Exam AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure

Study guide for Exam AZ-204: Developing

Solutions for Microsoft Azure
Purpose of this document
This study guide should help you understand what to expect on the exam and includes a summary of
the topics the exam might cover and links to additional resources. The information and materials in this
document should help you focus your studies as you prepare for the exam.

Useful links Description

Review the skills measured This list represents the skills measured AFTER the date provided.
as of January 20, 2023 Study this list if you plan to take the exam AFTER that date.

Review the skills measured Study this list of skills if you take your exam PRIOR to the date
prior to January 20, 2023 provided.

Change log You can go directly to the change log if you want to see the
changes that will be made on the date provided.

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accommodation.

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 Exam AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure

Useful links Description

Take a practice test Are you ready to take the exam or do you need to study a bit more?

Updates to the exam

Our exams are updated periodically to reflect skills that are required to perform a role. We have
included two versions of the Skills Measured objectives depending on when you are taking the exam.
We always update the English language version of the exam first. Some exams are localized into other
languages, and those are updated approximately eight weeks after the English version is updated.
Other available languages are listed in the Schedule Exam section of the Exam Details webpage. If the
exam isn't available in your preferred language, you can request an additional 30 minutes to complete
the exam.

Note
The bullets that follow each of the skills measured are intended to illustrate how we are assessing that
skill. Related topics may be covered in the exam.

Note
Most questions cover features that are general availability (GA). The exam may contain questions on
Preview features if those features are commonly used.

Skills measured as of January 20, 2023

Audience profile
Candidates for this exam are cloud developers who participate in all phases of development from
requirements definition and design to development, deployment, and maintenance. They partner with
cloud DBAs, cloud administrators, and clients to implement solutions.
Candidates should be proficient in Azure SDKs, data storage options, data connections, APIs,
app authentication and authorization, compute, and container deployment, debugging, performance
tuning, and monitoring.
Candidates should have 1-2 years professional development experience and experience with Microsoft
Azure. They should be able to program in an Azure-supported language, and should be proficient using
Azure CLI, Azure PowerShell, and other tools.
• Develop Azure compute solutions (25–30%)
• Develop for Azure storage (15–20%)
• Implement Azure security (20–25%)
• Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize Azure solutions (15–20%)
• Connect to and consume Azure services and third-party services (15–20%)

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 Exam AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure

Develop Azure compute solutions (25–30%)

Implement IaaS solutions
• Provision virtual machines (VMs)
• Configure, validate, and deploy ARM templates
• Configure container images for solutions
• Publish an image to Azure Container Registry
• Run containers by using Azure Container Instance

Create Azure App Service Web Apps

• Create an Azure App Service Web App
• Enable diagnostics logging
• Deploy code to a web app
• Configure web app settings including SSL, API settings, and connection strings
• Implement autoscaling rules including scheduled autoscaling and autoscaling by operational or
system metrics

Implement Azure Functions

• Create and deploy Azure Functions apps
• Implement input and output bindings for a function
• Implement function triggers by using data operations, timers, and webhooks
• Implement Azure Durable Functions

Develop for Azure storage (15–20%)

Develop solutions that use Azure Cosmos DB storage
• Select the appropriate API and SDK for a solution
• Implement partitioning schemes and partition keys
• Perform operations on data and Azure Cosmos DB containers
• Set the appropriate consistency level for operations
• Manage change feed notifications

Develop solutions that use blob storage

• Move items in Blob storage between storage accounts or containers
• Set and retrieve properties and metadata
• Perform operations on data by using the appropriate SDK
• Implement storage policies, data archiving, and retention

Implement Azure security (20–25%)

Implement user authentication and authorization
• Authenticate and authorize users by using the Microsoft Identity platform

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 Exam AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure

• Authenticate and authorize users and apps by using Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure
AD), part of Microsoft Entra
• Create and implement shared access signatures
• Implement solutions that interact with Microsoft Graph

Implement secure cloud solutions

• Secure app configuration data by using App Configuration or Azure Key Vault
• Develop code that uses keys, secrets, and certificates stored in Azure Key Vault
• Implement Managed Identities for Azure resources

Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize Azure solutions (15–20%)

Implement caching for solutions
• Configure cache and expiration policies for Azure Cache for Redis
• Implement secure and optimized application cache patterns including data sizing, connections,
encryption, and expiration

Troubleshoot solutions by using metrics and log data

• Configure an app or service to use Application Insights
• Review and analyze metrics and log data
• Implement Application Insights web tests and alerts

Connect to and consume Azure services and third-party services (15–

20%)
Implement API Management
• Create an APIM instance
• Create and document APIs
• Configure authentication for APIs
• Define policies for APIs

Develop event-based solutions

• Implement solutions that use Azure Event Grid
• Implement solutions that use Azure Event Hub

Develop message-based solutions

• Implement solutions that use Azure Service Bus
• Implement solutions that use Azure Queue Storage queues

Study resources
We recommend that you train and get hands-on experience before you take the exam. We offer self-
study options and classroom training as well as links to documentation, community sites, and videos.

