AD0-E128 · ● Active · Professional · Adobe
The Adobe Experience Manager Sites Developer Professional certification validates foundational competency in developing and managing enterprise content on Adobe Experience Manager. Targeted at developers with up to one year of AEM Sites experience who build components, templates, and workflows in AEM 6.4, 6.5, and AEM as a Cloud Service.
Exam facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost | $225 USD; $150 USD (India); regional pricing varies |
| Duration | 100 minutes |
| Questions | 50 (multiple choice and multiple select) |
| Passing | 64% (32/50 correct) |
| Format | Multiple choice and multiple select |
| Delivery | Online proctored (requires webcam/microphone) or test center proctored |
| Languages | English |
| Valid | 3 years |
| Renewal | Pass renewal exam or 2 short renewal modules (~15 min each) at no cost within 60 days before expiry |
| Prerequisites | None formally; 1–2 years of hands-on AEM Sites experience recommended |
| Released | Ongoing active credential |
| Retiring | N/A — active |
Vendor source — Adobe Digital Experience Certification Program ↗ Official exam page — Developer Professional: AEM Sites ↗ Exam objectives — AEM Sites Developer Professional Prep Guide ↗
About
The AD0-E128 Adobe Certified Professional – AEM Sites Developer credential recognizes practical proficiency in building and configuring AEM Sites solutions. It assumes foundational knowledge of component development, HTL templating, Sling Models, OSGi configurations, Dispatcher caching, and AEM workflows. Candidates demonstrate ability to extend AEM core components, implement content fragments and templates, manage replication, configure caching strategies, and troubleshoot AEM issues. Valid for three years; renewal via passing modules or retaking the exam at no additional cost. This is the entry Professional-level AEM credential, preceding the Expert-level AD0-E137 (AEM Sites Developer Expert).
Domain context — Software Engineering/CMS
Enterprise content management platform development, covering AEM component architecture, Sling/OSGi runtime, HTL templating, content modeling, and integration patterns.
Read full deep dive — Adobe Experience Cloud →
Topics covered
Per the official Adobe AD0-E128 exam blueprint:
-
Configurations (15%)
- AEM Dispatcher configuration and caching mechanisms
- OSGi and Oak index configuration and management
- Multi-site and multi-tenant management
- Custom logging and diagnostics
-
AEM Development (37%)
- Extend core components using proxying techniques
- Develop components with HTL, Sling Models, and OSGi services
- Build and customize AEM workflows
- Work with content fragments and experience fragments
- Implement editable templates for flexible content authoring
- Understand AEM page architecture and component hierarchy
-
Build and Deployment (17%)
- Maven project structure and AEM archetypes
- Configure build and deployment pipelines
- Understand AEM Cloud Manager CI/CD integration
- Repository structure and module organization
-
Environment Maintenance (13%)
- Apply maintenance releases and patches
- Configure replication agents and topologies
- Diagnose replication issues
- Manage Oak indexes and query optimization
- Monitor instance health
-
Analyzing and Debugging (18%)
- Troubleshoot replication failures
- Debug Sling requests and component rendering
- Use Developer Console and error logs
- Performance analysis and optimization
- Security considerations and access controls
Source: Adobe Exam Prep Guide ↗
Common skills at Software Engineering/CMS · Professional
Shared content for the Software Engineering/CMS domain at Professional level — not specific to this cert.
- Component-based architecture and templating patterns
- REST API design and implementation
- Data modeling and schema design
- Caching strategies (application, HTTP, CDN)
- Security fundamentals (authentication, authorization, encryption)
- CI/CD pipelines and version control
- Testing practices (unit, integration, performance)
- Logging, monitoring, and troubleshooting
- Performance optimization and scalability
- Cross-browser and accessibility compliance
Recommended courses at Software Engineering/CMS · Professional
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Experience League | AEM Sites Developer Learning Path | Free | ↗ |
| Adobe Digital Experience Certification Program | AEM Foundations Course | Free | ↗ |
| Adobe (Official) | Develop Websites and Components in AEM (on-demand) | Contact for pricing | ↗ |
| Adobe Certification Portal | AD0-E128 Exam Prep Guide (official study materials) | Included with exam | ↗ |
| Udemy | AEM Sites Developer Professional AD0-E128 Full Practice | $14–$70 | ↗ |
| Udemy | AEM Sites Developer Professional (AD0-E128) Prep | $14–$70 | ↗ |
Course-selection rule: Each course must target this specific exam code (AD0-E128). Generic "AEM developer" courses without AD0-E128 alignment are not listed.
