According to presentations by Magento, there are several thousand Magento Certified Developers, Solution Specialists and so forth. We took a look over the Magento Certification Directory to see where they all are and found some interesting results.

The Magento Certification Directory is the official public directory for all Magento-certified individuals. People can opt-out of the directory, so the overall numbers should be taken with a pinch of salt, but there are enough people published to give a good measure.

What are the different Magento certifications?

The certification directory holds certifications for Magento 1, as well as Magento 2. For Magento 1 there were four certifications; Developer, Developer Plus, Frontend Developer and Solution Specialist.

With the introduction of Magento 2, and the more advanced technology stack/capabilities the certification has, and continues to be, expanded. There are currently seven certifications for Magento 2; Associate Developer, Professional Developer, Professional Developer Plus, Frontend Developer, JavaScript Developer, Solution Specialist and Cloud Developer.

What has been the uptake of Magento 2 certification?

The growth trajectory of Magento 2 certification seems to be following a similar pattern to that of Magento 1.

What are the most common certifications?

 

So, where are all the Magento 2 certified developers?

The map below underlines Magento’s reputation as a global eCommerce platform. The countries with the most Magento 2 certified individuals are; India, United States, United Kingdom and Ukraine (sequentially). Coverage within Europe, the Americas and Asia is significant, however Africa represents a significant opportunity. South Africa’s eCommerce market is worth almost £3bn, alone, and growing at around 15% per annum.

Why is Magento Certification important?

As a Magento Solution Partner, we often get contacted by prospective clients about sub-optimal experiences during their Magento development. The issue primarily is often down to lack of experience on the developers part. Magento certification is important (in our opinion) because it demonstrates a level of competence with the Magento platform. It helps you win business, and it helps clients feel more comfortable.

How do I become Magento Certified?

Selecting the correct certification
Take your time to research each certification. Each requires a different amount of technical and product knowledge. An element of experience is useful for each.

Certification Recommended Experience
Associate Developer (M2) Suitable for developers starting their career with Magento 2. Applicable to both frontend and backend developers.
Professional Developer (M2) Focusing primarily on the backend of Magento 2, the Professional Developer certification is aimed at developers with 1.5 – 2 years hands-on experience working with Magento.
Professional Developer Plus (M2) The next step after the Professional Developer certification, and considered the most difficult exam to pass. It is aimed at senior Magento developers with 2+ years experience.
Frontend Developer (M2) Primarily aimed at frontend developers, the Frontend Developer certification focuses on modifying UI components on the Magento 2 frontend.
JavaScript Developer (M2) The Professional JavaScript Developer exam provides a framework for developers to create and modify JavaScript components within Magento 2.
Cloud Developer (M2) The Cloud Developer certification has been developed to validate knowledge of the Magento Commerce Cloud infrastructure.
Solution Specialist (M2) The Magento 2 Solution Specialist certification is a wide-reaching certification, covering; Magento core functionality, differences between Magento Commerce and Open Source, amongst other subjects.

Preparation
There are countless sources of materials for the Magento 2 certifications; covering everything you need to know in order to pass your exam, although nothing beats hands on experience.

  • Magento U is Magento’s official training function, which provides both on-demand and instructor-led training courses.
  • Swift Otter are an independent agency who have spent time to develop preparation courses, practice tests and study guides for many of the Magento 2 certifications.

Taking the exam
There are two options for obtaining Magento certifications; online or at a test centre. To take the exam online you’ll need the right environment. This includes having an external webcam (not integrated into your laptop/desktop). Taking the exam at a test centre is similar to taking your driving theory test (if you’re in the UK). You turn up, show photographic id, and use their hardware to take the test.

The tests last 90 minutes, and typically consist of 60 questions.

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