5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Taking the AWS Cloud Practitioner Exam

The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam is often seen as an entry point into the world of cloud computing—but don’t let the “foundational” label fool you. While it’s beginner-friendly, there's still a lot to learn and prepare for. After passing the exam, here are five things I wish I had known before diving in:

1. It’s Not Just About Memorizing Services

I initially thought the exam would be a service-by-service review—like knowing what EC2 or S3 does. In reality, the exam focuses more on understanding the big picture: billing models, shared responsibility, pricing calculators, and cloud best practices. Context matters more than memorization.

2. Cloud Economics Questions Are Surprisingly Important

I underestimated how much AWS wants you to understand the cost benefits of the cloud. You’ll get several questions on the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), pricing tools like the AWS Pricing Calculator, and billing support plans. Don't skip these!

3. Read the Official Exam Guide and Sample Questions

AWS provides an official exam guide and sample questions on their website. I ignored them at first—big mistake. They closely reflect the style and structure of real exam questions, especially in how scenarios are framed.

4. Practice Tests Help More Than You Think

Doing practice exams helped me more than just studying notes. They highlight knowledge gaps, reinforce concepts, and build test-taking confidence. Platforms like Tutorials Dojo, ExamPro, or Whizlabs offer solid practice exams tailored to the Cloud Practitioner.

5. Focus on Concepts, Not Configuration

This isn’t a hands-on exam. You won’t need to launch EC2 instances or write IAM policies. Instead, focus on understanding core concepts, use cases, and when to choose one service over another. Think “what is it for?” and “why would you use it?”

Final Thoughts

The Cloud Practitioner exam is a great way to build your AWS foundation and gain cloud fluency. It’s more conceptual than technical, but that doesn’t make it easy. If you're preparing, focus on use cases, pricing, and cloud principles—and take advantage of practice questions early on.