AZ-204 Azure Developer Associate Study Guide

Introduction

I sat for my Azure 204 exam in September 2020, and initially resorted to following the free online learn path documentation that can be found under the exam page listed below for my prep.

Exam AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure — Learn

But upon closer inspection & comparing the learning path against the exam contents doc, I noticed that the learn path covers less than 40% of the exam contents. And what’s more, it covers a lot of stuff (such as Azure policies) that isn’t part of the exam skills outline. Due to this fact, I created a study guide to help me prepare and have published it below to help anyone else prepping for the same exam. I was able to pass the exam on my first go focusing only on this study guide.

You can find my Azure Developer Associate badge here :

Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate was issued by Microsoft to Mohommed Rimaz Ramalie…

Good luck with your exam!

Develop Azure compute solutions (25–30%)

Implement IaaS solutions

Provision VMs

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/deploy-a-website-with-azure-virtual-machines/

Configure VMs for remote access

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/deploy-a-website-with-azure-virtual-machines/

Create ARM templates

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-resource-manager/templates/overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-resource-manager/templates/template-tutorial-create-first-template?tabs=azure-powershell
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-resource-manager/templates/quickstart-create-templates-use-the-portal
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-resource-manager/templates/deploy-cli
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-resource-manager/templates/deploy-powershell
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-resource-manager/templates/quickstart-create-templates-use-visual-studio-code?tabs=CLI

Create container images for solutions by using Docker

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/deploy-run-container-app-service/

Publish an image to the Azure Container Registry

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/deploy-run-container-app-service/

Run containers by using Azure Container Instance

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/deploy-run-container-app-service/

Create Azure App Service Web App

Create an Azure App Service Web App

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/deploy-a-website-with-azure-app-service/

Enable diagnostics logging

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/troubleshoot-diagnostic-logs

Deploy code to a web app

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/deploy-a-website-with-azure-app-service/

Configure web app settings including SSL, API, and connection strings

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/configure-ssl-certificate
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/configure-ssl-bindings
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/configure-common

Implement auto scaling rules, including scheduled autoscaling, and scaling by operational or system metrics

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/platform/autoscale-get-started?toc=/azure/app-service/toc.json
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/architecture/best-practices/auto-scaling

Implement Azure functions

Implement input and output bindings for a function

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/create-serverless-logic-with-azure-functions/
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/chain-azure-functions-data-using-bindings/

Implement function triggers by using data operations, timers, and webhooks

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/execute-azure-function-with-triggers/
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/monitor-github-events-with-a-function-triggered-by-a-webhook/

Implement Azure Durable Functions

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/create-long-running-serverless-workflow-with-durable-functions/

Develop for Azure storage (10–15%)

Develop solutions that use Cosmos DB storage

Select the appropriate API for your solution

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/work-with-nosql-data-in-azure-cosmos-db/

Implement partitioning schemes

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/work-with-nosql-data-in-azure-cosmos-db/

Interact with data using the appropriate SDK

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/work-with-nosql-data-in-azure-cosmos-db/

Set the appropriate consistency level for operations

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cosmos-db/consistency-levels-choosing

Create Cosmos DB containers

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cosmos-db/how-to-create-container

Implement scaling (partitions, containers)

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/work-with-nosql-data-in-azure-cosmos-db/

Implement server-side programming including stored procedures, triggers, and change feed notifications

• https://docs.microsoft.com/bs-latn-ba/azure/cosmos-db/how-to-write-stored-procedures-triggers-udfs
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cosmos-db/change-feed

Develop solutions that use blob storage

Move items in Blob storage between storage accounts or containers

• https://www.rebeladmin.com/2019/12/step-step-guide-transfer-data-storage-account-using-azcopy/
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/azure/storage/storage-common-transfer-between-storage-accounts

Set and retrieve properties and metadata

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-blob-container-properties-metadata?tabs=dotnet

Interact with data using the appropriate SDK

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/store-data-in-azure/

Implement data archiving and retention

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-blob-immutability-policies-manage?tabs=azure-portal
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-blob-immutable-storage

Implement hot, cool, and archive storage

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-blob-storage-tiers?tabs=azure-portal

