1. Foundational Level
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- Entry-level certification for beginners in cloud computing.
- Covers basic AWS services, cloud concepts, billing, pricing, and security.
- Best for: Non-technical professionals, managers, sales, and new AWS learners.

2. Associate Level
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
- Focuses on designing scalable and cost-efficient AWS solutions.
- Covers core AWS services, architecture best practices, and security.
- Best for: Cloud architects, developers, and system engineers.
AWS Certified Developer – Associate
- Covers AWS application development, deployment, and debugging.
- Focuses on serverless applications, AWS SDKs, and APIs.
- Best for: Software developers working on AWS-based applications.
AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate
- Focuses on deployment, management, and operations on AWS.
- Covers monitoring, logging, automation, and networking.
- Best for: System administrators and operations professionals.
3. Professional Level
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional
- Advanced-level certification focusing on designing large-scale, complex AWS applications.
- Requires deep knowledge of hybrid cloud architectures and migration strategies.
- Best for: Experienced cloud architects and engineers.
AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional
- Focuses on CI/CD pipelines, monitoring, automation, and security.
- Covers infrastructure as code (IaC) and operational best practices.
- Best for: DevOps engineers, cloud automation professionals.
4. Specialty Certifications
For individuals with deep expertise in specific AWS domains.
- AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty (For network architects, security engineers)
- AWS Certified Security – Specialty (For security experts, compliance teams)
- AWS Certified Database – Specialty (For database engineers, architects)
- AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty (For AI/ML professionals, data scientists)
- AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty (For big data analysts, data engineers)
- AWS Certified SAP on AWS – Specialty (For SAP experts managing SAP workloads on AWS)

Choosing the Right AWS Certification
- If you're new to AWS → Start with Cloud Practitioner
- If you're a developer → Go for Developer Associate
- If you're in operations → SysOps Administrator Associate
- If you design cloud solutions → Solutions Architect Associate → Professional
- If you're into DevOps → DevOps Engineer Professional
- If you specialize in a field → Choose a Specialty Certification