My AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional Exam Experience in 2025

This article was authored by Irene Bonso. Irene is currently thriving as a Software Engineer at Tutorials Dojo and also an active member of the AWS Community Builder Program. She is focused to gain knowledge and make it accessible to a broader audience through her contributions and insights.

Earning a certification goes beyond simply holding a title. It served as a validation of the knowledge and skills I had developed and applied over time. It also represented a personal challenge—a chance to prove to myself that I could conquer one of the most difficult AWS certifications, such as the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional in 2025, and emerge more resilient. Achieving this certification strengthened my confidence and unlocked new career opportunities, reaffirming the importance of the effort and dedication I invested.

My Preparation Journey

• Study Guide eBook for the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional (DOP-C02)

► I began my preparation with this study guide. Spanning over 390 pages, it provided an in-depth exploration of AWS services, including core concepts, cheat sheets, and strategies for tackling challenging scenario-based questions. It served as a roadmap through the extensive AWS ecosystem, helping me grasp how services such as ECS, CodeBuild, CodePipeline, CloudFormation, and others connect and work together.

• I relied extensively on the Tutorials Dojo AWS Certified DevOps Professional Practice Exams, which made a significant difference in my preparation. I alternated between the various test modes based on the areas I wanted to strengthen. This practice exam offers multiple modes:

► Review Mode: Once a question is answered, the result—whether correct or incorrect—is shown right away. Each item comes with a concise explanation, a visual guide, and detailed reasoning for why the other choices are not the best fit. Additional references and a cheat sheet are also provided for deeper learning. This approach ensures a solid understanding of both the question and the associated AWS services.

► Timed Mode: It closely mirrors the actual exam setting.

► Section-Based Mode: Enabled me to concentrate on key areas such as SDLC Automation, Configuration Management and Infrastructure as Code, Resilient Cloud Solutions, Monitoring and Logging, Incident and Event Response and Security and Compliance.

► Final Test Mode: The Final Test Mode replicated the actual exam experience by presenting a full set of 75 questions.

• Tutorials Dojo Cheat Sheet

► These summaries present essential AWS concepts, features, and service limits in a straightforward and easy-to-digest format. They’re great for quick reviews and serve as an effective way to reinforce learning, particularly during final preparation. They helped me gain a clearer understanding of the topics and how they relate to various AWS services.

• AWS SkillBuilder

► They offer an official collection of practice questions for the DevOps Engineer Professional exam. It was valuable to see how AWS frames its questions and to strengthen the knowledge I had gained through my studies.

Topics I Encountered During the Exam

These are some of the topics that appeared frequently throughout my exam:

• AWS CodePipeline – End-to-end CI/CD workflows and integration with other services.
• AWS CodeDeploy – Deployment strategies, rollback, and lifecycle event hooks.
• AWS CloudFormation – Stack sets, nested stacks, change sets, and drift detection.
• Amazon CloudWatch – Alarms, custom metrics, subscription filter, CloudWatch dashboards, and centralized logging.
• AWS Systems Manager – Automation Documents, Patch Manager, and Session Manager.
• Amazon EC2 Auto Scaling – Scaling strategies and how to optimize based on policies.
• IAM and Security – Permission boundaries, trust policies, and roles.
• Monitoring and Logging – Using X-Ray, CloudWatch Logs, and real-time insights.
• Incident Response and Troubleshooting – Real-world scenarios involving error handling, retry logic, and automation recovery.
• AWS CodeConnections – Setting up secure and scalable connections between source repositories and CodePipeline.
• AWS Fault Injection Service – Performing chaos engineering experiments to test system resilience and recoverability.

How I Approached Exam Prep: Tips That Helped Me Succeed

These are some effective strategies I applied throughout my preparation:

• Start with Review Mode: This allows you to grasp the explanations immediately after answering each question. Make note of your weak points.
• Rotate Between Modes: Utilize Timed Mode to replicate the actual exam experience and improve your timing. Use Review Mode to strengthen areas of weakness.
• Drill Into Specific Topics: Section-based mode allows me to focus on automated deployments, resilience strategies, and security hardening without any distractions.
• Use the Cheat Sheets: Honestly, don’t overlook these. They’re great for quick reviews or clarifying concepts when a topic feels unclear.
• Sleep Smart: Knowing my exam was late at night, I adjusted my sleep schedule the day before. I ate early, took a nap, and woke up feeling refreshed.
• Prep Your Space: I made sure my testing environment was tidy, quiet, and adhered to all Pearson VUE guidelines, avoiding any last-minute stress.
• Trust the Process: By the time the exam day arrived, I had reviewed so many questions and explanations that I could easily identify AWS trick questions.
• Manifest and Claim It: Every night leading up to the exam, I visualized success. I said it out loud—“I am an AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Passed 2025,” “AWS DOP PASSED 2025.” It might sound cheesy, but saying it aloud helped me transform my mindset from “I hope I pass” to “I’ve already got this.” I wasn’t just preparing—I was embracing the version of myself that had already succeeded.

What the Exam Day Was Like

I scheduled my exam at midnight through Pearson VUE online and checked in at 11:30 PM for identity and environment verification. The proctor asked to see my ID and scan the area to ensure I was alone. Since midnight is typically my bedtime, I adjusted my routine the night before—I ate an early dinner, took a nap, and woke up just in time for the exam. This adjustment helped me stay focused throughout the 3-hour session.

The DOP-C02 exam was as tough as anticipated. It assessed practical DevOps skills, like automating deployments, troubleshooting, and enhancing performance. Some questions mirrored those from the Tutorials Dojo practice exams, which gave me a confidence boost. Others demanded careful reading and attention to subtle clues. The time pressure was intense, but all the practice in Timed Mode paid off. I managed my time well and completed the exam with a few minutes to spare.

After submitting, the result didn’t appear immediately. Later that evening, I received an email after 16 hours confirming that I had passed and met the certification requirements. I felt exhausted but immensely relieved and proud. All the late nights had paid off.

Final Remarks

If you're preparing for the DOP-C02 exam, take your time to truly understand how AWS services integrate. Use practice exams not only to assess your score but also to learn from each question. Create a study schedule that fits into your routine, and feel free to adjust it as needed. Everyone has their own learning style. What worked for me might not work for everyone, but maintaining consistency was key to my success.

The exam is tough, but achievable with the right resources and mindset. Take your time to learn, ask questions, and engage with the AWS community. Here's to earning more AWS certifications in the future!

* This newsletter was sourced from this Tutorials Dojo article.

* For more learning resources, you may visit: Free PlayCloud Guided Labs, Free AWS Digital Courses, and Free Practice Exams.