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 Exam AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure

Study resources Links to learning and documentation

Get trained Choose from self-paced learning paths and modules or take an
instructor led course

Find documentation Azure documentation

Container Registry
Container Instances
App Service
Azure Functions
Azure Cosmos DB
Blob Storage
Azure Active Directory (AD)
Key Vault
Azure Cache for Redis
API Apps
API Management
Event Hubs
Event Grid
Service Bus
Queue Storage

Ask a question Microsoft Q&A | Microsoft Docs

Get community support Azure Community Support

Follow Microsoft Learn Microsoft Learn - Microsoft Tech Community

Find a video Exam Readiness Zone

Azure Fridays
Browse other Microsoft Learn shows

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 Exam AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure

Change log
Key to understanding the table: The topic groups (also known as functional groups) are in bold typeface
followed by the objectives within each group. The table is a comparison between the two versions of
the exam skills measured and the third column describes the extent of the changes.

Skill area prior to January 20, Skill area as of January 20, 2023 Change
2023

Develop Azure compute solutions Develop Azure compute solutions No

change

Implement IaaS solutions Implement IaaS solutions No

change

Create Azure App Service Web Apps Create Azure App Service Web Apps No
change

Implement Azure Functions Implement Azure Functions No

change

Develop for Azure storage Develop for Azure storage No

change

Develop solutions that use blob Develop solutions that use blob storage No
storage change

Implement Azure security Implement Azure security No

change

Implement user authentication and Implement user authentication and Minor

authorization authorization

Implement secure cloud solutions Implement secure cloud solutions No

change

Monitor, troubleshoot, and Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize No

optimize Azure solutions Azure solutions change

Implement caching for solutions Implement caching for solutions No

change

Troubleshoot solutions by using Troubleshoot solutions by using metrics No

metrics and log data and log data change

Connect to and consume Azure Connect to and consume Azure No

services and third-party services services and third-party services change

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 Exam AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure

Skill area prior to January 20, Skill area as of January 20, 2023 Change
2023

Implement API Management Implement API Management No

change

Develop event-based solutions Develop event-based solutions No

change

Develop message-based solutions Develop message-based solutions No

change

Skills measured prior to January 20, 2023

• Develop Azure compute solutions (25–30%)
• Develop for Azure storage (15–20%)
• Implement Azure security (20–25%)
• Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize Azure solutions (15–20%)
• Connect to and consume Azure services and third-party services (15–20%)

Develop Azure compute solutions (25–30%)

Implement IaaS solutions
• Provision virtual machines (VMs)
• Configure, validate, and deploy ARM templates
• Configure container images for solutions
• Publish an image to Azure Container Registry
• Run containers by using Azure Container Instance

Create Azure App Service Web Apps

• Create an Azure App Service Web App
• Enable diagnostics logging
• Deploy code to a web app
• Configure web app settings including SSL, API settings, and connection strings
• Implement autoscaling rules including scheduled autoscaling and autoscaling by operational or
system metrics

Implement Azure Functions

• Create and deploy Azure Functions apps
• Implement input and output bindings for a function
• Implement function triggers by using data operations, timers, and webhooks
• Implement Azure Durable Functions

7
 Exam AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure

Develop for Azure storage (15–20%)

Develop solutions that use Azure Cosmos DB storage
• Select the appropriate API and SDK for a solution
• Implement partitioning schemes and partition keys
• Perform operations on data and Azure Cosmos DB containers
• Set the appropriate consistency level for operations
• Manage change feed notifications

Develop solutions that use blob storage

• Move items in Blob storage between storage accounts or containers
• Set and retrieve properties and metadata
• Perform operations on data by using the appropriate SDK
• Implement storage policies, data archiving, and retention

Implement Azure security (20–25%)

Implement user authentication and authorization
• Authenticate and authorize users by using the Microsoft Identity platform
• Authenticate and authorize users and apps by using Azure Active Directory
• Create and implement shared access signatures
• Implement solutions that interact with Microsoft Graph

Implement secure cloud solutions

• Secure app configuration data by using App Configuration or Azure Key Vault
• Develop code that uses keys, secrets, and certificates stored in Azure Key Vault
• Implement Managed Identities for Azure resources

Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize Azure solutions (15–20%)

Implement caching for solutions
• Configure cache and expiration policies for Azure Cache for Redis
• Implement secure and optimized application cache patterns including data sizing, connections,
encryption, and expiration

Troubleshoot solutions by using metrics and log data

• Configure an app or service to use Application Insights
• Review and analyze metrics and log data
• Implement Application Insights web tests and alerts

8
 Exam AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure

Connect to and consume Azure services and third-party services (15–

20%)
Implement API Management
• Create an APIM instance
• Create and document APIs
• Configure authentication for APIs
• Define policies for APIs

Develop event-based solutions

• Implement solutions that use Azure Event Grid
• Implement solutions that use Azure Event Hub

Develop message-based solutions

• Implement solutions that use Azure Service Bus
• Implement solutions that use Azure Queue Storage queues