Magento Certified Developer - Cost, Benefits & Steps
Explore the benefits and cost of becoming a Magento certified developer, including the steps to get an Adobe Commerce certification.
Mark Shust
The Adobe Commerce Magento certification was created by Adobe for developers who work with Magento. The certification program tests the skills and knowledge of developers in various areas of Magento 2, including the installation & configuration of the framework, and code modifications such as customizing the Magento checkout.
It’s important for a Magento developer to think about getting certified, so they can experience continued growth & development in their career. Having a Magento cert can help demonstrate that you have a high level of expertise in Magento, and it also enhances the credibility of developers in the eyes of merchants and employers. A certification also helps developers stay up-to-date with Magento best practices, as well as learn the ins & outs of the platform.
What is a Magento Certified Developer?
A Magento Certified Developer is a professional who has demonstrated their expertise in the Magento platform by passing one or more of the certification exams offered by Adobe. These developers have a deep understanding of Magento's architecture, best practices, and core functionality. They possess the skills and knowledge necessary to build, customize, and maintain Magento-based e-commerce websites effectively and efficiently.
Magento Certified Developers are recognized for their ability to work independently on complex projects, mentor junior developers, and collaborate with team members to deliver high-quality solutions. By obtaining a Magento certification, they can showcase their dedication to staying up-to-date with the latest advancements in the platform, and deliver on their commitment to providing exceptional service to their agency and merchants.
Available Adobe Commerce certifications
Adobe offers three levels of Magento certifications, which are the Adobe Commerce Certified Professional, Expert, and Master exams. They have all been available under the “Adobe Commerce” brand since shortly after Adobe acquired Magento. Knowing the differences in these levels can help determine which one is right for you depending on your skill level and career goals.
The following is a rundown of all certification levels, along with their related cert numbers. These numbers are used to let us know which edition the test is for, as they can be changed, updated, or phased out over time. The following tables also include the number of questions on each test, along with the passing mark for each exam.
Adobe Commerce Certified Professional
The Adobe Commerce Certified Professional certification is intended for individuals with a basic understanding of Magento that want to demonstrate they have a base understanding & knowledge of the platform. An Adobe Professional is meant to be someone who works on a team, and may even be the lead on a simple project.
| Number | Exam Name | Passing Mark | Duration | Cost | Cost (India) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AD0-E712 | Business Practitioner | 30/50 | 100 minutes | $125 USD | $95 USD |
| AD0-E717 | Developer | 50/77 | 154 minutes | $125 USD | $95 USD |
| AD0-E721 | Front-End Developer | 33/50 | 100 minutes | $125 USD | $95 USD |
Adobe Commerce Certified Expert
The Adobe Commerce Certified Expert certification is intended for those that have advanced skills & knowledge of Adobe Commerce, and want to prove their level of expertise. An Adobe Expert is meant to be someone who works independently on complex projects, as well as mentoring others on their team who are less experienced.
| Number | Exam Name | Passing Mark | Duration | Cost | Cost (India) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AD0-E708 | Business Practitioner | 31/50 | 100 minutes | $225 USD | $150 USD |
| AD0-E716 | Developer | 41/69 | 138 minutes | $225 USD | $150 USD |
| AD0-E720 | Front-End Developer | 33/50 | 100 minutes | $225 USD | $150 USD |
Adobe Commerce Certified Master
The Adobe Commerce Certified Master certification is intended for individuals who have a truly deep understanding of Adobe Commerce, and want to demonstrate a level of Magento mastery. An Adobe Master is meant to be someone who leads complex projects, and can mentor any other peer on the team, as well as collaborate on planning out advanced levels or architecture design.
| Number | Exam Name | Passing Mark | Duration | Cost | Cost (India) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AD0-E722 | Architect | 30/50 | 100 minutes | $225 USD | $150 USD |
Note that the Adobe Commerce Certified Master exam is extremely difficult, and there are many questions related to GraphQL and integration testing, which can be studied through the following resources:
- The Art of GraphQL in Magento 2 (premium course)
- Integration Testing (official documentation)
List of Retired Magento Certifications
It’s hard to keep up with which certifications are available and which ones are retired, as there have been a number of Adobe Commerce certification tests over the years. Below is a list of all of the certifications that have been retired, along with the exams that replaced them.
| Number | Exam Name | Level | Retired | Replacement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AD0-E702 | Developer | Professional | January 2022 | AD0-711 |
| AD0-E705 | JavaScript Developer | Professional | November 2022 | AD0-E710 |
| AD0-E711 | Developer | Professional | November 2022 | AD0-717 |
| AD0-E719 | Front-End Developer | Professional | August 2023 | AD0-E721 |
| AD0-E700 | Business Practitioner | Expert | October 2021 | AD0-E708 |
| AD0-E703 | Developer | Expert | January 2022 | ADO-E709 |
| AD0-E701 | Front-End Developer | Expert | March 2022 | AD0-E705 |
| AD0-E706 | JavaScript Developer | Expert | March 2022 | AD0-E705 |
| AD0-E706 | Commerce Cloud Developer | Expert | March 2022 | AD0-E709 |
| AD0-E707 | Order Management Developer | Expert | March 2022 | N/A |
| AD0-E710 | Front-End Developer | Expert | August 2023 | AD0-E720 |
| AD0-E709 | Developer | Expert | November 2022 | AD0-E716 |
| AD0-E704 | Architect | Master | November 2022 | AD0-E718 |
| AD0-E718 | Architect | Master | August 2023 | AD0-E722 |
Adobe Commerce Cert Costs and Retake Process
The cost associated with becoming Magento certified depends on the level of certification involved, as well as where you are located. Standard pricing is $125 for Professional-level certs, and $225 for both Expert- and Master-level certifications. Discounts are given to India of $30 off and $75 off, respectively. Note that these prices could be subject to change over time.
