Continuous Integration Certifications
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Prepare for the Exam
Get Certified | Harness Expert
Continuous Integration - Developer
Product version: Harness CI Free/Team PlansReview Study Guide
Assesses the fundamental skills to deploy CI projects.
| Topic | Material |
|---|---|
| 1. Harness Basics, Platform Entities, and Key Concepts | |
| Describe Continuous Integration Fundamentals | Harness CI |
| Understand Artifacts And Packages | What is Harness CI |
| Utilize The "Pipeline, Stages, Step Groups, Steps" Schema | Harness Key Concepts |
| Illistruate Harness Hierarchy "Account, Organizations, Projects" | Connect to an Artifact Repo |
| Describe Artifact Repos | Connect to an Artifact Repo |
| Configure Artifact Repos | Connect to an Artifact Repo |
| Describe Build Infrastructures and Platforms | Which build infrastructure is right for me |
| Configure Build Infrastructures and Platforms | Which build infrastructure is right for me |
| Describe Different Options For CI Build Infrastructures | Which build infrastructure is right for me |
| Harness Cloud - Describe Supported Platform And Os (Linux, Mac, Windows) | Which build infrastructure is right for me |
| Harness Cloud - Test Build Infrastructure On Harness Cloud | Get started with Harness Cloud |
| Describe Available Connectors | Connectors |
| Configure a Git Connector | GitHub connector settings reference |
| Configure a Docker Hub Connector | Connect to Harness Container Image Registry Using Docker Connector |
| Understand Harness Delegate Role For The CI Capability | CI pipeline basics |
| Secrets Management - Describe Possible Usages For Harness CI | Add and Reference Text Secrets |
| Secrets Management - How To Retrieve And Render Secrets Using Harness Expressions | Add and Reference Text Secrets |
| Describe Harness Variables And Expressions | Built-in and Custom Harness Variables Reference |
| Configure And Use Variables And Expressions | Built-in CI codebase variables reference |
| Describe Built-In Variables | Built-in and Custom Harness Variables Reference |
| Describe Built-In CI Codebase Variables | Built-in CI codebase variables reference |
| Describe Default Settings | Default Settings |
| Configure Default Settings | Default Settings |
| Identify Types Of Artifacts | Build and Upload Artifacts |
| Describe the Harness Manager | Harness Platform architecture |
| Describe the Harness Delegate | Harness Platform architecture |
| 2. Harness CI Pipelines and its Features | |
| Describe Harness Step Library For CI Stages | CI Technical Reference |
| Describe Codebase Configuration | Create and Configure a Codebase |
| Utilize Codebase Configuration | Create and Configure a Codebase |
| Describe Shared Paths | Share CI Data Across Steps and Stages |
| Configure Shared Paths | Share CI Data Across Steps and Stages |
| Describe Drone/CI Plugins | Plugin step settings |
| Identify Common Drone/CI Plugins | Drone Plugins |
| Configure A Plugin Step | Plugin step settings |
| Describe Caching and Caching Intelligence | Cache Intelligence |
| Configure Caching and Caching Intelligence (Save and Restore in a Stage, probably) | Share and Cache CI Data |
| Describe Remote Docker Layer Caching | Optimizing CI Build Times |
| Configure Remote Docker Layer Caching | Optimizing CI Build Times |
| Describe Harness Test Intelligence | Enable Test Intelligence |
| Configure Harness Test Intelligence | Test Intelligence |
| Describe Triggers for CI | Trigger Pipelines using Git Events |
| Configure Triggers for CI | Configure Triggers for CI |
| Configure Custom Webhook Triggers | Trigger deployments using custom triggers |
