AZ-204 · ● Retiring July 31, 2026 · Associate · Microsoft
Exam facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost | $165 USD |
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Questions | 40–60 (mixed format: multiple choice, multi-select, case study) |
| Passing | 700/1000 scaled |
| Format | Multiple choice, multi-select, case study scenarios |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE (online proctored or testing center) |
| Languages | English (primary); regional availability varies |
| Valid | 3 years from date of certification |
| Renewal | Renew by passing AZ-204 again or earn a higher-level cert (AZ-400) |
| Prerequisites | None; AZ-900 recommended but not required |
| Released | 2019 (original), last refresh 2024 |
| Retiring | July 31, 2026 11:59 PM CST — replaced by AI-200 (Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate) |
Vendor source — Microsoft Learn AZ-204 ↗
Official exam guide — Study guide for Exam AZ-204 ↗
Exam objectives — Exam AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure ↗
The AZ-204 certification validates the ability to participate in all phases of Azure application development — from requirements gathering and design through implementation, deployment, security, maintenance, performance tuning, and production monitoring. Targeted at developers (C#/.NET, Python, JavaScript, Java focus), cloud application engineers, and technical professionals transitioning to cloud-native architecture. Critical status update: This certification and exam retire on July 31, 2026, and will be replaced by AI-200 (Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate), signaling Microsoft's strategic pivot toward AI-integrated cloud development.
Domain context — Cloud / Software Engineering
Hyperscale public cloud platform certification (Azure ecosystem), focused on developer-centric infrastructure, containerization, serverless compute, managed databases, and API integration. Sits at the intersection of application development and cloud operations.
Read full deep dive — Microsoft Azure Ecosystem → (file not yet created)
Topics covered
| Topic | Weight |
|---|---|
| Develop Azure compute solutions (App Service, Functions, containers, scaling) | 25–30% |
| Develop for Azure storage (Blob, Table, Queue, Cosmos DB, data lifecycle) | 15–20% |
| Implement Azure security (Key Vault, Azure AD, encryption, managed identity) | 15–20% |
| Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize Azure solutions (Application Insights, diagnostics, performance) | 10–15% |
| Connect to and consume Azure services and third-party services (service-to-service integration, APIs, webhooks) | 20–25% |
Domains within each topic:
Azure Compute Solutions:
- Create and deploy Azure App Service web apps and background services
- Implement containerized solutions (Docker, Azure Container Instances, Container Registry)
- Create and deploy Azure Functions (timer triggers, HTTP triggers, durable functions)
- Configure scaling policies and auto-scale rules
- Implement deployment slots and zero-downtime releases
Azure Storage:
- Work with Blob Storage, Table Storage, Azure Queues
- Query and manipulate data in Cosmos DB
- Implement caching strategies (Azure Cache for Redis)
- Manage data lifecycle policies and archival
Azure Security:
- Manage secrets and certificates in Azure Key Vault
- Implement identity and access control with Azure AD / Microsoft Entra
- Apply encryption for data at rest (Azure Storage encryption, Transparent Data Encryption)
- Implement encryption in transit (TLS/SSL, Always Encrypted)
- Secure API endpoints and implement managed identity
Monitoring & Troubleshooting:
- Configure Application Insights instrumentation
- Set up diagnostic settings and logging
- Create alerts and analyze performance metrics
- Troubleshoot production failures using logs and traces
Service Integration:
- Authenticate and consume Azure services (HTTP, managed identity)
- Integrate with third-party APIs and webhooks
- Implement event-driven architectures (Event Grid, Event Hubs, Service Bus)
Source: Microsoft Learn: Study guide for Exam AZ-204 ↗
Common skills at Cloud / Software Engineering · Associate
Shared competencies for developers and cloud engineers at the Associate level across cloud platforms.
- Cloud platform fundamentals (compute, storage, databases, networking)
- Infrastructure-as-Code and configuration management (ARM templates, Bicep, Terraform)
- Version control and CI/CD pipeline orchestration (Git, GitHub Actions, Azure Pipelines)
- Application performance monitoring and observability (logging, tracing, metrics)
- Identity, authentication, and authorization protocols (OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, managed identity)
- Containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes basics, Azure Container Services)
- REST API design, consumption, and integration patterns
- Database design and query optimization (relational and NoSQL)
- Cost optimization and resource governance in cloud environments
- Secure coding practices and secret management
Recommended courses at Cloud / Software Engineering · Associate
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Learn | AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure (Learning Path) | Free | ↗ |
| Udemy (Scott Duffy) | AZ-204 Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure Exam Prep | $15–$100 | ↗ |
| Pluralsight | AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure (Learning Path) | $299/year or $29/month | ↗ |
| LinkedIn Learning | AZ-204 Exam Prep: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure | Varies (LinkedIn Learning subscription) | ↗ |
| A Cloud Guru (Pluralsight) | AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure | $29/month or $299/year | ↗ |
Course-selection rule: Each course is specifically for AZ-204. Note that Scott Duffy's Udemy course has been frequently updated through 2025 and explicitly covers the latest exam changes. Pluralsight and A Cloud Guru offer structured learning paths aligned with official exam objectives. Microsoft Learn is the official, free starting point.
