AZ-900
Reddit take
AI summary of the Reddit excerpts below — not a quote
AZ-900 is widely regarded as an entry-level "starter" certification for Microsoft Azure that is highly accessible to those with no prior cloud experience. While many candidates find the exam easy enough to pass with a few days of study using free resources, others emphasize that it has become more scenario-based, requiring a conceptual understanding of Azure services rather than simple rote memorization.
Pros
- Very beginner-friendly; accessible to those with zero prior cloud or IT background.
- Can be completed quickly, with some users passing after only 3 to 14 days of preparation.
- Free resources like Microsoft Learn modules are often cited as sufficient for passing.
- Serves as a low-pressure introduction to the Microsoft exam environment before tackling harder certifications.
Cons
- Limited professional market value on its own; often viewed primarily as a personal foundational milestone.
- Exam questions can be "tricky," particularly multiple-answer scenario questions that confuse even prepared candidates.
- Reports of technical frustrations with remote proctoring, including sudden exam terminations.
Caveats
- Domain 3 (Management & Governance) is frequently cited as a high-weight area (30–35%) that is often under-studied.
- Actual exam questions may look significantly different from practice tests found in study materials.
- Success varies wildly based on prior knowledge; while some pass in a day, others require multiple attempts while balancing work.
Best for
- Cloud beginners looking for a structured introduction to Azure terminology.
- IT professionals wanting a foundational credential before attempting the AZ-104.
- Students or career-switchers needing a quick win to build confidence.
Avoid if
- You already have significant hands-on Azure experience and want to save time by skipping to associate-level certs.
- You are seeking a certification that will single-handedly qualify you for high-level engineering roles.
This summary uses balanced time weighting with about a 122-month half-life. The evidence is drawn from a high volume of recent Reddit discussions (median age ~87 days) across dedicated certification subreddits.
Sentiment
200 positive (71%) · 37 mixed (13%) · 44 negative (16%)
Trust + time weighted score: +56% · raw score 56%
What redditors said (10 of 281)
You can do az-900 but I skipped them myself
I was almost surprised by how easy AZ-900 was and I'm now wondering which other "starter certs" are on that same level.
AZ-900 then AZ-104 first.
I really struggle to pass MS exams, I have MS-900 and AZ-900. But I want to pass more advanced exams.
Again I failed for taking the exam. 1st time was 653 then now 622. Im so frustrated about the multiple answer questions I think I got 5 or 6 questions and most of them are tricky.
I recently passed the AZ-900.
AZ 900 is the one that is more about just remembering what the isolated parts are.
then start with the AZ-900 for Azure infrastructure for the basics
I passed, only just and I am not giving too much away by saying the questions that fooled me were the ones that could legitimately go either way. ... I learnt more in 2 weeks than the last 5 years and my way of thinking was so archaic that I would be a hinderance more than a help.
AZ-900 is pretty close to the online practice tests. It's not intended to be a deep test. It's checking you have a broad and basic overview of Azure.
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