Acing the Certified Kubernetes Administrator Exam, Second Edition

By Chad Crowell and Rafael Brito

Acing the Certified Kubernetes Administrator Exam, Second Edition is your fast-track to becoming a Certified Kubernetes Administrator

Branding yourself as a Certified Kubernetes Administrator makes you stand out in the competitive job market for Kubernetes and Cloud-native engineers. With the exam's latest updates introducing Operators, the Gateway API, and Kustomize, mastering Kubernetes extensibility is now front and center. This second edition of the bestselling original helps you build the skills and strategic insights you need to build production-ready clusters with confidence and ace the updated hands-on CKA exam the first time you sit for it.

In Acing the Certified Kubernetes Administrator Exam you'll learn how to:

- Administer an application running on Kubernetes
- Troubleshoot errors inside a Kubernetes cluster
- Authenticate users and machines to the Kubernetes API
- Create persistent storage in Kubernetes
- Add additional functionality to an existing Kubernetes cluster

The Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) exam proves to your next employer that you can set up and manage Kubernetes clusters. This newly revised edition gets you up to speed with new exam skills, including Operators, Network Policies, the Gateway API, and Kustomize. Alongside comprehensive coverage of networking, scheduling, and troubleshooting, you'll get essential tips to help you stay cool under pressure in the exam room.

About the book

You can't "hack" the Certified Kubernetes Administrator by learning a few test-taking tricks. Acing the Certified Kubernetes Administrator Exam, Second Edition teaches every skill you need to pass the CKA by guiding you through realistic CLI exercises that mirror the actual test format.

You'll practice all the exam objectives hands-on, including deploying containerized applications to Kubernetes, accessing an application from a gateway API resource, and blocking traffic inside the cluster using Network Policies. Plus, essential exam tips and exercises help you work out your mental muscle memory.

About the reader

If you're familiar with Kubernetes, this book will ensure you're ready to pass the exam. If you're brand new, this is the perfect primer to get started on your Kubernetes journey.

About the author

With nearly two decades in the tech industry and over eight years spent teaching others, Chad M. Crowell bridges the gap between real-world engineering and accessible learning. As a seasoned SRE, CNCF Ambassador, Speaker, and Kubernetes contributor, he brings hands-on experience to every course, talk, and tutorial.

Rafael "Rafa" Brito is a Principal Engineer at StormForge Powered by CloudBolt and is recognized as a Kubernetes developer, engineer, speaker, and community organizer. Before his current position, he was a Staff Engineer at VMware and the Senior Vice President and Global Containers Lead at Citigroup.

Get a free eBook (PDF or ePub) from Manning as well as access to the online liveBook format (and its AI assistant that will answer your questions in any language) when you purchase the print book.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 163343530X
• ISBN13: 9781633435308
• Release Date: November 2025
• Publisher: Manning Publications
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.08 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 7.4" x 9.2"