Practice exams
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| MeasureUp | Microsoft Practice Test AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure | $99–$179 | ↗ |
| Tutorials Dojo | AZ-204 Microsoft Azure Developer Associate Practice Exams | $14.99–$19.99 | ↗ |
| Udemy (Scott Duffy) | AZ-204 Microsoft Azure Developer Associate Practice Tests | $15–$100 | ↗ |
| Whizlabs | AZ-204 Microsoft Azure Developer Associate | $34.99–$49.99 | ↗ |
Provider notes:
- MeasureUp: Most realistic simulation of actual exam UI/UX; closest match to testing-center experience.
- Tutorials Dojo: Comprehensive question bank (500+), timed + review modes, detailed explanations with reference links.
- Scott Duffy (Udemy): Five 35-question timed tests (175 total); integrated with his course; affordable option.
- Whizlabs: Most budget-friendly; frequently updated questions; UI differs from actual exam but content quality strong.
Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | Year | ISBN | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exam Ref AZ-204 Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure (3rd Edition) | Santiago Fernandez Munoz | Microsoft Press / Pearson | 2024 | 978-0138312138 | ↗ |
Book note: The 3rd edition (2024) is current and reflects recent exam changes. Earlier 2nd-edition ISBN (9780136798330) is outdated; ensure you acquire the latest version.
Typical job titles at Cloud / Software Engineering · Associate
Azure Developer · Cloud Application Developer · Cloud Solutions Engineer · .NET Developer (Azure Focus) · Backend Engineer (Azure) · Full-Stack Developer (Azure) · DevOps Engineer (entry-level, with Azure specialization)
(Job titles drawn from current job-board postings that list this cert as required or preferred.)
Salary
| Region | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USD | $120,000–$150,000+ | Glassdoor ↗ · ZipRecruiter ↗ |
| ZAR | R450,000–R726,000 (annual); R80,000–R120,000/month (senior) | PayScale ZA ↗ · OfferZen ↗ |
| GBP | £42,000–£67,500 | Glassdoor UK ↗ · IT Jobs Watch ↗ |
| EUR | €45,000–€65,000 (DE/FR/NL average) | Levels.fyi ↗ (filtered by Azure / cloud roles) |
| AUD | A$115,000–A$160,000 | Seek ↗ (filtered by Azure developer) |
Salary notes:
- USD: Experienced Azure developers (5+ years) command $150,000+; FAANG and financial services pay higher.
- ZAR: South Africa has growing Azure talent demand; salary uplift for AI/ML integration skills observable.
- GBP: UK market shows slight discount vs. US; London metropolitan area pays premium.
- Remote work: Remote Azure developer roles often command 10–20% premium due to geographic arbitrage.
Skills validated
Cert-specific competencies measured by the AZ-204 exam.
- Azure App Service (web apps, API apps, function apps, deployment slots, scaling)
- Azure Functions (triggers, bindings, durable functions, timer-based automation)
- Azure Containers (Azure Container Instances, Container Registry, image management)
- Blob Storage, Table Storage, Azure Queues (creation, access policies, SAS tokens)
- Azure Cosmos DB (document databases, query language, consistency models, indexing)
- Azure Cache for Redis (caching strategies, cache-aside pattern, session state)
- Azure Key Vault (secret management, certificate management, access policies)
- Azure SQL Database and Azure Database for PostgreSQL (connection management, encryption, audit logging)
- Azure Application Insights (instrumentation, log queries, custom metrics, availability tests)
- Event Grid, Event Hubs, Service Bus (event-driven architectures, message routing)
- Azure Service Connectors and Managed Identity (passwordless authentication)
- Deployment patterns (Infrastructure-as-Code via ARM templates / Bicep, zero-downtime deployments)
- Performance tuning and cost optimization (resource sizing, reserved instances, autoscaling)
- Security best practices (least privilege, encryption in transit/at rest, network isolation)
Related certifications
- Entry prerequisite: AZ-900: Azure Fundamentals ↗ (recommended, not required)
- Stacks with: AZ-104: Azure Administrator Associate ↗ (file not yet created) — complementary administrator track
- Prerequisite for: AZ-400: Azure DevOps Engineer Expert ↗ (file not yet created) — mandatory prerequisite; must hold AZ-204 or AZ-104 to earn AZ-400 badge
- Replaces: N/A (first released 2019, evolved through 2024)
- Successor certification: AI-200: Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate ↗ (file not yet created) — Microsoft's replacement post-July 2026; beta launches April 2, 2026
- Vendor overview: Microsoft Azure Ecosystem ↗ (file not yet created)
Sources
- Microsoft Learn: Azure Developer Certification ↗
- Microsoft Learn: Study guide for Exam AZ-204 ↗
- Microsoft Learn: Exam AZ-204 (Official Page) ↗
- Microsoft certification retirements 2026 ↗
- FlashGenius: Ultimate 2026 guide to AZ-204 ↗
- Glassdoor: Azure Developer Salary ↗
- PayScale ZA: Microsoft Azure Salary ↗
- IT Jobs Watch UK: Azure Developer ↗
- Tutorials Dojo: AZ-204 Practice Exams ↗
- MeasureUp: AZ-204 Practice Test ↗
- Amazon: Exam Ref AZ-204 Book ↗
Last verified: 2026-05-01
*Parent ecosystem: Microsoft Azure (file not yet created)
*Parent domain: Cloud / Software Engineering (file not yet created)