Databricks Exam Guide

Databricks Certified
Data Analyst Associate
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Please note: A new version of this exam will go live on September 30, 2025.
Please see below for the exam guide that applies to you based on your exam date.

CURRENT EXAM GUIDE

Purpose of this Exam Guide

The purpose of this exam guide is to give you an overview of the exam and what is covered on the
exam to help you determine your exam readiness. This document will get updated anytime there
are any changes to an exam (and when those changes will take effect on an exam) so that you can
be prepared. This covers the current version of the exam that will be live until September 29,
2025

Audience Description
The Databricks Certified Data Analyst Associate certification exam assesses an individual’s ability
to use the Databricks SQL service to complete introductory data analysis tasks. This includes an
understanding of the Databricks SQL service and its capabilities, an ability to manage data with
Databricks tools following best practices, using SQL to complete data tasks in the Lakehouse,
creating production-grade data visualizations and dashboards, and developing analytics
applications to solve common data analytics problems. Individuals who pass this certification
exam can be expected to complete basic data analysis tasks using Databricks SQL and its
associated capabilities.

About the Exam

●​ Number of items: 45 scored multiple-choice questions
●​ Time Limit: 90 minutes
●​ Registration fee: USD 200, plus applicable taxes as required per local law
●​ Delivery method: Online Proctored
●​ Test aides: none allowed.
●​ Prerequisite: None required; course attendance and six months of hands-on experience in
Databricks is highly recommended
●​ Validity: 2 years
 ●​ Recertification: Recertification is required every two years to maintain your certified status.
To recertify, you must take the full exam that is currently live. Please review the “Getting
Ready for the Exam” section on the exam webpage to prepare for taking the exam again.
●​ Unscored Content: Exams may include unscored items to gather statistical information for
future use. These items are not identified on the form and do not impact your score, and
additional time is factored into account for this content.

Recommended Training
●​ Instructor-led: Data Analysis with Databricks
●​ Self-paced (available in Databricks Academy): Data Analysis With Databricks. This
self-paced course will soon be replaced with the following two modules.
○​ AI/BI for Data Analysts
○​ SQL Analytics on Databricks

Exam Outline
Section 1: Databricks SQL
●​ Describe the key audience and side audiences for Databricks SQL.
●​ Describe that a variety of users can view and run Databricks SQL dashboards as
stakeholders.
●​ Describe the benefits of using Databricks SQL for in-Lakehouse platform data processing.
●​ Describe how to complete a basic Databricks SQL query.
●​ Identify Databricks SQL queries as a place to write and run SQL code.
●​ Identify the information displayed in the schema browser from the Query Editor page.
●​ Identify Databricks SQL dashboards as a place to display the results of multiple queries at
once.
●​ Describe how to complete a basic Databricks SQL dashboard.
●​ Describe how dashboards can be configured to automatically refresh.
●​ Describe the purpose of Databricks SQL endpoints/warehouses.
●​ Identify Serverless Databricks SQL endpoint/warehouses as a quick-starting option.
●​ Describe the trade-off between cluster size and cost for Databricks SQL
endpoints/warehouses.
●​ Identify Partner Connect as a tool for implementing simple integrations with a number of
other data products.
●​ Describe how to connect Databricks SQL to ingestion tools like Fivetran.
●​ Identify the need to be set up with a partner to use it for Partner Connect.
●​ Identify small-file upload as a solution for importing small text files like lookup tables and
quick data integrations.
●​ Import from object storage using Databricks SQL.
●​ Identify that Databricks SQL can ingest directories of files of the files are the same type.
 ●​ Describe how to connect Databricks SQL to visualization tools like Tableau, Power BI, and
Looker.
●​ Identify Databricks SQL as a complementary tool for BI partner tool workflows.
●​ Describe the medallion architecture as a sequential data organization and pipeline system
of progressively cleaner data.
●​ Identify the gold layer as the most common layer for data analysts using Databricks SQL.
●​ Describe the cautions and benefits of working with streaming data.
●​ Identify that the Lakehouse allows the mixing of batch and streaming workloads.

