AZ-900: Azure Fundamentals
Exam version: Skills measured as of January 14, 2025 | Passing score: 700/1000 | Duration: ~45 minutes | Cost: $0 labs
Who is this for?
The AZ-900 is your entry point into Azure certifications. It validates foundational knowledge of cloud concepts, Azure services, Azure management, and governance. No technical experience required — this exam is designed for anyone beginning their cloud journey, including:
- IT professionals transitioning to cloud
- Business stakeholders who need to understand cloud capabilities
- Students exploring cloud computing careers
- Sales and procurement teams evaluating Azure
Skills at a glance
| Domain | Weight | Challenges |
|---|---|---|
| Describe cloud concepts | 25–30% | 01–06 |
| Describe Azure architecture and services | 35–40% | 07–18 |
| Describe Azure management and governance | 30–35% | 19–24 |
All 24 challenges are exploration-based and completely free ($0 cost). They use the Azure Portal, Azure Cloud Shell, and free-tier services. The focus is on understanding concepts through hands-on navigation — not building complex infrastructure.
How this site works
Each challenge follows a beginner-friendly format:
| Section | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Exam Skills Covered | Official skills this challenge addresses |
| Overview | Beginner-friendly explanation of the topic |
| Explore | Step-by-step portal exploration tasks |
| Azure CLI Alternative | Optional command-line approach |
| Key Concepts | Summary of critical takeaways |
| Knowledge Check | Exam-style multiple choice questions |
| Learn More | Links to study guide and Microsoft Learn |
Prerequisites
- Azure account — Azure Free Account (no credit card needed for most AZ-900 exploration)
- Web browser — That's it! Most tasks use the Azure Portal
- No prior Azure experience — This exam is truly foundational
Every challenge in this guide costs $0. We only use the Azure Portal, Azure Cloud Shell (free), the Pricing Calculator (free), and read-only exploration of Azure services. You won't accidentally create billable resources.
Study resources
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| 📚 AZ-900 Study Guide (Community) | github.com/ricmmartins/study-guide-az900 |
| Official Study Guide | AZ-900 Study Guide |
| Free Practice Assessment | Practice Questions |
| Exam Sandbox | Try the exam interface |
| Schedule the Exam | Pearson VUE |
Microsoft Learn paths
| Learning Path | Modules |
|---|---|
| Azure Fundamentals: Describe cloud concepts | 3 |
| Azure Fundamentals: Describe Azure architecture and services | 5 |
| Azure Fundamentals: Describe Azure management and governance | 4 |
Learning path
What's different about AZ-900?
| Aspect | AZ-900 (this exam) | AZ-104 (next step) |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Beginners, non-technical roles | IT professionals |
| Hands-on? | Conceptual + light exploration | Deep hands-on labs |
| Cost to study | $0 (read-only exploration) | $10-30 (create resources) |
| Duration | 45 minutes | 100-120 minutes |
| Questions | ~40-60 questions | ~40-60 questions |
| Style | "What is..." and "Which service..." | "How do you configure..." |
Ready? Start with the Am I Ready? self-assessment or jump straight to Challenge 01.