| Describe Input Sets and Overlays | Input Sets and Overlays |
| Configure Input Sets and Overlays | Input Sets and Overlays |
| Describe Failure Strategies | |
| Configure Failure Strategies | |
| Describe Conditional Execution | Stage and Step Conditional Execution Settings |
| Perform a Conditional Execution | Stage and Step Conditional Execution Settings |
| Describe Looping Strategies (Matrix, Repeat, Parallelism) | Looping Strategies Overview -- Matrix, Repeat, and Parallelism |
| Configure Looping Strategies (Matrix, Repeat, Parallelism) | Looping Strategies Overview -- Matrix, Repeat, and Parallelism |
| Advanced Options - Describe Timeout Settings | Define a Failure Strategy on Stages and Steps |
| Advanced Options - Describe Selective Stage(s) Executions | Run Specific Stages in Pipeline |
| Describe Notifications - Based on Pipeline Events | Add a Pipeline Notification Strategy |
| Configure Notifications - Based on Pipeline Events | Add a Pipeline Notification Strategy |
| Describe How To Run Steps on Host vs Containers | What is Harness CI |
| Configure To Send PR Status Updates | - |
| Describe How To Test For Swimlanes With Harness Run Test Step | Build, test, and publish a Docker Image for a Java application |
| Configure Run Test Step | Build, test, and publish a Docker Image for a Java application |
| Configure Outputs From One Step To Another | Use Run steps |
| Step Library - Describe Save And Restore Cache In The Pipeline | Share and Cache CI Data |
| Step Library - Configure Save And Restore Cache In The Pipeline | Share and Cache CI Data |
| Step Library - Describe Background Steps | Background step settings |
Configure A Background Stepconfigure Service Dependencies | |
| Step Library - Describe Git Clone Step (versus the Codebase one) | Git Clone step settings |
| Step Library - Configure a Git Clone Step | Git Clone step settings |
| Build an Artifact and send to an Artifact Repo | Build and push an artifact |
| Build a Container Image and send it to a Container Registry (such as Docker Hub) | Build and push an artifact |
| Perform Integration Test From Host Versus From A Container | Port Bindings |
| Describe Chained Pipelines | Pipeline chaining in Harness |
| Configure Chained Pipelines | Pipeline chaining in Harness |
| Describe GitHub Actions Support | Run GitHub Actions in CI pipelines |
| Configure a GitHub Actions Step | Run GitHub Actions in CI pipelines |
| 3. Harness User Interface Features for CI | |
| Describe the Overview Tab | Harness UI Overview |
| Describe the Build and Pipelines Tabs | Harness UI Overview |
| Describe and Configure Tags (use it to filter entities in the UI and API) | Tags Reference |
| Pipeline Studio - Describe the Execution History Tab | View and Compare Pipeline Executions |
| Step - Describe Details, Inputs, Outputs | Runtime Inputs |
| 4. RBAC, best practices, and small configuration tasks | |
| Elaborate on Anonymous Docker Image pulls and Their Risks | Use a Docker Connector |
| Utilize Images When Shells Are Not Available | - |
| Debug A Pipeline Step By Running The Step Locally (Troubleshooting) | Troubleshoot CI |
| Describe Harness Cloud Characteristics And Its Advantages | Hosted Builds on VM Quickstart |
| Configure Git Experience for CI (pipeline) | Harness Git Experience Quickstart |
| Credentials And Permissions - Configure Or Elaborate On User And Groups For Acc, Org, And Project Levels | Role-based Access Control |
| Do a Basic Delegate Installation | Install Delegate on Kubernetes or Docker |
| Set Container Resources - Limit Memory and Limit CPU | Use Run steps |
Exam Details
The Continuous Integration Developer exam tests your knowledge and skills of the Harness Integration Delivery module.
