Who it's for: Career changers, IT and help-desk staff, developers, and business professionals who want to understand cloud computing or move into cloud roles. No prior cloud experience needed.
Where it gets you: You will know which cloud platform and certification to start with, understand core cloud concepts and pricing, hold a fundamentals certification, and know the associate-level next steps.
Stage 1 Start here
Which cloud and which first certification, and how to practice without surprise bills.
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1
Which Cloud Certification Should You Get First? AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud for Beginners
AWS Cloud Practitioner vs Azure AZ-900 vs Google Cloud Digital Leader: how they compare, which to take first, cloud basics, and how to practice without surprise bills.
Stage 2 Earn a fundamentals certification
Reviews and study plans for the entry-level AWS and Azure exams.
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2
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) Review and 4-Week Study Plan
AWS Cloud Practitioner review: what's on the CLF-C02 exam, cost, who it's for, the services to know, free study resources, and a 4-week study plan to pass.
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3
Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) Review and 3-Week Study Plan
AZ-900 review: what's on Microsoft's Azure Fundamentals exam, cost, who it's for, the Azure concepts to know, free Microsoft Learn training, and a 3-week study plan.
Stage 3 Cloud security and AI
Where cloud skills meet security operations and AI workflows.
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4
AI Workflows Meet the Cloud: How the New Integrations Work and How to Keep Them Secure
AI agents now connect to cloud accounts, SaaS tools, and each other. How MCP, agent identity, and cloud agent platforms work, and how to secure them.
Coming next on this path
We're adding these steps. New articles appear here automatically when they publish.
- AWS Solutions Architect Associate review and study plan
- Azure Administrator (AZ-104) review
- Cloud security foundations
- Terraform and infrastructure as code basics
Common questions
Which cloud certification should I get first?
Usually the fundamentals exam for the cloud employers near you use most: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900), or Google Cloud Digital Leader. If you are unsure, check local job postings and start there.
Can I get a cloud job with only a fundamentals certification?
Rarely on its own. Fundamentals certifications prove vocabulary and concepts. Most cloud roles also look for an associate-level certification, hands-on projects, and IT, networking, or development experience.
Will practicing in the cloud cost me money?
It can. Use free tiers and credits, set a budget alert on day one, and delete resources when you finish each lab.
Other learning paths
← All learning paths