> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://notes.kodekloud.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Course Introduction
> Overview of a hands on Cloud Native Platform Engineering Associate course covering platform fundamentals, observability, security, CI CD, provisioning, developer portals, and CNPA exam preparation
Did you know cloud-native platform engineering is one of the fastest-growing specialties in tech? Major organizations — including Google, Spotify, and Netflix — depend on platform engineering teams to empower developers, accelerate delivery, and operate at scale. As businesses migrate to modern cloud-native architectures, demand for platform engineers continues to rise.
The CNPA (Cloud Native Platform Engineering Associate) certification sits within the CNCF certification ecosystem, contributes toward the Golden Kubestronaut Meta-Certification, and positions you among accomplished cloud‑native professionals. CNPA is also the foundational credential required for the upcoming Certified Cloud Native Platform Engineering certification planned for early 2026, creating a clear career path for platform engineering advancement.
Welcome to the Cloud Native Platform Engineering Associate course. I'm Michael — excited to help you become an in-demand platform engineer. In this lesson you’ll learn the career benefits of CNPA and get a complete walkthrough of the exam process and blueprint.
This course is practical and scenario-driven. Expect demos, interactive drag-and-drop games, quizzes, and hands-on labs that emphasize real-world application over pure theory.
We cover Platform Engineering Fundamentals: the history of platform engineering, declarative vs. imperative management, immutable infrastructure, DevOps best practices, and core platform architecture concepts. Each topic is backed by demos and exercises so you can immediately connect concepts to production use cases.
Hands-on coverage includes monitoring, observability, security, and policy conformance. You’ll learn how to instrument platforms, apply security controls (service mesh, RBAC), and enforce governance using policy frameworks. Labs and demos accompany these lessons so you can practice configuration, testing, and validation.
Continuous Delivery and platform delivery patterns are covered end-to-end. You’ll design CI/CD pipelines, compare deployment strategies (blue/green, canary, rolling), and learn GitOps practices. Tools such as `Argo CD` and `Tekton` are demonstrated in practical workflows so you can implement continuous delivery in cloud-native environments.
Platform API and provisioning teaches how to extend and automate the platform using the Kubernetes API, Custom Resource Definitions (CRDs), `Crossplane`, and operators. You’ll practice automation for provisioning, lifecycle management, and cost-conscious platform resource management.
Example Kubernetes Deployment manifest:
```yaml theme={null}
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
name: pony-spawner
namespace: magical-creatures
spec:
replicas: 3
selector:
matchLabels:
app: pony-spawner
template:
metadata:
labels:
app: pony-spawner
spec:
containers:
- name: pony-spawner
image: registry.spr.com/pony-spawner:v2.1.0
ports:
- containerPort: 8080
# Note: status is managed by Kubernetes and is not typically included in a declarative manifest.
```
Kubernetes manages runtime fields such as `status`. Keep manifests declarative and avoid including controller-managed fields — they will be omitted or overwritten during reconciliation.
You will design and operate Internal Developer Platforms (IDPs), service catalogs, and developer portals such as `Backstage` to streamline developer workflows and boost adoption. The course also explores how AI is beginning to transform platform operations — from log intelligence to anomaly detection.
Measuring and improving platform effectiveness is a key focus. You’ll track DORA metrics, evaluate platform maturity and efficiency, and apply incident management practices. Interactive games and exercises will help you practice applying metrics to drive continuous platform improvement.
The course culminates with domain quizzes and full mock exams that mirror the CNPA blueprint, giving you the practical exam experience and confidence you need to succeed.
Community is central to the KodeKloud learning experience. Join our forums and Discord to connect with peers, ask questions, and share progress — a valuable way to build a support network while preparing for certification.
If you're ready to join the next generation of platform engineers, enroll and start learning today.
Course at-a-glance
| Module | Key Topics | Hands-on |
| - | - | - |
| Platform Fundamentals | Declarative vs. imperative, immutable infra, DevOps practices | Demos and exercises |
| Observability & Monitoring | Instrumentation, tracing, metrics, log intelligence | Labs with Prometheus/Jaeger |
| Security & Networking | RBAC, service mesh, network policies (`Linkerd`, `Istio`, `Cilium`) | Security configuration labs |
| Continuous Delivery | GitOps, pipelines (`Argo CD`, `Tekton`), deployment strategies | Pipeline builds and deployments |
| Platform APIs & Provisioning | Kubernetes APIs, CRDs, `Crossplane`, operators | Provisioning and automation labs |
| Developer Experience | IDPs, service catalog, `Backstage` | Portal setup and workflow demos |
| Platform Operations | DORA metrics, incident response, maturity models | Games and mock incident drills |
| Exam Preparation | CNPA blueprint, mock exams, quizzes | Full-length practice tests |
Links and References
* CNCF Certification: [https://www.cncf.io/certification/](https://www.cncf.io/certification/)
* GitOps and Argo CD: [https://argo-cd.readthedocs.io/](https://argo-cd.readthedocs.io/)
* Tekton: [https://tekton.dev/](https://tekton.dev/)
* Crossplane: [https://crossplane.io/](https://crossplane.io/)
* Backstage: [https://backstage.io/](https://backstage.io/)
* DORA metrics overview: [https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/devops-sre/dora-4-ways-to-measure-software-delivery-performance](https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/devops-sre/dora-4-ways-to-measure-software-delivery-performance)
* Linkerd, Istio, Cilium docs: [https://decentralized-identity.org/](https://decentralized-identity.org/) (see vendor documentation pages for each project)
This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.