Prerequisites
- Basic terminal skills
- Basic understanding of on-premise or cloud architecture
Exam Details
Exam Duration: 90 minutes
Question Type: Multiple choice
| Covered Domain | Coverage |
|---|---|
| CI Domain | 65% |
| Hosted Builds | 15% |
| Test Intelligence | 10% |
| Code Configuration | 10% |
Exam Objectives
List of Objectives
The following is a detailed list of exam objectives:
| # | Objectives |
|---|---|
| 1 | Understand the basics of Harness and key concepts |
| 1.1 | Familiarize with artifacts, packages, and different CI build infrastructures |
| 1.2 | Set up and configure connectors like Git and Docker Hub |
| 2 | Grasp the role of Harness Delegate and differences between Pipeline Studio and YAML structure |
| 2.1 | Understand and use Harness expressions and variables |
| 2.2 | Get familiar with different types of artifacts and scanning options |
| 3 | Discover supported platforms and Operating Systems on Harness Cloud |
| 3.1 | Define and configure connectors, and understand their usage |
| 3.2 | Learn about the Harness Delegate and Harness Manager |
| 4 | Explore Harness Step Library for CI stages and codebase configuration |
| 4.1 | Understand shared paths and Drone/CI plugins |
| 4.2 | Learn about caching and test intelligence in Harness |
| 5 | Configure triggers, input sets, overlays, and failure strategies in CI |
| 5.1 | Understand and apply conditional execution and looping strategies |
| 5.2 | Learn about advanced options such as timeout settings and selective stage executions |
| 6 | Set up notifications based on pipeline events |
| 6.1 | Configure and run steps on host vs containers |
| 6.2 | Learn about chaining pipelines and GitHub actions support in Harness CI |
| 7 | Navigate through the Harness User Interface features such as the Overview, Build and Pipelines tabs |
| 7.1 | Understand and configure tags and the execution history tab in Pipeline Studio |
| 7.2 | Learn about details, inputs, and outputs in step configuration |
| 8 | Understand Docker Image pulls, their risks, and how to use images when shells are unavailable |
| 8.1 | Learn about troubleshooting pipeline steps and Harness Cloud's advantages |
| 8.2 | Set up and manage user groups and permissions at different levels |
| 9 | Perform a basic Delegate installation and set container resources |
| 9.1 | Learn about chained pipelines and GitHub actions support |
| 9.2 | Get familiar with common CI plugins and how to configure them |
Next Steps
The Continuous Integration Developer exam can start immediately after registering. Please allow up to 90 mins for the exam.
- Create an account in Harness University
- Register for an exam
- Take the exam
Prepare for the Exam
Get Certified | Harness Expert
Continuous Integration - Administrator
Product version: Harness CI Enterprise PlanReview Study Guide
Assesses the fundamental skills to deploy and maintain CI projects and the overall Harness Platform. This exam builds upon the CI Developer Certification.
| Topic | Material |
|---|---|
| 1. Introduction to Harness and Key Concepts | |
| Understand continuous integration fundamentals, including critical stages or steps | Harness CI |
| Grasp the core concepts: "Pipeline, Stages, Step Groups, Steps" and Harness hierarchy "Account, Organizations, Projects" | Key Concepts |
| Familiarize with Harness Manager and the role of Harness Delegate for CI capability | CI Pipeline Basics |
| 2. Harness Build Infrastructure and Configuration | |
| Explore Harness Cloud supported platforms, OS, and build infrastructures | Use Harness Cloud build infrastructure |
| Dive into CI Build Infrastructures and their diverse options | Harness CI |
| Understand Ephemeral Environments and the specific requirements for a K8s Build environment | Which build infrastructure is right for me |
| 3. Artifact Management and Connectivity | |
| Grasp Artifacts and Packages spanning from jar to container image, helm, and more | Artifacts Tab |
| Describe and configure Artifact Repositories like cont registry, object store, jfrog, nexus, etc | Connect to an Artifact repository |
| Delve into Harness Connectors: configuration of Git, DockerHub, and more | Connectors |
| 4. Harness CI Pipelines and Advanced Features | |
| Master Codebase configuration, shared paths, and step library, including plugin configurations | Create and configure a codebase |
| Understand and set up advanced features like caching intelligence, test intelligence, and flow control | Cache Intelligence |
| Configure pipeline features, including triggers, input sets, failure strategies, looping, and notifications | Input sets and overlays |
| 5. Pipeline Execution Strategies | |
| Get to grips with execution environments: running steps on host vs. containers | Stage and step conditional execution settings |
| Manage outputs, PR status updates, and understand chained pipelines | Output variables with chained pipeline |
| Delve into advanced options like timeouts, selective stage executions, and stage context sharing | Continuous Integration (CI) FAQs |
| 6. Security and Access Control | |
| Understand RBAC with user groups, roles, role bindings, and service account considerations | Role-based access control overview |
| Configure access and permissions, including tags and resource groups | Permissions Reference |
| Grasp the implications of anonymous Docker image pulls and other security considerations | Docker Connector Settings Reference |
| 7. Authentication and User Management | |
| Deep dive into OAuth, SAML, and SCIM integrations | Authentication |
| Set up and manage credentials, user and group permissions, and more | Add and manage user groups |
| Delve into debugging and troubleshooting techniques, including running pipeline steps locally | Troubleshoot CI |
| 8. Policy-Based Governance and Compliance | |
| Explore and configure policy as code with OPA and Rego | Harness Policy As Code quickstart |
| Enforce governance within pipelines and understand templates for Harness CI | Manage access control for asset governance rules |
| Familiarize with account audit trails and their respective use cases | View audit trail |
| 9. Enterprise Features and Dashboards | |
| Delve into Enterprise dashboards, including custom options like Looker | Best practices for building dashboards |
| Explore Pipeline Studio's execution history and other related features | Run pipelines using input sets and overlays |
| Get a handle on pipeline templatization for scalable CI solutions | Best practices and guidelines for templates |
Exam Details
The Continuous Integration Administrator exam tests your knowledge and skills of the Harness Continuous Integration module.
