The short version
Microsoft sets no formal prerequisite on the AZ-400 exam page itself, but the credential it leads to has one. To become a Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert, you must also hold either the Azure Administrator Associate or the Azure Developer Associate certification. Microsoft also expects real experience in Azure and with both Azure DevOps and GitHub.
Required: for the credential
Microsoft’s DevOps Engineer Expert page lists AZ-400 as the required exam and says you must earn at least one of two certifications: Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate or Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate. The page does not say you must hold one of them before booking AZ-400, so check the credential page and the booking screen if the order matters to you. Either way, you need both parts to earn the expert credential.
Expected: experience
Microsoft’s audience description says:
- You should have experience both administering and developing in Azure, with strong skills in at least one of these areas.
- You should have experience implementing both GitHub and Azure DevOps solutions.
- You usually work on cross-functional teams with developers, site reliability engineers, Azure administrators, and security engineers.
These are recommendations, not enforced checks. They do describe the level the questions assume.
Suggested path
The Azure Administrator Associate route suits infrastructure people and the Azure Developer Associate route suits developers. Pick the one closer to your daily work, since the credential accepts either. Microsoft lists no other related exams for AZ-400.
Skills self-check
Read each item and answer honestly. A “no” is a study topic, not a verdict.
Git and source control
- I can create a branch, open a pull request, and resolve a merge conflict.
- I can explain the difference between a merge, a rebase, and a revert.
- I know how to protect a branch in GitHub and set a branch policy in Azure Repos.
Pipelines
- I have written a multi-stage YAML pipeline and fixed it when it failed.
- I know the difference between a Microsoft-hosted and a self-hosted agent or runner.
- I have used variables, templates, and approvals on environments.
- I can read a GitHub Actions workflow file and say what each job does.
Azure and infrastructure
- I have deployed a resource with an ARM template or Bicep.
- I know what a managed identity is and why it beats a stored password.
- I can describe what a deployment slot does.
Security
- I know where to store a secret and why it should not sit in the repository.
- I have a rough idea of what code scanning and dependency alerts do.
Monitoring
- I have looked at logs or metrics in Azure Monitor.
- I can read a simple KQL query that filters and summarizes rows.
If you answered “no” to most items in one group, spend a week on that group before you start the study plan.
Cheap ways to fill gaps
A free Azure DevOps organization and a GitHub account cost nothing. Microsoft also offers a free practice assessment and an exam sandbox, both linked from the Microsoft Learn AZ-400 exam page. If you are new to Git or YAML, learn those first, because every domain assumes them.
More guides for AZ-400
- AZ-400 Exam Format: Time, Score, Retakes
- AZ-400 Domains Explained With Examples
- AZ-400 Sample Questions With Answers
- AZ-400 Renewal and Retakes Explained
- Is AZ-400 Worth It? An Honest Look
- AZ-400 Cheat Sheet: Key Facts to Review
- AZ-104 vs AZ-400: Which First?
- AZ-305 vs AZ-400: Which Exam First?
Next step
Once the basics feel familiar, move on to the study plan, or check the broader picture in Is AZ-400 hard?. Our AZ-400 practice tests work best after you have built a few pipelines yourself.