How to Become an AWS Certified Developer?

AWS Developers work with programs or application software in the AWS cloud-based platform. Their key function is to work on the optimization of AWS services in an organization. Here the optimization encompasses aspects ranging from content delivery to data storage. AWS Developers are responsible for the deployment, maintenance, and development of the cloud infrastructure of web applications.

Usually, the AWS Developers would build the mobile hub and supervise the configuration of diverse features like user authentication, push notifications, and more. In the AWS universe, multiple specializations exist. Those professionals who are skilled in AWS specialties can appear for relevant exams to become certified. Now let’s understand the responsibilities of an AWS Developer-

Roles and Responsibilities-

Based on the existing priorities of the company willing to hire, it is known that the responsibilities of an AWS Developer would differ. Some of the prominent roles and responsibilities of an AWS Developer are-

• Supervise AWS development, design, and validation
• Implementation of service capacity planning strategies
• Deploying a monitoring stack
• Identifying and documenting the finest strategies and practices about infrastructure maintenance and application deployment.
• Implementation of the CI/CD pipeline of an application with the help of the AWS CI/CD stack
• Migrating infrastructure to a highly scalable one with minimal downtime
• Partnering with the IT department to migrate web applications to AWS
• Development, design, and implementation of cost-effective migration strategies
• Performing software analysis, debugging, testing, and update to make sure the applications can be utilized on all web browsers
• Preparing effective, reusable, and scalable programs
• Development of diverse AWS services like API, RDS instance, and Lambda to set up a serverless application
• Scrutinizing programs to track technical issues and provide suitable recommendations.
• Creating strategies for service capacity planning
• Writing infrastructure as a code (IaC) through the use of Terraform or Cloud Formation
• Comprehending the existing application infrastructure of an organization provide recommendations to improve it

How to become an AWS Developer

The following section discusses the most suggested career path to become an AWS Developer:

The foremost and the most vital step in the process of becoming an AWS Developer is to earn the AWS Certified Developer –Associate certification. This certification is essentially about the development and maintenance of high-end AWS apps. The candidates are trained how to write code from scratch and the perfect way to securely access apps in a complex business environment.

This certification exam falls under the ‘Associate’ category. Its cost is $150 and its time duration is 80 minutes. The exam pattern is multiple-choice questions.

The learning path of this exam covers topics like a detailed understanding of the AWS architecture, putting into practice core AWS services, obtaining practical expertise in design, build, deployment, and maintenance of high-end AWS apps, AWS databases, AWS storage services, change management services, workflows, etc.

It is important to note that this certification exam is designed for those professionals who hold a minimum of 1 year of development experience. Also, it is designed for those professionals who are skilled with the development and maintenance of applications on the AWS platform.

To achieve this certification, candidates must possess a sound knowledge of programming language, a thorough understanding of core AWS services, and fundamental AWS architecture best practices. Moreover, the candidates must know about the development, setup. Furthermore, you also need to know about the development, deployment, and debugging procedures of cloud-based applications as well as different relevant Cloud concepts.

The AWS Certified Developer –Associate certification is required if you want to become an Certified DevOps Engineer or AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty.

Here are the steps guiding you to become an AWS Developer-

Enroll in training class

To successfully pass the AWS Certified Developer –Associate certification, the first step is to register for an online AWS training program. These kinds of programs effectively improve your skills and make you more proficient and competitive within the AWS job market. Along with continuing the online AWS training, make sure you perfectly follow the guidelines of this exam.

Read Whitepapers

Whitepapers are nothing but researched content that contain helpful information and might answer some of your queries. So, when preparing for this certification exam, if you are confused about any of the concepts then you can go through relevant Whitepapers and clear your doubt.

Practice

Similar to other exams, practice is the key to passing the AWS Certified Developer –Associate certification exam. Make sure to constantly and thoroughly practice all the concepts. It is also recommended to attend multiple practice tests so that you can know where you excel and where you are lacking.

Exam registration

The last step is the registration for this exam. You can go through the official website of AWS and register for the exam by paying the fees. Note down the schedule for the exam and make sure to be prepared for it.

AWS Developer Skills

If you aspire to become an AWS Developer, you must know what essential skills to be acquired. The following section highlights AWS Developer skills that organizations are looking for:

Deployment

One of the most essential skills an AWS Developer must know is how to deploy web applications to AWS. Various methods for AWS deployment already exist and new ones are released quickly. Owing to the continuous evolution of the various strategies of deployment, an AWS Developer must stay up-to-date with the latest strategies.

An AWS Developer must be familiar with how to manually deploy a web application to an EC2 server. He/she must be acquainted with Cloud Formation and comprehend how to apply it not just for deploying an application but also to set up your app's infrastructure.

With the increasing popularity of containers, AWS developers should be skilled at how to deploy applications through Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) for Kubernetes or Elastic Container Service (ECS) for Docker.