Prerequisites
- Intermediate terminal skills
- Basic understanding of on-premise or cloud architecture
- This exam builds upon the CI Developer Exam
Exam Details
| Exam Type | Duration |
|---|---|
| Knowledge Exam | 90 minutes |
| Hands On Exam | 120 minutes |
| Covered Domain | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Harness Basics, Platform Entities, and Key Concepts | 60% |
| Harness CI Pipelines and its Features | 20% |
| RBAC, Best Practices, and Small Config Tasks | 10% |
| Enterprise - Policy-based Governance (OPA), Dashboards, and Pipeline Templatization | 10% |
Exam Objectives
List of Objectives
The following is a detailed list of exam objectives:
| # | Objectives |
|---|---|
| 1 | Harness Platform Fundamentals |
| 1.1 | Understand continuous integration fundamentals and Harness hierarchy |
| 1.2 | Describe and configure key concepts like Artifacts, Packages, Build Infrastructures, and Connectors |
| 1.3 | Understand Harness Cloud and its supported platforms |
| 2 | Harness Configuration & Management |
| 2.1 | Learn to trigger build pipelines, manage secrets, and use expressions |
| 2.2 | Understand and install Harness Delegate |
| 2.3 | Describe and configure the Harness Manager |
| 3 | Harness Kubernetes Environment |
| 3.1 | Understand requirements for a K8s build environment, stages, steps, and how they share network context |
| 3.2 | Learn about project variables and how to install software on the delegate |
| 4 | Harness CI Pipelines and Features |
| 4.1 | Perform Codebase configuration and configure shared paths |
| 4.2 | Describe and configure caching, test intelligence, and triggers |
| 5 | Advanced Configurations in Harness CI |
| 5.1 | Learn to configure Input Sets, Overlays, Failure Strategies, and perform Conditional Execution |
| 5.2 | Understand and configure Looping Strategies, Flow Control, and Barriers |
| 6 | Notifications & Steps in Harness CI |
| 6.1 | Learn to configure notifications and send PR Status updates |
| 6.2 | Understand and configure various steps from the Step Library |
| 7 | Harness Security & User Management |
| 7.1 | Understand Docker Image pulls and its risks, set container resources, and security actions |
| 7.2 | Learn about OAuth and SAML Integrations, and RBAC in User Groups |
| 8 | Roles, Resource Groups & Tags in Harness |
| 8.1 | Understand and configure RBAC, Roles, Resource Groups, and Tags |
| 8.2 | Learn about Execution History Tab in Pipeline Studio |
| 9 | Harness Policy Governance & Customization |
| 9.1 | Understand and configure Templates, Policy as Code, and Custom Dashboards |
| 9.2 | Learn to enforce governance in a pipeline and understand Account Audit Trail |
Next Steps
The Continuous Integration Administrator exam can start immediately after registering. Please allow 90 mins for the knowledge exam and approximately 90 minutes for the hands on exam.
- Create an account in Harness University
- Register for an exam. There is a $50 fee for the exam
- Review the instructions for the Hands On Exam
- Take the exams
- There will be a knowledge and hands on portion.
Prepare for the Exam
Get Certified | Harness Expert
Continuous Integration - Architect (BETA COMING SOON)
Product version: Harness CI Enterprise PlanComing Soon...
Assess key technical job functions and advanced skills in design, implementation and management of CI.