Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) Study Guide (2026) - Pass on Your First Attempt
📋 2026 Edition  ·  Updated May 2026

Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204)
azure-developer-associate-az-204 Study Guide — Pass First Attempt

Complete exam coverage for the Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204). Every domain, every key topic — structured so you study smart, not hard. Built around the official exam blueprint.

60
Questions
120 min
Duration
700
Passing score
5
Domains
Start Free Practice Test → Take Readiness Diagnostic
92%
First-attempt pass rate
47K+
Candidates prepared
4.9★
Average rating
"Passed my Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) exam on the first try after just 6 weeks of studying with Edureify AI. The domain-level analysis showed me exactly what I was missing."
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—%
Overall readiness (locked)
Develop Azure Compute Solutions
—
Develop for Azure Storage
—
Implement Azure Security
—
Monitor, Troubleshoot, and Optimize Azure Solutions
—
Connect to and Consume Azure Services and Third-Party Services
—
Run 10-Minute Free Diagnostic →
Exam at a Glance

Everything you need to know before you start

Key facts about the Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) exam structure, format, and scoring.

🆔
azure-developer-associate-az-204
Exam code
📝
60 questions
Total questions
⏱
120 minutes
Duration
🎯
700
Passing score
📋
5 domains
Exam domains
📅
Valid 3 years
Certification validity
🌐
Online / In-person
Testing mode
🏆
Globally recognised
Credential type
ℹ️
Scoring method: The AZ-204 exam is scored on a scale of 1–1000. A minimum score of 700 is required to pass. Case studies and scenario-based questions make up a significant portion of the exam. Results are available immediately upon completion.. The exam may include unscored pilot questions — treat every question seriously.
Focus Areas

What should you study for the Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) exam?

To pass the Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) certification exam, you should focus on these core domains. The exam tests your ability to apply concepts in real-world scenarios — not just memorise definitions.

⚠️
Common mistake: Candidates memorise terminology but struggle with scenario-based questions. Focus on when to use what, not just what exists.
🔐
Develop Azure Compute Solutions (25%)
Covers implementing IaaS solutions, Azure App Service, and Azure Functions.
🏗
Develop for Azure Storage (15%)
Covers developing solutions for Cosmos DB, Azure Blob Storage, and Azure Table Storage.
⚡
Implement Azure Security (20%)
Covers authentication, authorization, secure data and application access using Azure security services.
💰
Monitor, Troubleshoot, and Optimize Azure Solutions (15%)
Covers caching, CDN, application monitoring, and performance optimization.
🔄
Connect to and Consume Azure Services and Third-Party Services (25%)
Covers API Management, event-based and message-based solutions, and Azure API integrations.
Full Syllabus

Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) Exam Syllabus and Topics

The Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) exam is divided into 5 domains. Each domain tests specific skills and contributes to your overall score. Click any domain to expand topics.