If you fail a certification test, you can retake it again twice after waiting 24 hours each time. If you fail the test a third time, you will need to wait 14 days before attempting another retake, and can keep re-taking them as long as you wait 14 days between each subsequent attempt. Material for the Adobe Commerce exams are randomly chosen from a large pool of questions, so the test will be different every time you retake the exam.
Adobe Commerce Certification Renewals
In January 2023, Adobe decided to change the format of certification renewals for Expert and Master exams. Unfortunately, if you wish to keep your Professional-level certificate, there is no renewal process available. This means that you will need to re-take and pass the most recent version of the Professional exam.
Update! Adobe had a change of heart, and you can now renew your Professional certs... for FREE! One thing I mentioned in my What's New in Magento 2.4.6 video was that I really didn't like what Adobe was doing by making the Pro certs paid. When many of us took our certifications back in 2019, we were under the impression that this was going to be a lifetime certification. Even though we still need our knowledge re-assessed, I'm so glad Adobe has revised this decision to make Pro cert renewals free.
You now have the opportunity to renew your certification by taking an Adobe Experience League course and passing a set of related assessments. This avoids the requirement of taking another test to ensure you stay up-to-date with the latest changes of Adobe Commerce and the Magento framework. If you hold multiple Adobe Commerce certifications, you will only need to complete a single set of requirements, and all of your Adobe Commerce certifications will be renewed.
For more information on the renewal process for Pro, Expert, and Master certificates, see the Adobe Commerce Certification Renewal Path page.
Want to become Adobe Commerce Certified?
Verifying Magento Certifications
Once you pass a Magento certification, you will receive a digital badge from Credly, along with a link to your badge. This will allow others to be able to verify your credential from a verified third-party. There is currently not a way to search for certified individuas, so it is up to developers and those who took the exam to display and link to their credential on resumes and social media.
Adobe does maintain a database of all certified partners, as the number of certified employees is also directly linked to their partner status. You can view a list of all Adobe Commerce Partners on their website, and filter the search results by location, industry, partner level or company size.
Start Learning Magento 2
If you are looking to become a certified Magento developer and are not sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place.
Your first step is to have a solid understanding of PHP and JavaScript, the two main languages that Magento is built on. Magento also requires knowledge of XML. However, since HTML is a subset of XML and all web developers already know it, you can easily pick up the intricacies of the XML files in M2 along the way.
Once you know the base languages, the Magento 2 Coding Kickstart is a great course that helps you learn all the fundamentals and core concepts of the Magento framework. The M.academy University is another training program that is available, that includes access to all other available Magento courses and lessons. Both of this will help you acquire the skills and knowledge needed to help you become a certified Magento developer.
While there are not currently any cert-prep courses available, the material at M.academy will still help create a great foundation of Magento skills you can build on top of, and they will also indirectly help you pass a certification tests. There have been many students who have passed the exam after taking and becoming familiar with the Magento fundamentals through M.academy’s courses.
These Magento courses cover a wide range of topics about M2, including installation, configuration, and customizing storefronts, as well as programmatically developing and managing PHP, XML, and JavaScript files by creating custom modules.
How To Become a Magento Certified Developer
Becoming a Magento certified developer does not require a college degree, and does not have any official prerequisite. However, the exams are extremely difficult, and you need a solid understanding of working with Magento in a real-world application. This typically involves working with clients, understanding the inner-workings of the framework, and knowing how to debug scenarios which may be complex.
Here are a few recommended steps that could help you to become Magento certified:
- Learn the fundamentals of the Magento framework.
- Be able to create custom modules and modify core functionality.
- Gain real-world, hands-on experience working with Magento.
- Study the concepts involved in becoming Adobe Commerce certified.
- Take the Magento certification exam appropriate for your skill level.
- Maintain your certification badge by re-certifying before they expire.
For individuals who are new to Magento development, becoming a certified Magento developer can seem like a daunting task. But with some dedication, hard work, and the right training process in place, anyone can become a Magento certified developer.
Advantages of Adobe's Magento 2 Certifications
There are a number of advantages from obtaining a Adobe's Magento 2 certification, including improved credibility and recognition in the job market, improved job opportunities and higher earning potential, access to a community of certified individuals, the need to stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in the Magento platform, along with many other opportunities for professional growth and development.
I also made a video and published it to YouTube, which goes over some Hidden Advanges of Adobe’s Magento 2 Certifications.
Final thoughts
Becoming Magento certified is important if you want to be recognized in the market as a leader of Magento, and prove your knowledge of the platform to the rest of the world. Hopefully this brief overview of the certifications available, costs involved, retake and renewal information as well as how to start becoming a Magento certified developer was helpful to you as you work on advancing your career as a developer.
By investing in education, training on the concepts, and finally obtaining a Magento certification, you can demonstrate your expertise in the Magento platform and set yourself apart from other developers in the job market. Whether you are new to Magento or are an experienced developer, obtaining a Magento certification can be an extremely valuable asset to your career.
Ready to start your process of becoming Magento certified? Here are 3 ways I can help you:
- Explore Magento 2 fundamentals & best practices course (1,000+ students)
- Grow your Magento expertise with all courses & lessons (700+ students)
- Learn visually with blocks of code & inline comments (3,000+ students)
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