Section 2: Data Management

●​ Describe Delta Lake as a tool for managing data files.
●​ Describe that Delta Lake manages table metadata.
●​ Identify that Delta Lake tables maintain history for a period of time.
●​ Describe the benefits of Delta Lake within the Lakehouse.
●​ Describe persistence and scope of tables on Databricks.
●​ Compare and contrast the behavior of managed and unmanaged tables.
●​ Identify whether a table is managed or unmanaged.
●​ Explain how the LOCATION keyword changes the default location of database contents.
●​ Use Databricks to create, use, and drop databases, tables, and views.
●​ Describe the persistence of data in a view and a temp view
●​ Compare and contrast views and temp views.
●​ Explore, preview, and secure data using Data Explorer.
●​ Use Databricks to create, drop, and rename tables.
●​ Identify the table owner using Data Explorer.
●​ Change access rights to a table using Data Explorer.
●​ Describe the responsibilities of a table owner.
●​ Identify organization-specific considerations of PII data

Section 3: SQL in the Lakehouse

●​ Identify a query that retrieves data from the database with specific conditions
●​ Identify the output of a SELECT query
●​ Compare and contrast MERGE INTO, INSERT TABLE, and COPY INTO.
●​ Simplify queries using subqueries.
●​ Compare and contrast different types of JOINs.
●​ Aggregate data to achieve a desired output.
●​ Manage nested data formats and sources within tables.
●​ Use cube and roll-up to aggregate a data table.
●​ Compare and contrast roll-up and cube.
●​ Use windowing to aggregate time data.
●​ Identify a benefit of having ANSI SQL as the standard in the Lakehouse.
●​ Identify, access, and clean silver-level data.
 ●​ Utilize query history and caching to reduce development time and query latency.
●​ Optimize performance using higher-order Spark SQL functions.
●​ Create and apply UDFs in common scaling scenarios.

Section 4: Data Visualization and Dashboarding

●​ Create basic, schema-specific visualizations using Databricks SQL.
●​ Identify which types of visualizations can be developed in Databricks SQL (table, details,
counter, pivot).
●​ Explain how visualization formatting changes the reception of a visualization
●​ Describe how to add visual appeal through formatting
●​ Identify that customizable tables can be used as visualizations within Databricks SQL.
●​ Describe how different visualizations tell different stories.
●​ Create customized data visualizations to aid in data storytelling.
●​ Create a dashboard using multiple existing visualizations from Databricks SQL Queries.
●​ Describe how to change the colors of all of the visualizations in a dashboard.
●​ Describe how query parameters change the output of underlying queries within a
dashboard
●​ Identify the behavior of a dashboard parameter
●​ Identify the use of the "Query Based Dropdown List" as a way to create a query parameter
from the distinct output of a different query.
●​ Identify the method for sharing a dashboard with up-to-date results.
●​ Describe the pros and cons of sharing dashboards in different ways
●​ Identify that users without permission to all queries, databases, and endpoints can easily
refresh a dashboard using the owner's credentials.
●​ Describe how to configure a refresh schedule
●​ Identify what happens if a refresh rate is less than the Warehouse's "Auto Stop"
●​ Describe how to configure and troubleshoot a basic alert
●​ Describe how notifications are sent when alerts are set up based on the configuration

Section 5: Analytics applications

●​ Compare and contrast discrete and continuous statistics.
●​ Describe descriptive statistics.
●​ Describe key moments of statistical distributions.
●​ Compare and contrast key statistical measures.
●​ Describe data enhancement as a common analytics application.
●​ Enhance data in a common analytics application.
●​ Identify a scenario in which data enhancement would be beneficial.
●​ Describe the blending of data between two source applications.
●​ Identify a scenario in which data blending would be beneficial.
●​ Perform last-mile ETL as project-specific data enhancement.
 NEW EXAM GUIDE

Use this version of the exam guide if you are taking your exam ON or AFTER 30-Sep-2025

Purpose of this Exam Guide

The purpose of this exam guide is to give you an overview of the exam and what is covered on the
exam to help you determine your exam readiness. This document will get updated anytime there
are any changes to an exam (and when those changes will take effect on an exam), so that you can
be prepared. This is for the version of the exam that will go live on September 30, 2025.

Audience Description
The Databricks Certified Data Analyst Associate exam evaluates a candidate's proficiency with the
Databricks Data Intelligence Platform, assessing their ability to manage Data with Unity Catalog -
this includes discovering, querying, cleaning, and managing certified datasets, import Data by
utilizing various methods such as the UI, S3 ingestion, Delta Sharing for external systems, API-driven
intake, Auto Loader, and the Marketplace feature, and excuting and Optimizing Queries for Data
Analysis - including creating views, performing aggregate operations, combining tables with joins,
filtering, sorting, and analyzing queries using auditing, history, logs, and Liquid clustering features.
Additionally, the exam covers the basics of working with Dashboards and Visualisations,
understanding the fundamentals of developing, sharing, and maintaining AI/BI Genie spaces within
Databricks, data modelling with Databricks SQL, and securing data by adhering to best practices
for data storage and management.

