So You Want to Get Docker Certified? Here's What the DCA Exam Actually Looks Like
If you work with containers — or you are trying to break into DevOps — you have probably heard of the Docker Certified Associate (DCA) exam. It is one of those certifications that actually carries weight in the industry, and for good reason. Let me break down what it is, what is on it, and how to tackle it without losing your mind.
What Is the Docker DCA?
The DCA is administered by Mirantis (who acquired Docker Enterprise back in 2019) and it is designed to validate that you can actually use Docker in production environments. We are not talking about spinning up a hello-world container here. This exam wants to know if you can orchestrate, secure, network, and troubleshoot containerized applications at scale.
It is a 90-minute exam with 55 questions — a mix of multiple choice and discrete option multiple choice (DOMC) format. You need a passing score of 65% or higher. The exam is proctored online, so you can take it from home.The Six Domains You Need to Know:The DCA covers six core areas: Orchestration (25%) — Docker Swarm services, stacks, node management, scaling, rolling updates. Image Creation, Management, and Registry (20%) — Dockerfiles, multi-stage builds, image layers, tagging strategies. Installation and Configuration (15%) — Docker Engine setup, storage drivers, logging drivers, daemon.json. Networking (15%) — Bridge networks, overlay networks, host networking, DNS resolution. Security (15%) — Docker Content Trust, security scanning, secrets management, TLS. Storage and Volumes (10%) — Volumes, bind mounts, tmpfs mounts.How to Actually Prepare:Get hands-on. This is not an exam you can pass by reading documentation alone. Set up a multi-node Swarm cluster, deploy stacks, break things, fix them. The exam tests practical knowledge, not memorization.Use the official study guide from Mirantis. It maps directly to the exam domains.Practice with realistic questions. Tools like ExamCert Docker DCA practice exams (https://www.examcert.app/exams/docker-dca/) help you identify weak spots before the real exam. The format mimics what you will actually see on exam day.Do not ignore Swarm. Kubernetes gets all the hype, but this exam is heavily weighted toward Docker Swarm orchestration.Is It Worth It?Yes, especially if you are early in your DevOps or platform engineering career. The DCA shows employers you understand containerization fundamentals beyond just pulling images and running containers. It is valid for two years and costs $195 USD.The Docker DCA is not the hardest certification out there, but it is not a freebie either. Combine hands-on practice with structured study materials and practice exams (https://www.examcert.app/exams/docker-dca/), and you will be in solid shape. Good luck! 🐳
