DP-900 study guide · 2026

The 4 DP-900 domains, explained

4 domains and 11 official functional groups. Describe core data concepts carries the most weight at 25–30%. Each guide explains what the domain covers, how its questions are framed and where candidates lose marks.

Start with Domain 1 See all domains
Questions
Not published
Time
45 minutes
Passing score
700 / 1000
Outline
DP-900 study guide, skills measured as of July 21, 2026 (current)

Exam blueprint

Bar widths follow the official weights, scaled to fit the bar. Weight ranges are drawn at their midpoint.

  1. 1 25–30%
  2. 2 20–25%
  3. 3 15–20%
  4. 4 25–30%
  1. 1 Describe core data concepts
  2. 2 Identify considerations for relational data on Azure
  3. 3 Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure
  4. 4 Describe an analytics workload

All 4 domains

11 official functional groups 20–28 hrs suggested study

  1. Domain 01 25–30%

    Describe core data concepts

    How data is shaped, which file formats and stores hold it, how transactional and analytical workloads differ, and what database administrators, data engineers and data analysts each own on Azure.

    Inside this domain

    • Describe ways to represent data
    • Identify options for data storage
    • Describe common data workloads
    • Identify roles and responsibilities for data workloads

    Watch for Text means unstructured

    Functional groups
    4
    Questions est.
    ~14
    Study time est.
    5–7 hrs
  2. Domain 02 20–25%

    Identify considerations for relational data on Azure

    Tables, keys and normalization, the DDL, DML and DCL statement families, views, indexes and stored procedures, and how Azure SQL Database, Managed Instance, SQL Server on VMs and open-source services differ.

    Inside this domain

    • Describe relational concepts
    • Describe relational Azure data services

    Watch for DELETE removes the table

    Functional groups
    2
    Questions est.
    ~11
    Study time est.
    5–7 hrs
  3. Domain 03 15–20%

    Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure

    Choosing among Azure Blob storage, Azure Files and Azure Table storage, and knowing when Azure Cosmos DB fits and which of its APIs matches a document, key-value, column-family or graph workload.

    Inside this domain

    • Describe the capabilities of Azure storage
    • Describe the capabilities and features of Azure Cosmos DB

    Watch for Blob as a file share

    Functional groups
    2
    Questions est.
    ~9
    Study time est.
    4–6 hrs
  4. Domain 04 25–30%

    Describe an analytics workload

    How data is ingested and processed for analytics, warehouses versus lakehouses, Azure Databricks and Microsoft Fabric, batch versus streaming with real-time services, and building models and visuals in Power BI.

    Inside this domain

    • Describe common elements of large-scale analytics
    • Describe considerations for real-time data analytics
    • Describe data visualization in Microsoft Power BI

    Watch for Warehouse for raw files

    Functional groups
    3
    Questions est.
    ~14
    Study time est.
    6–8 hrs

Study the heaviest domains first

Marks follow weight. This order puts the most marks behind you first, across about 20–28 hrs of study.

  1. 1 Describe core data concepts 25–30% · 5–7 hrs
  2. 4 Describe an analytics workload 25–30% · 6–8 hrs
  3. 2 Identify considerations for relational data on Azure 20–25% · 5–7 hrs
  4. 3 Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure 15–20% · 4–6 hrs

Try one

Practice questionDomain 1: Describe core data concepts

A team receives daily files containing billions of sales rows. Analysts typically query only three of the forty columns to calculate totals. Which file format should the data engineer choose for storing this data in the data lake?

One trap from every domain

The answer that looks right, and the clue that gives it away.

  • Domain 1

    Text means unstructured

    Clue The file has a header row and the same fields in every line.

  • Domain 2

    DELETE removes the table

    Clue The requirement says the table itself should no longer exist.

  • Domain 3

    Blob as a file share

    Clue Words like mount, mapped drive or SMB.

  • Domain 4

    Warehouse for raw files

    Clue Data in many raw formats awaiting processing.

Other Data & Analytics certifications

Study guides for exams that overlap with DP-900.

Practise what you read

DP-900 domains: common questions

How many domains are in the DP-900 exam?

DP-900 has 4 domains with 11 official functional groups between them: Describe core data concepts, Identify considerations for relational data on Azure, Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure and Describe an analytics workload.

Which DP-900 domain carries the most weight?

Describe core data concepts is the heaviest at 25–30%, followed by Describe an analytics workload (25–30%). The lightest is Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure (15–20%). Weights come from Microsoft's official outline.

What is the DP-900 exam format?

Questions: Not published. Time allowed: 45 minutes. Passing score: 700 / 1000.

How long should I study for DP-900?

Our planning estimate is 20–28 hrs across all domains, split by weight. It is an editorial estimate, not an official figure, so adjust it to your experience and to how you score on practice questions.

Where should I start?

Start with Describe core data concepts, because it carries the most marks, then work down by weight. Use the checklist on each domain page to confirm you can do what the domain asks before moving on.

Which outline is this guide based on?

This guide follows DP-900 study guide, skills measured as of July 21, 2026 (current), published by Microsoft. It was last reviewed in October 2026.

Domain names, weights and functional groups come from Microsoft's official outline (DP-900 study guide, skills measured as of July 21, 2026 (current)). Question counts and study hours are editorial planning estimates, not official figures. Last reviewed October 2026.