About the Exam

●​ Number of items: 45 multiple-choice questions
●​ Time Limit: 90 minutes
●​ Delivery method: Online Proctored only
●​ Prerequisite: None is required.
●​ Validity: 2 years
●​ Recertification: Recertification is required every two years to maintain your certified status.
To recertify, you must take the full exam that is currently live.
●​ Unscored questions: Exams may include unscored questions to gather statistical
information for future use. These questions are not identified on the form and do not
impact your score. Additional time is factored into the exams to account for these
questions..
Recommended Training
●​ Instructor-led: Data Analysis with Databricks
●​ Self-paced (available in Databricks Academy): Data Analysis with Databricks. This
self-paced course will soon be replaced with the following two modules.
○​ AI/BI for Data Analysts
○​ SQL Analytics on Databricks

Exam Outline
●​ Understanding of Databricks Data Intelligence Platform
○​ Describe the core components of the Databricks Intelligence Platform, including
Mosaic AI, DeltaLive tables, Lakeflow Jobs, Data Intelligence Engine, Delta Lake, Unity
Catalog, and Databricks SQL
○​ Understand catalogs, schemas, managed and external tables, access controls, views,
certified tables, and lineage within the Catalog Explorer interface.
○​ Describe the role and features of Databricks Marketplace
●​ Managing Data
○​ Use Unity Catalog to discover, query, and manage certified datasets
○​ Use the Catalog Explorer to tag a data asset and view its lineage
○​ Perform data cleaning on Unity Catalog Tables in SQL, including removing invalid data
or handling missing values
●​ Importing Data
○​ Explain the approaches for bringing data into Databricks, covering ingestion from S3,
data sharing with external systems via Delta Sharing, API-driven data intake, the Auto
Loader feature, and Marketplace.
○​ Use the Databricks Workspace UI to upload a data file to the platform.
●​ Executing queries using Databricks SQL and Databricks SQL Warehouses
○​ Utilize Databricks Assistant within a Notebook or SQL Editor to facilitate query
writing and debugging.
○​ Explain the role a SQL Warehouse plays in query execution.
○​ Querying cross-system analytics by joining data from a Delta table and a federated
data source.
○​ Create a materialized view, including knowing when to use Streaming Tables and
Materialized Views, and differentiate between dynamic and materialized views
○​ Perform aggregate operations such as count, approximate count distinct, mean, and
summary statistics.
○​ Write queries to combine tables using various join operations (inner, left, right and so
on) with single or multiple keys, as well as set operations like union and union all,
including the differences between the joins (inner, left, right and so on).
○​ Perform sorting and filtering operations on a table
 ○​ Create Managed tables and external tables, including creating tables by joining data
from multiple sources (e.g., CSV, Parquet, Delta tables) to create unified datasets,
including Unity Catalog
○​ Use Delta Lake's time travel to access and query historical data versions.
●​ Analyzing Queries
○​ Understand the Features, Benefits, and Supported Workloads of Photon
○​ Identify poorly performing queries in the Databricks Intelligence platform, such as
Query Insights, Query Profiler log, etc.
○​ Utilize Delta Lake to audit and view history, validate results, and compare historical
results or trends.
○​ Utilize query history and caching to reduce development time and query latency
○​ Apply Liquid Clustering to improve query speed when filtering large tables on
specific columns.
○​ Fix a query to achieve the desired results.
●​ Working with Dashboards and Visualizations in Databricks
○​ Build dashboards using AI/BI Dashboards, including multi-tabs/page layouts, multiple
data sources/datasets, and widgets (visualizations, text, images)
○​ Create visualizations in notebooks and the SQL editor
○​ Work with parameters in SQL queries and dashboards, including defining,
configuring, and testing parameters
○​ Configure permissions through the UI to share dashboards with workspace
users/groups, external users through shareable links and embedd dashboards in
external apps
○​ Schedule an automatic dashboard refresh.
○​ Configure an alert with a desired threshold and destination.
○​ Identify the effective visualization type to communicate insights clearly
●​ Developing, Sharing and Maintaining AI/BI Genie spaces
○​ Describe the purpose, key features and components of AI/BI Genie spaces
○​ Create Genie spaces by defining reasonable sample questions and domain-specific
instructions, choosing SQL warehouses, curating Unity Catalog datasets (tables,
views...) and vetting queries as Trusted Assets.
○​ Assign permissions via the UI and distribute Genie spaces using embedded links and
external app integrations
○​ Optimize AI/BI Genie spaces by tracking user questions, response accuracy, and
feedback; updating instructions and trusted assets based on stakeholder input;
validating accuracy with benchmarks; refreshing Unity Catalog metadata
●​ Data Modeling with Databricks SQL
○​ Apply industry-standard data modeling techniques—such as star, snowflake, and
data vault schemas—to analytical workloads.
○​ Understand how industry-standard models align with the Medallion Architecture.
●​ Securing Data
 ○​ Use Unity Catalog roles and sharing settings to ensure workspace objects are
secure.
○​ Understand how the 3-level namespace(Catalog / Schema / Tables or Volumes)
works in the Unity Catalog
○​ Apply best practices for storage and management to ensure data security, including
table ownership and PII protection.

