How I got Associate Android Developer Certification


Google Certified badge

Google Certified badge

Many of us at different stages of life passed exams and tests, received certificates and badges. This is useful from all points of view. Someone needs to impress a potential employer. Someone wants to test their skills to feel more confident. Well, there are simply “achievers” who collect official recognition of their merits. Any of these motivations is quite legitimate and deserves respect. And, in principle, there are probably no extra “achievements”: you never know when this or that badge or certificate will come in handy. I suggest you analyze my personal experience of obtaining the Associate Android Developer certificate.

What is an Associate Android Developer?

The exam is designed to test the skills of an entry-level Android developer. It is conducted by Google as part of the Google Developers Certification program. In addition to Android developers, this program certifies the skills of digital marketers working with the Google Play Store, developers of solutions related to machine learning based on TensorFlow, as well as data engineers, engineers and cloud technology architects using Google Cloud tools.

Why was it necessary for me personally?

First, check your knowledge for relevance. Secondly, in order to move to a higher level certification (spoiler – the company has not yet offered new Android developer certifications since I passed the exam). And finally, just out of curiosity and for the sake of another badge on LinkedIn.

What was the preparation like?

By the time I passed the exam, I had been writing Android applications for several years and had not specially prepared for the test. I trusted the feedback of colleagues who found the task easy. Certification takes place entirely online. You only need to provide an ID document for identity verification and pay $149 to participate (the price may vary slightly depending on the country you are applying from).

If it didn’t work out on the first try, you can try next time in 2 weeks. If the 2nd attempt failed, we wait at least 2 months. In case of failure, you can repeat in a year. And the bad news is that each attempt must be paid again.

How is the task going?

The exam consists of two stages:

  • Coding in Android Studio. The language of choice is Kotlin or Java.

  • Video interview – Record video responses to several questions related to the main task.

You have eight hours to complete a task in Android Studio. This is more than a comfortable framework for the unhurried fulfillment of all test conditions. If something incomprehensible comes across in the task, you will have time to look for clues on the Internet, read the documentation, and the like.

A task is an Android application project and a list of requirements for its improvement. I can’t post the project itself, because the certification conditions include a non-disclosure agreement for the details of the task. I can only say that this is a simple multi-screen application. It has a list of elements, access to the network / database, background work. You need to add a couple of features to it, debug it and find an error, write tests.

Plugin in Android Studio

Plugin in Android Studio

To get started, you need to install a special plugin in Android Studio that will download the project code. There will also be conditions for the task and a timer that counts down eight hours. The same plugin unloads the final project when the work is completed or when the allotted time expires.

What did I end up with?

A week later, I received a message in the mail about the successful passing of the exam, and a day later – a link to a certificate on the Accredible platform.

Associate Android Developer Certificate

Associate Android Developer Certificate

The certificate is valid for three years. Mine is already expired. You can take the test again using more modern tools. And since Google changes its arsenal and approaches to app development every few years, it makes sense.

I can advise beginner Android developers and all those who want to check the relevance of their knowledge at a basic level and their compliance with current Google guidelines to take this exam.

Good luck!


Test link: https://developers.google.com/certification/associate-android-developer

Link to tutorial for preparation: https://developers.google.com/certification/associate-android-developer/study-guide

PS Currently (May 2023) Google has suspended Android certification. We are waiting for news about the resumption of the exam.

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