Develop Azure Compute Solutions
Covers implementing IaaS solutions, Azure App Service, and Azure Functions.
25% ▼
Azure App Service and Containers
App Service Plans
Deployment Slots
App Service Configuration
Docker Containers on Azure
Azure Container Instances (ACI)
Azure Container Apps
Azure Functions
Triggers and Bindings
Durable Functions
Function App Configuration
Serverless Design Patterns
Azure Virtual Machines
VM Provisioning via ARM/Bicep
Custom Script Extensions
VM Scale Sets
Availability Sets
~15 questions
25 marks
25% of exam weight
Develop for Azure Storage
Covers developing solutions for Cosmos DB, Azure Blob Storage, and Azure Table Storage.
15% ▼
Azure Cosmos DB
Cosmos DB APIs (Core SQL, MongoDB, Cassandra)
Partitioning
Consistency Levels
Change Feed
TTL
Azure Blob Storage
Blob Types (Block, Append, Page)
Access Tiers (Hot, Cool, Archive)
Lifecycle Management
SAS Tokens
Blob Versioning
~9 questions
15 marks
15% of exam weight
Implement Azure Security
Covers authentication, authorization, secure data and application access using Azure security services.
20% ▼
Microsoft Identity Platform
OAuth 2.0
OpenID Connect
MSAL
App Registrations
Service Principals
Azure Key Vault
Secrets Management
Key Management
Certificate Management
Managed Identity Access
~12 questions
20 marks
20% of exam weight
Monitor, Troubleshoot, and Optimize Azure Solutions
Covers caching, CDN, application monitoring, and performance optimization.
15% ▼
Application Insights
Instrumentation
Availability Tests
Smart Detection
Log Analytics Queries (KQL)
Caching and CDN
Azure Cache for Redis
CDN Profiles
Cache Expiry Policies
Content Delivery Optimization
~9 questions
15 marks
15% of exam weight
Connect to and Consume Azure Services and Third-Party Services
Covers API Management, event-based and message-based solutions, and Azure API integrations.
25% ▼
Azure API Management (APIM)
API Gateway Configuration
Policies
Subscriptions and Products
API Versioning
Developer Portal
Event and Message Services
Azure Service Bus (Queues and Topics)
Azure Event Grid
Azure Event Hubs
Choosing Between Messaging Services
~15 questions
25 marks
25% of exam weight
🔥 1,247 professionals tested in the last 24 hours

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Study Plan

Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) Structured Study Roadmap

Designed for candidates studying 1-2 hours per day. Select your timeline below.

Exam Strategy

Tips to pass Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) on your first attempt

Tactical advice beyond content knowledge — what separates candidates who pass from those who retake.

🗓
Compute Solutions and API Integration each account for 25% — prioritize Azure Functions, App Service, and APIM.
🔍
Practice coding with Azure SDKs (.NET, Python, Java) — hands-on experience is essential for AZ-204.
⏭
Know Azure messaging services (Service Bus, Event Grid, Event Hubs) and when to use each.
📊
Study Azure Security deeply — managed identities, Key Vault, and OAuth 2.0 are heavily tested.
Recommended Resources

Official and trusted study materials

Curated resources ranked by usefulness. Quality over quantity — focus on a small set of authoritative sources.

Official
Official Exam Guide
The authoritative blueprint. Know every objective before studying anything else.
→ Vendor website
Practice Tests
Edureify Practice Tests
Full-length Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) simulations with detailed per-domain analysis and explanations.
→ Start free test
Video Course
Structured Video Course
Pick one highly-rated course and complete it end-to-end before switching resources.
With edureify Convert Tutorial to AI Tutor
Reference
Domain Cheat Sheets
One-page summaries for each Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) domain — ideal for last-week revision.
→ Get free Cheat Sheet
Community
Study Groups & Forums
Reddit r/certifications and exam-specific Discord servers for peer support and tips.
→ Reddit / Discord
AI Tutor
Edureify AI Mentor
Get instant answers to Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) concepts, domain-level weak-area coaching, and adaptive questions.
→ Try free
⚠️
Avoid brain dumps. Sites selling "real exam questions" violate most vendor NDAs and are legally risky. Questions rotate regularly — brain dumps lead to overconfidence on outdated material and a higher retake rate.
Reviews

What candidates say after passing

★★★★★
"Passed Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) on my first attempt after 5 weeks. The domain-level diagnostic showed me exactly where my gaps were — I stopped wasting time on topics I already knew."
Rahul S.
Solutions Architect, Bangalore
★★★★★
"The structured study plan kept me on track. I tried studying on my own for 3 months and failed. With Edureify's roadmap I passed in 6 weeks."
Priya M.
Cloud Engineer, Mumbai
★★★★★
"The AI mentor was like having a personal tutor available at 2am. Every concept I didn't understand was explained until I got it. Invaluable for the Develop Azure Compute Solutions domain."
David K.
DevOps Engineer, London
FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204)

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