NEW CERTIFICATION: Certified Cloud Native Platform Engineer (CNPE)

The Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) and Linux Foundation Education are excited to introduce their newest certification, the Certified Cloud Native Platform Engineer (CNPE). The certification is designed for IT professionals ready to advance from building platforms to architecting them.

As organizations work to accelerate software delivery while maintaining security and stability, platform engineering has become a cornerstone of modern cloud strategy. Earning a CNPE validates the advanced expertise required to design and operate enterprise-scale platforms that deliver both innovation and reliability across the business, positioning you as a trusted engineering leader capable of shaping how software is built and delivered at scale.

“Platform engineering represents the next evolution of the DevOps movement, turning cultural best practices into scalable, repeatable systems that empower developers across entire organizations,” said Chris Aniszczyk, CTO, CNCF. “The CNPE certification helps define what vendor neutral platform engineering excellence looks like in this new era of cloud native operations.”

Why CNPE?

The Certified Cloud Native Platform Engineer (CNPE) certification validates that you have the advanced, in-demand skills required to design, secure, and optimize complex cloud native platforms for enterprise use. CNPE demonstrates you can:

• Architect and operate scalable internal developer platforms (IDPs) that support high-impact, production-grade workloads.
• Design, secure, and fine-tune cloud native platforms for performance, reliability, and efficiency.
• Deliver a developer experience that accelerates application delivery while maintaining strong security and operational standards across the platform.

Who Should Get Certified?

The CNPE is the credential for professionals preparing to step into senior platform roles and take full ownership of platform strategy, scalability, and developer experience at the enterprise level.

Those who have earned the Certified Cloud Native Platform Associate (CNPA) certification, or possess equivalent, hands-on experience, will find CNPE a smart step to prove they have advanced from foundational skills to leadership-level expertise in architecting, securing, and optimizing complex cloud native platforms.

CNPE candidates often hold or aspire to positions such as:

• Principal Platform Engineer or Platform Architect responsible for designing and running enterprise-scale internal developer platforms (IDPs)
• Senior DevOps, SRE, or Cloud Engineering Lead, taking ownership of platform strategy, security, automation, and developer experience
• Engineering Lead or Manager accountable for standardizing how teams ship software and ensuring the platform scales reliably across the organization

If you’re still building your foundation in platform engineering, we recommend starting with the CNPA to establish the core competencies.

The CNPE certification is built by the community, for the community, ensuring its relevance to real-world industry needs and freedom from vendor lock-in. As part of Linux Foundation Education’s portfolio of verifiable, vendor-neutral certifications, CNPE upholds the standards that define excellence in open source. Developed in collaboration with experts from both industry and academia, every Linux Foundation certification emphasizes hands-on, command-line proficiency, a true reflection of the skills today’s IT professionals use.

The Certified Cloud Native Platform Engineer (CNPE) exam is a 120-minute, performance-based test. Upon passing, you’ll earn a verifiable digital badge.

Enrollment in the exam includes 12 months to pass with two attempts. The CNPE exam covers the following domains and competencies:

• Platform Architecture and Infrastructure – 15 percent
• GitOps and Continuous Delivery – 25 percent
• Platform APIs and Self-Service Capabilities – 25 percent
• Observability and Operations – 20 percent
• Security and Policy Enforcement – 15 percent