Practice exams
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Certification Portal | AD0-E128 Official Practice Assessment | Included with exam | ↗ |
| Udemy | AD0-E128 AEM Sites Developer Professional Practice Exams | $14–$70 | ↗ |
| EDUSUM | Adobe AD0-E128 Practice Questions and Study Guide | Free preview; $29–$49 full | ↗ |
| Whizlabs | AEM Sites Developer Professional Practice Tests | $19–$29 | ↗ |
Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | Year | ISBN | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe AEM Cookbook | Multiple Authors | Packt | 2019 | 978-1789344653 | ↗ |
Book note: Dedicated study guides specifically for AD0-E128 are limited in the published market. Primary preparation relies on Adobe Experience League free courses, official exam prep guides, and third-party Udemy/practice exam providers. The Adobe AEM Cookbook provides practical recipes for common AEM development tasks and serves as supplementary reference material.
Typical job titles at Software Engineering/CMS · Professional
AEM Developer · AEM Sites Developer · Frontend Developer (AEM) · AEM Component Developer · AEM Engineer · Backend Developer (AEM focus) · Full-Stack AEM Developer
(Job titles drawn from current job-board postings listing AD0-E128 or equivalent AEM development skills as required or preferred.)
Salary
| Region | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USD | $106,934–$162,838 (25th–75th percentile); $91,000–$131,428 avg | PayScale ↗ · Glassdoor ↗ · Comparably ↗ |
| ZAR | R596,981 (Cape Town average); Pnet/CareerJunction specialist job boards recommended for current benchmarks | SalaryExpert ↗ · Pnet ↗ |
| GBP | £43,000–£69,000; avg £48,014 | Glassdoor UK ↗ · SalaryExpert UK ↗ |
| EUR | No region-specific data available — consult German/Dutch/French job boards (Indeed, XING) for local benchmarks | |
| AUD | No region-specific data available — consult SEEK, CareerOne for local AEM developer roles |
Salary note: AEM developer roles cluster in mid-level range ($90K–$130K USD) due to specialized skillset. Senior/architect roles command premium. Remote AEM roles typically $48–$113 USD/hour depending on seniority and location. Actual compensation includes bonus, stock, and benefits; figures above show base salary only.
Skills validated
Exam-specific technologies and competencies tested by AD0-E128.
- HTL (HTML Template Language) component development
- Sling Models and OSGi services
- AEM component hierarchy and inheritance patterns
- AEM Core Components and proxying techniques
- JCR (Java Content Repository) concepts and navigation
- Sling request processing and servlet development
- Dispatcher configuration and cache invalidation
- AEM workflows and process steps
- Content fragments and experience fragments
- Editable templates and page templates
- Replication agents and topologies
- Multi-site management (MSM) and blueprints
- AEM Cloud Service architecture and pipelines
- Debugging and troubleshooting tools (error logs, request tracing)
- ACL (Access Control List) and user/group management
- AEM as a Cloud Service vs. on-premise differences
Related certifications
- Stacks with: AD0-E129 AEM Assets Developer Professional ↗
- Next step (Expert level): AD0-E137 AEM Sites Developer Expert ↗ or AD0-E134 AEM Assets Developer Expert ↗
- Path to Architect: AD0-E117 AEM Sites Architect Master ↗ (typically requires 2–3 years post-Professional before pursuing Master)
- Vendor overview: Adobe Vendor Overview ↗
Sources
- Adobe Digital Experience Certification Program
- Adobe Experience League — AEM Sites Developer Professional
- AD0-E128 Exam Prep Guide
- Adobe Experience League Tutorials
- AEM Salary Data — PayScale
- AEM Salary Data — Glassdoor
- AEM Developer Job Descriptions — VelvetJobs
- Adobe AEM Cookbook — Packt
- AEM Community — AD0-E128 Prep
Last verified: 2026-05-01 Parent ecosystem: Adobe Experience Cloud Parent domain: Software Engineering/CMS Vendor overview: Adobe Vendor Overview