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AWS Certified Developer - Associate

Version change in progress. AWS states registration for the updated DVA-C03 exam opens on 27 October 2026 and the last day to sit the current DVA-C02 is 1 December 2026. If you are booking after October, check which version you are sitting.

Vendor record

Retiring

Version change in progress. AWS states registration for the updated DVA-C03 exam opens on 27 October 2026 and the last day to sit the current DVA-C02 is 1 December 2026. If you are booking after October, check which version you are sitting.

Starting now? This exam retires within 90 days. Our default study recommendations use a 90-day preparation buffer, so review the current route before buying materials. Existing candidates should check their readiness and booking with the vendor.

Current name
AWS Certified Developer - Associate
Exam code
DVA-C02
Vendor-stated experience
AWS recommends one or more years of hands-on experience developing and maintaining applications using AWS services.
Ongoing commitment

Valid for 3 years. Renew through the current Developer Associate or DevOps Engineer Professional exam, while offered; exam fees apply.

Renewal sources & exceptions

Alternatively, eligible active holders can complete paid Skill Builder maintenance within 90 days of expiry for a 1-year extension from completion, rather than a 3-year exam renewal.

Renewal policy checked 2026-09-28. Check the linked provider policy for current fees and eligibility.

Source: Amazon Web Services · Read 22 September 2026

Sourced fields only; this does not mean every exam detail has been verified. Pricing and renewal policies have their own sources and check dates. Confirm the currency, tax and final booking total with the vendor.

AWS Certified Developer - Associate

Role-fit guidance is TechWaymark editorial interpretation. It is separate from the recorded vendor facts and does not measure hiring outcomes.

Existing candidates and holders

Check the vendor's booking and credential rules if you are already studying or hold this qualification. An exam retirement does not erase your previous learning. This page preserves the record and does not change any saved credential.

Practical exercise for existing holders
Certifications Project guide Home projects Back to certification

Home labs & practical projects

Make an event consumer tolerate duplicate messages

A project to do with your own tools, with guidance on what to create and capture.

Cloud sandbox Suggested time: 2–3 hoursYour own authorised environment

For existing holders and historical learning. Check the current credential before starting exam preparation.

01

What you could create

An order-processing function receives the same message twice after a retry. Each order must create a single business result, and failures must be visible.

Example evidence format
Project evidence map (example)
Consumer code and input fixturesScope and inputs
Test results for duplicates, retries and invalid inputDecisions and reasoning
Evidence record (example)
EvidenceWhat to capture
Consumer code and input fixturesShow the inputs, scope and decisions behind this record. Repeating an order does not repeat the business action.
Test results for duplicates, retries and invalid inputInclude the evidence supporting your conclusion. A failed message remains discoverable with its reason.
02

What you'll need

Cloud sandbox

Use a test queue, a small function and a disposable record store. Prepare synthetic order IDs, one invalid payload and one deliberately repeated message.

Project record

Keep the working files for consumer code and input fixtures and record assumptions as you go.

Current reference material

Use the linked provider resources to verify the features, access terms and version relevant to your project.

Access & cost

A cloud account may incur charges. Check current service prices and quotas before creating resources; a budget alert is not a spending cap.

Use a separate learning account or subscription and synthetic data. Keep credentials and administrative endpoints private.

03

Suggested milestones

  1. 1

    Plan and investigate

    Implement an idempotency check tied to the business operation.

  2. 2

    Develop your approach

    Separate transient failures from invalid input and define a dead-letter path.

  3. 3

    Verify and explain

    Emit structured logs and run normal, duplicate and failing inputs.

04

Useful resources

Use these resources to deepen your understanding and check key details.

Official certification objectives

Review the current provider requirements and relevant subject areas.

Explore external learning resources

Find relevant providers and check features, access requirements and costs.

Turn the project into evidence

Keep your artefacts and reasoning together so you can explain what you did.

A useful starting point

Use a test queue, a small function and a disposable record store. Prepare synthetic order IDs, one invalid payload and one deliberately repeated message.

What a good result looks like
  • Repeating an order does not repeat the business action.
  • A failed message remains discoverable with its reason.
  • Logs let another developer trace one order without exposing secrets.

Finish the project

Remove the exercise resources, including retained storage, snapshots and public IPs. Check the billing view for anything still running.

Independent home-project guidance, not an official vendor lab or a claim of complete exam coverage. Use your own tools and label the work accurately.

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