AWS SDK

The knowledge of AWS software development kit (SDK) streamlines working with AWS. So, this one is another vital skill that an AWS Developer must possess. AWS SDK allows an application to interrelate with AWS in the code. Note that the API layer is so huge in SDK that even experts stay stuck in finding new ways that can accomplish it.

Many AWS Developers may not know where to start when retrieving an object from an S3 bucket or connecting to a DynamoDB table. Therefore, if you are familiar with AWS SDK then you would stand out from the crowd and earn better admiration in the organization.

AWS Database

Databases can be used in varied ways in web applications. For the same, AWS helps. But it is important to identify which database service is pertinent for a specific application. Hence, if an AWS Developer is not thoroughly acquainted with all available options, there are high chances of opting for the incorrect option and it could obstruct the growth of the application.

You can go through the existing options in RDS. Keep in mind that Aurora constantly improves and incorporates new layers of compatibility with PostgreSQL and MySQL. On the other hand, DynamoDB persists to be a famous choice for easy and quick NoSQL database needs. Since it is a REST-based API, no long database connection is required. DocumentDB is known to be the latest type on the AWS database arena and it provides MongoDB compatibility. In case DynamoDB couldn’t work for your document database requisites then DocumentDB may work. So, an AWS Developer must be familiar with DocumentDB.

Security

An AWS Developers must be aware of all the aspects of the AWS security model as well as IAM. Frequently, AWS Developers misinterpret IAM. So, this leads to issues and bugs. An AWS Developer is tasked to enhance the AWS work process and the same can be achieved by understanding how policies and roles work.

In many Cloud-based organizations, security management is one of the complicated services which demand proper understanding. AWS has launched it to ascertain that management and retrieval of secrets like API keys, passwords, etc., in web applications becomes less complex. So, an AWS Developer must be skilled at how to manage and access security components like passwords, API keys, etc.

Debugging

Dealing with roadblocks becomes easier if you are experienced at how to solve them. The same holds true for AWS, so if you know debugging then you can easily overcome any issue in AWS. It is important to note that debugging doesn’t come with an exact roadmap. The only approach to learn it is by mastering AWS.  The majority of times, the issues take place because of VPC bases access rules or IAM permissions. But working on the platform to encounter these issues is a recommended approach.

Serverless services

In recent times, for AWS developers, API Gateway and AWS Lambda prove to be excellent solutions. All AWS developers should comprehend the usage of such serverless services. If they are proficient in this aspect then they can stand out from others because even experienced professionals don’t understand it.

The process of building applications across serverless architecture is streamlined with the use of AWS SDK and Cloud Formation. The implementation of an open-source serverless framework allows AWS Developers to implement simple configuration files to build up efficient serverless technologies.

AWS developer tools

These tools assist AWS Developers in securely developing, testing, storing, and deploying software. In other words, these tools are a set of services that facilitate IT developers and AWS Developers to safely and quickly deliver software. Names of some of the popular AWS Developer tools are AWS Cloud Development Kit, AWS CloudShell, AWS Cloud9, AWS CLI, etc.

Programming language know-how

One of the most significant AWS Developer skills is the knowledge of coding. Programming languages like C#, PHP, Java, ASP.Net, and Python. The know-how of these programming languages depicts that the AWS Developer holds substantial cloud computing expertise. This knowledge helps AWS developers to create logical solutions.

Expertise in API and Web Service

The need for using web services, API, and cloud architecture arises when you want to integrate applications on the internet. Consequently, one of the most desired skills for an AWS Developer is an in-depth understanding of API and Web Service including WSDL, XML, and more. They are useful for service listing and data transfer. After you become proficient in these technologies, the next step is to appear for Cloud certification exams that can land a decent-paying job role.

The choice of a storage solution

Cloud storage relates to the storage of data on the Internet. Cloud storage offers ample benefits like security, data backup, deployment, accessibility, and more. Other forms of Cloud storage are private, public, personal, and hybrid. AWS Developers need to know which storage to choose depending on the needs of the company and its size. Moreover, they must know how and where to store data. Knowledge of how Cloud storage functions is great.

Here is the list of some common skills that every AWS Developer must own:

• A decent understanding of Linux/Unix administration
• Enough experience working in Docker and Kubernetes
• Knowledge of monitoring solutions like CloudWatch, Prometheus, and ELK stack
• Experience in large-scale systems design
• Expertise in troubleshooting distributed systems
• Capability to build or maintain cloud-native applications
• Experienced in serverless approaches through AWS Lambda
• Strong technical skills like fundamental programming knowledge, software development, and continuous integration
• Time management skills so that AWS Developers can prioritize their functions on projects
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills because AWS Developers use written communication skills to convey regular program reports and use verbal communication skills to coordinate with team members
• Decent decision-making skills that provide them with clear and strong perspectives that are secure, flexible, and cost-efficient, and administered with operational excellence

Summary

Becoming an AWS Developer unlocks diverse career opportunities that promise admirable salaries and also let your resume stand out from the crowd. Knowing the steps, skills required and responsibilities, you are now acquainted with a thorough understanding of how to become an AWS Developer.