Free Azure AZ-204 Practice Test 2026: Developer Associate Exam Questions
Practice with 500+ free AZ-204 exam questions. Covers all 5 domains with detailed explanations and exam simulation mode.
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500+ developer associate questions with detailed explanations
Start Free Practice Test →What is the Azure AZ-204 Exam?
The Microsoft Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) exam validates your ability to design, build, test, and maintain cloud applications on Azure. It's one of the most in-demand Azure certifications in 2026, especially for developers transitioning to cloud-native development.
Unlike the AZ-104 (Administrator) which focuses on infrastructure management, AZ-204 is all about writing code that integrates with Azure services — think Azure Functions, App Service, Cosmos DB, Blob Storage APIs, and Azure AD authentication.
AZ-204 Exam Format & Quick Facts
Exam Code: AZ-204
Full Name: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure
Questions: 40-60 questions (multiple choice, case studies, code scenarios)
Duration: 120 minutes
Passing Score: 700 out of 1000
Cost: $165 USD
Prerequisite: None required (but 1-2 years Azure dev experience recommended)
Validity: 1 year (annual renewal via free Microsoft Learn assessment)
AZ-204 Exam Domains & Weight Distribution
Understanding the five exam domains helps you prioritize study time:
Domain 1: Develop Azure Compute Solutions (25-30%) — Azure App Service, Azure Functions, containers (ACI, AKS), VMs. Deploy and configure web apps, implement Azure Functions with triggers/bindings.
Domain 2: Develop for Azure Storage (15-20%) — Cosmos DB, Blob Storage, Azure Table Storage. Implement data partitioning, set TTLs, work with the SDK.
Domain 3: Implement Azure Security (20-25%) — Azure AD authentication, Microsoft Graph, Key Vault, Managed Identities, SAS tokens, RBAC for resources.
Domain 4: Monitor, Troubleshoot & Optimize (15-20%) — Application Insights, Azure Monitor, caching strategies (Redis), CDN integration.
Domain 5: Connect to & Consume Azure Services (15-20%) — API Management, Event Grid, Event Hubs, Service Bus, Azure Queue Storage.
Free AZ-204 Practice Questions — Domain 1: Compute Solutions
Q1: You need to deploy a web application that scales automatically based on CPU usage. Which Azure service should you use?
A) Azure Virtual Machines B) Azure App Service with autoscale C) Azure Container Instances D) Azure Batch
Answer: B — Azure App Service with autoscale rules provides automatic horizontal scaling based on metrics like CPU usage, without managing infrastructure.
Q2: You're creating an Azure Function triggered by a new blob upload. Which trigger binding should you configure?
A) HTTP trigger B) Timer trigger C) Blob trigger D) Queue trigger
Answer: C — Blob trigger fires when a new or updated blob is detected in a specified container. Configure it in function.json or with the BlobTrigger attribute.
Q3: You need to run a containerized application that starts quickly and doesn't need persistent orchestration. Which service is most appropriate?
A) AKS B) Azure Container Instances (ACI) C) Azure App Service D) Azure Batch
Answer: B — ACI is ideal for short-lived, burst containers. AKS is overkill for simple scenarios without orchestration needs.
Want more? Practice 500+ AZ-204 questions on ExamCert — covering all 5 domains with detailed explanations.
Free AZ-204 Practice Questions — Domain 3: Azure Security
Q4: Your web app needs to access Azure Key Vault secrets without storing credentials in code. What should you use?
A) Service Principal with client secret B) Managed Identity C) Shared Access Signature D) Connection string in app settings
Answer: B — Managed Identity (system-assigned or user-assigned) provides automatic credential management without secrets in code. Azure handles token lifecycle.
Q5: You need to authenticate users in a single-page app using Azure AD. Which OAuth 2.0 flow should you implement?
A) Client Credentials flow B) Authorization Code flow with PKCE C) Resource Owner Password flow D) Implicit flow
Answer: B — Authorization Code flow with PKCE is the recommended flow for SPAs in 2026. Implicit flow is deprecated due to security concerns.
AZ-204 vs AZ-104: Which Should You Take?
AZ-204 vs AZ-104 is one of the most common questions. Here's the quick breakdown:
Choose AZ-204 if: You're a developer who writes code, builds APIs, uses SDKs, and wants to deploy cloud-native applications on Azure.
Choose AZ-104 if: You manage Azure infrastructure — VMs, networks, storage, identity. More ops/admin focused.
Choose both if: You want the AZ-400 DevOps Engineer Expert certification, which requires knowledge from both paths.
