example, starting with a clear awareness of the different domains and subtopics in the exam is a helpful best practice.

Candidates should also note that they cannot compromise in terms of dedication during their preparations. So, you should always maintain accountability for the tasks you have in your preparation schedule. The most critical aspect that you should focus on for your AZ-204 exam preparation is to take care of your health and diet.

Keep your body and mind in perfect shape for tackling the challenges in the AZ-204 Microsoft cloud certification exam effectively. Start preparing now and give your preparation a new edge with the AZ-204 practice tests!   

Have any questions/queries regarding the AZ-204 exam preparation or the practice tests? Put a comment below and we’ll be happy to help you.

About Pavan Gumaste

Pavan Rao is a programmer / Developer by Profession and Cloud Computing Professional by choice with in-depth knowledge in AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform. He helps the organisation figure out what to build, ensure successful delivery, and incorporate user learning to improve the strategy and product further.

2 thoughts on “How to Prepare for the AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure Exam?”

  1. Hi Neeru, i have a question about the retirement date of the az203, in my page (spanish) says 31 may as you say, in the english version says 31 august. But then i ask in a official forum of microsoft they told me that is 31 august, what is your opinion about it. And if you clarify this to me if is possible. Congratz about your blog btw really cool. Thanks

  2. Hello, Neeru Jain thanks for the help I really appreciated that effort. But I would like you to know that I am preparing from AZ-204 dumps pdf that’s really are worth it.

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