Amazon Web Services · IT Certification

AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02) study plan

Use this 6-week roadmap to focus on the exam domains that matter most, choose a strong core course, and turn your prep into a weekly plan.

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AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02) rewards consistent, blueprint-led practice. Start by learning the highest-weighted domains, then use practice results to rebalance your time before exam day.

How long to study

Plan on about 6 weeks

A 6-week AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02) study plan gives most learners enough room for first-pass learning, targeted review, and at least one full practice pass. If you are already strong in the fundamentals, compress the early lessons and reserve the final weeks for weak domains and timed practice.

Blueprint breakdown

Study by domain weight

Domain Weight
Development with AWS Services
32%
Security
26%
Deployment
24%
Troubleshooting and Optimization
18%

What's on the exam

AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02) domains explained

Development with AWS Services — 32%

Covers developing and optimizing AWS applications with service APIs, SDKs, event-driven patterns, data stores, caching, and application integration.

Security — 26%

Covers securing application code and data with IAM, credentials, encryption, authentication, authorization, and secure service access patterns.

Deployment — 24%

Covers packaging and deploying applications with CI/CD workflows, infrastructure as code, environment configuration, and deployment strategies.

Troubleshooting and Optimization — 18%

Covers identifying application issues, interpreting logs and metrics, debugging failures, improving performance, and optimizing resource use.

Suggested timeline

A 6-week AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02) plan, phase by phase

This is a blueprint-led default — front-load the heaviest domains, then convert weak spots from your mock results into targeted review. The free planner turns it into exact dates.

WhenFocus
Weeks 1–3
Foundations
Development with AWS Services, Security
First-pass learning on the heaviest-weighted domains: read the guide, watch the core course, and start active-recall questions.
Weeks 4–5
Breadth
Deployment, Troubleshooting and Optimization
Cover the remaining domains and sit your first full, timed mock to expose weak areas.
Week 6
Review & mocks
Weakest domains + full mocks
Re-test with timed mocks, drill the domains your scores flag, then a light rest-and-logistics day before the exam.

Recommended prep kit

Guide, course, practice, and gear

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Study guide

AWS Certified Developer Study Guide: Associate (DVA-C02) (Sybex)

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Course

Ultimate AWS Certified Developer Associate (DVA-C02)

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Practice exams

AWS Certified Developer Associate — Practice Exams

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Gear

1080p webcam for online proctored exams

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Free PrepPath planner

Turn this page into your calendar

Enter your exam date and weak domains, then PrepPath generates the day-by-day schedule.

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FAQ

AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02) study plan questions

How long should I study for AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02)?

A typical AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02) study plan takes about 6 weeks. Shorten that if you already score well on practice tests, or extend it if the official objectives are new to you.

What is the best course for AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02)?

The best course for AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02) is one that maps lessons to the current exam domains and includes practice questions. This page recommends Ultimate AWS Certified Developer Associate (DVA-C02) as the core course to review first.

Which AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02) domain should I study first?

Start with Development with AWS Services, because it carries about 32% of the exam blueprint, then move through lower-weight domains while tracking weak areas.

How does the free PrepPath planner help?

PrepPath turns your exam date, daily study hours, and confidence by domain into a calendar you can follow, then adjusts your focus after practice scores.

How many hours a day should I study for AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02)?

Most candidates do well with about 1–2 focused hours on study days across a 6-week plan, ramping up in the final weeks for timed practice. Consistency beats marathon sessions — PrepPath spaces each domain out so you revisit it instead of cramming.

How many practice tests should I take before AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02)?

Aim for at least 2–3 full, timed mock exams: one early to set a baseline, then more in the final third of your plan. Review every wrong answer and tag the domain it came from so PrepPath can rebalance your remaining days toward your real weak spots.