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Datadog Fundamentals

Datadog's foundational certification. It checks that you can get a machine reporting to Datadog, understand what the Agent sends and how, fix an Agent that is not working, and use metrics, tags, dashboards and monitors. The exam guide describes the candidate as an entry-level Datadog user who understands observability principles and is a frequent user of Datadog's core features.

It is broader than deep: from Linux command line basics to metric visualization strategies, in the guide's own words. The Agent and tags carry the most weight in practice because almost every other topic touches them.

Exam Details (checked 2026-11-07)

  • Exam Code: Not stated by Datadog
  • Duration: maximum seat time of 2 hours
  • Questions: 75 scored plus 15 unscored pre-test questions (per the exam guide, dated 2022)
  • Passing Score: Not publicly disclosed
  • Cost: USD 100 per exam (listed 2026-11-07)
  • Validity: 3 years from the date of certification
  • Prerequisites: None formally
  • Format: Multiple choice; remote proctored or at a testing center

Full detail and sources in the fact sheet.

Domains

Datadog publishes the outline but no weights.

Domain Notes
Computer Fundamentals 01
Infrastructure Development 02
Networking & Agent Configuration 03
Data Collection 04
Troubleshooting Datadog 05
Data Visualization & Utilization 06

Study sequence

  1. Brush up the computer basics you need to read configs and shells (note 01).
  2. Install the Agent in your head: keys, sites, hostnames (note 02).
  3. Ports, address ranges and Autodiscovery (note 03).
  4. Data collection: the four routes in, metric types, tags (note 04).
  5. Troubleshooting commands and logs (note 05).
  6. Host Map, dashboards, monitors (note 06).

Schedule in the practice plan. Reasoning traps are in scenarios and strategy.

Study resources

Datadog offers a free trial; check its current terms for hands-on practice.