8-Week AZ-204 Study Plan
Weeks 1-2: Azure Compute (25-30%) — Master App Service deployment, Azure Functions triggers/bindings, container deployment. Build real apps with Azure CLI.
Weeks 3-4: Azure Storage & Cosmos DB (15-20%) — Learn Cosmos DB partitioning, Blob Storage SDK, Table Storage. Practice with the AZ-204 practice questions on ExamCert.
Weeks 5-6: Security & Authentication (20-25%) — Implement Azure AD auth, Managed Identities, Key Vault, Microsoft Graph API. Code real auth flows with MSAL.
Weeks 7-8: Monitoring, APIs & Full Practice Exams — Application Insights, API Management, Event Grid/Service Bus. Take full-length practice exams. Review the AZ-204 Complete Guide.
Key Azure Services to Master for AZ-204
Azure App Service — Deploy web apps, configure deployment slots, set up CI/CD, configure custom domains and SSL.
Azure Functions — Serverless compute with triggers (HTTP, Blob, Queue, Timer, Event Grid) and bindings. Understand Durable Functions.
Azure Cosmos DB — Multi-model database. Know partition keys, consistency levels (Strong, Bounded Staleness, Session, Eventual), and the SDK.
Azure Key Vault — Store secrets, keys, and certificates. Access via Managed Identity. Set access policies vs RBAC.
Azure API Management — Create API gateways, set policies (rate limiting, JWT validation, caching), manage subscriptions.
Azure Service Bus & Event Grid — Message-based architectures. Know when to use queues vs topics, Event Grid vs Event Hubs.
Top Free AZ-204 Study Resources
✅ ExamCert AZ-204 Practice Tests — 500+ free questions with detailed explanations, exam simulation mode, progress tracking
✅ Microsoft Learn AZ-204 Path — Free official learning path with hands-on labs and sandboxed Azure environments
✅ Microsoft Practice Assessment — Free official practice test from Microsoft (limited questions but authentic format)
✅ ExamCert AZ-204 Complete Guide — Domain-by-domain study guide with tips
✅ Azure Free Account — $200 credit + 12 months free services for hands-on development practice
Frequently Asked Questions
How hard is the AZ-204 exam?
AZ-204 is considered moderately difficult. It requires real coding knowledge with Azure SDKs, not just conceptual understanding. Most candidates need 6-10 weeks of preparation with hands-on practice. The security and compute domains are typically the hardest sections.
Do I need AZ-900 or AZ-104 before taking AZ-204?
No prerequisites are required. However, having foundational Azure knowledge (AZ-900 level) helps. AZ-204 is a completely different exam from AZ-104 — they share some Azure services but test different skills. Developers should go directly to AZ-204.
What programming languages are tested on AZ-204?
AZ-204 exam questions typically show code in C# and Python. You don't need to be an expert in both, but you should be comfortable reading code snippets in at least one. Most practice resources focus on C#/.NET, but Python examples appear too.
What is the AZ-204 pass rate?
Microsoft doesn't publish official pass rates, but community estimates suggest around 60-70% of well-prepared candidates pass on their first attempt. The key is hands-on experience — memorizing concepts without coding practice often leads to failure.
Is AZ-204 worth it in 2026?
Yes. Cloud developer skills are in high demand. AZ-204 certified developers earn $100,000-$150,000+ depending on experience and location. Azure's enterprise market share continues growing, and many organizations require or prefer Azure-certified developers.
What is the best free AZ-204 practice test?
ExamCert offers 500+ free AZ-204 practice questions covering all five exam domains with detailed explanations. Microsoft's official practice assessment is also useful but has limited questions. The best strategy is combining multiple sources and focusing on understanding concepts, not memorizing answers.
Does AZ-204 have lab questions?
AZ-204 can include performance-based questions where you write or review code, and potentially interactive lab scenarios in the Azure portal. While not all exam sessions include labs, you should prepare as if they will appear. Practice deploying resources via Azure CLI and portal.
How long is the AZ-204 certification valid?
The Azure Developer Associate certification is valid for 1 year. To renew, complete a free renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn before expiration. The renewal is free, open-book, and takes about 30-45 minutes. No need to retake the full proctored exam.
Related Azure & Cloud Certification Resources
📝 AZ-204 vs AZ-104: Which Should You Take First?
📝 AZ-204 vs AZ-400: Developer vs DevOps
📘 Free AZ-104 Practice Test 2026
📘 Free Azure Practice Exams (All Certs)
📘 AZ-500 Security Practice Questions
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