Implement Azure security (15–20%)

Implement user authentication and authorization

Implement OAuth2 authentication

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/develop/active-directory-v2-protocols

Create and implement shared access signatures

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-sas-overview

Register apps and use Azure Active Directory to authenticate users

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/configure-authentication-provider-aad
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/tutorial-auth-aad?pivots=platform-windows
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/develop/quickstart-register-app
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/develop/quickstart-configure-app-expose-web-apis
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/develop/quickstart-configure-app-access-web-apis
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/develop/reference-app-manifest#configure-the-app-manifest

Control access to resources by using role-based access controls (RBAC)

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/secure-azure-resources-with-rbac/

Implement secure cloud solutions

Secure app configuration data by using the App Configuration and KeyVault API

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/configure-and-manage-azure-key-vault/

Manage keys, secrets, and certificates by using the KeyVault API

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/manage-secrets-with-azure-key-vault/

Implement Managed Identities for Azure resources

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/managed-identities-azure-resources/overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/develop/reference-app-manifest

Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize Azure solutions (10–15%)

Integrate caching and content delivery within solutions

Develop code to implement CDNs in solutions

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cdn/cdn-optimization-overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/create-cdn-static-resources-blob-storage/
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cdn/cdn-add-to-web-app
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cdn/cdn-how-caching-works
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-cache-for-redis/cache-overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-cache-for-redis/cache-dotnet-core-quickstart
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/frontdoor/front-door-overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/frontdoor/quickstart-create-front-door
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/architecture/guide/technology-choices/load-balancing-overview

Configure cache and expiration policies for FrontDoor, CDNs, or Redis caches

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cdn/cdn-manage-expiration-of-cloud-service-content
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/frontdoor/front-door-caching
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-cache-for-redis/cache-configure

Store and retrieve data in Azure Redis cache

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-cache-for-redis/cache-dotnet-core-quickstart

Optional : Application Gateway

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/application-gateway/overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/application-gateway/quick-create-portal

Instrument solutions to support monitoring and logging

Configure instrumentation in an app or service by using Application Insights

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/app/app-insights-overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/capture-page-load-times-application-insights/
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/instrument-web-app-code-with-application-insights/

Analyze log data and troubleshoot solutions by using Azure Monitor

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/platform/data-platform-logs
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/log-query/log-query-overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/analyze-infrastructure-with-azure-monitor-logs/

Implement Application Insights Web Test and Alerts

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/app/monitor-web-app-availability
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/platform/alerts-overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/platform/alerts-log
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/app/azure-web-apps?tabs=net

Implement code that handles transient faults

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/aspnet/overview/developing-apps-with-windows-azure/building-real-world-cloud-apps-with-windows-azure/transient-fault-handling
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/architecture/best-practices/transient-faults

Connect to and consume Azure services and third-party services (25–30%)

Develop an App Service Logic App

Create a Logic App

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/build-workflows-with-logic-apps/
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/logic-apps/connect-virtual-network-vnet-isolated-environment-overview

Create a custom connector for Logic Apps

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/build-workflows-with-logic-apps/

Create a custom template for Logic Apps

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/build-workflows-with-logic-apps/

Implement API Management

Create an APIM instance

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/publish-manage-apis-with-azure-api-management/
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/build-serverless-api-with-functions-api-management/

Configure authentication for APIs

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/control-authentication-with-apim/

Define policies for APIs

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/improve-api-performance-with-apim-caching-policy/
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/api-management/api-management-howto-policies
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/api-management/policies/

Develop event-based solutions

Implement solutions that use Azure Event Grid

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/react-to-state-changes-using-event-grid/
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/event-grid/overview

Implement solutions that use Azure Notification Hubs

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/notification-hubs/notification-hubs-push-notification-overview

Implement solutions that use Azure Event Hub

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/enable-reliable-messaging-for-big-data-apps-using-event-hubs/

Develop message-based solutions

Implement solutions that use Azure Service Bus

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/implement-message-workflows-with-service-bus/

Implement solutions that use Azure Queue Storage queues

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/communicate-between-apps-with-azure-queue-storage/
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/choose-a-messaging-model-in-azure-to-connect-your-services/