Sample Questions
These questions are retired from a previous version of the exam. The purpose is to show you
objectives as they are stated on the exam guide, and give you a sample question that aligns to the
objective. The exam guide lists the objectives that could be covered on an exam. The best way to
prepare for a certification exam is to review the exam outline in the exam guide.

Question 1
Objective: Identify the benefits of using Databricks SQL for business intelligence (BI) analytics
projects over using third-party BI tools?

A data analyst is trying to determine whether to develop their dashboard in Databricks SQL or a
partner business intelligence (BI) tool like Tableau, Power BI, or Looker.

When is it advantageous to use Databricks SQL instead of using third-party BI tools to develop the
dashboard?

A.​ When the data being transformed as part of the visualizations is very large
B.​ When the visualizations require custom formatting
C.​ When the visualizations require production-grade, customizable branding
D.​ When the data being transformed is in table format

Question 2
Objective: Aggregate data columns using SQL functions to answer defined business
questions.

A data analyst has been asked to count the number of customers in each region and has written
the following query:

SELECT region, count(*) AS number_of_customers

FROM customers
ORDER BY region;

What is the mistake in the query?

A.​ The query is selecting region, but region should only occur in the ORDER BY clause.
B.​ The query is missing a GROUP BY region clause.
 C.​ The query is using ORDER BY, which is not allowed in an aggregation.
D.​ The query is using count(*), which will count all the customers in the customers table, no
matter the region.

Question 3
Objective: Identify code blocks that can be used to create user-defined functions

A data analyst has created a user-defined function using the following line of code:​
​
CREATE FUNCTION price(spend DOUBLE, units DOUBLE)​
RETURNS DOUBLE
RETURN spend / units;​
​
Which code block can be used to apply this function to the customer_spend and
customer_units columns of the table customer_summary to create column customer_price?

A.​SELECT function(price(customer_spend, customer_units)) AS

customer_price​
FROM customer_summary
B.​SELECT double(price(customer_spend, customer_units)) AS
customer_price​
FROM customer_summary
C.​SELECT price​
FROM customer_summary
D.​SELECT PRICE customer_spend, customer_units AS customer_price​
FROM customer_summary
E.​SELECT price(customer_spend, customer_units) AS customer_price​
FROM customer_summary

Question 4
Objective: Automate a refresh schedule for a query.

Where in the Databricks SQL workspace can a data analyst configure a refresh schedule for a
query when the query is not attached to a dashboard or alert?

A.​ The Dashboard Editor

B.​ The Visualization Editor
C.​ The Query Editor
D.​ SQL Warehouse
E.​ Data Explorer

Question 5
Objective: Define different types of data augmentation.

A data analyst is working with gold-layer tables to complete an ad-hoc project. A stakeholder has
provided the analyst with an additional dataset that can be used to augment the gold-layer tables
already in use.
Which term is used to describe this data augmentation?

A.​ Data testing

B.​ Last-mile ETL
C.​ Ad-hoc improvements
D.​ Data enhancement
E.​ Last-mile dashboarding

Answers
Question 1: A
Question 2: B
Question 3: E
Question 4: C
Question 5: D