The Claude Certified Architect – Foundations (CCAR-F) tests architectural judgment: given a realistic production situation, which design holds up? This free guide covers everything in one place — what the exam looks like, what each domain tests, how to prepare, and the details you must know cold.
Start here
- The six concepts that decide your result — the ideas behind most questions.
- The six exam scenarios — you will meet four of them.
- The 4-week study plan — free courses plus five things to build.
- The configuration cheat sheet — exact files, flags and settings.
- Exam format, fee, retakes and renewal.
The five domains
- Agentic Architecture & Orchestration
- Claude Code Configuration & Workflows
- Prompt Engineering & Structured Output
- Tool Design & MCP Integration
- Context Management & Reliability
Who this guide is for
Developers, engineers and solution architects who build with Claude. If you are not a coder, the CCAO-F study guide is the better start; the four Claude certifications are compared on one page.
Don't memorise — build
The practice material and real exam test the same concepts, but the actual questions differ. Memorised answers do not transfer; understanding why a design is right does. That is why the plan is built around projects, not reading.
Want guided preparation?
Our CCAR-F preparation workshop is two days with six hands-on labs and a practice portal, taught by certified trainers. Not sure yet? Join the free study community first.