Databricks Data Engineer Associate Practice Test
Readiness practice for the Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate exam — the lakehouse platform and compute, Delta Lake tables and maintenance, ingestion with Auto Loader and COPY INTO, Spark SQL and PySpark transformations, declarative pipelines and jobs, and governance with Unity Catalog. Pass to earn Databricks Data Engineer Associate Exam Readiness SOA-DDEA.
- Intermediate difficulty.Assumes hands-on experience in the role.
- 20 scenario questions
- 20 minutes, timed
- 70% to pass · 90% for distinction
- Free no sign-up needed
- LinkedIn-ready · add it to your profile in one clickSee how ↓
What is the Databricks Data Engineer Associate Practice Test?
The Databricks Data Engineer Associate Practice Test is a free intermediate-level, 20-minute skill test from Science of Apps. Readiness practice for the Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate exam — the lakehouse platform and compute, Delta Lake tables and maintenance, ingestion with Auto Loader and COPY INTO, Spark SQL and PySpark transformations, declarative pipelines and jobs, and governance with Unity Catalog. Score 70% or more on its 20 questions to earn a verifiable Databricks Data Engineer Associate Exam Readiness certificate (SOA-DDEA). Every question is based on published standards and research — including Databricks documentation (Databricks), Delta Lake documentation (Linux Foundation), Apache Spark documentation (Apache Software Foundation) — and each answer is explained with its source.
Built for your job title
Data engineer, Databricks developer, Analytics engineer, Big data engineer and Data platform engineer — and anyone who wants quick, verifiable proof of Databricks Data Engineer Associate skills for a CV or LinkedIn.
- Data engineer
- Databricks developer
- Analytics engineer
- Big data engineer
- Data platform engineer
What the test covers
Four skill areas with 5 questions each, drawn from a bank of 10 per area, so a retake brings questions you haven't seen.
- 01
Lakehouse Platform and Compute
25%- Lakehouse architecture
- Clusters and SQL warehouses
- Workspace tools
- 02
Delta Lake
25%- Transactions and history
- Table maintenance
- MERGE and schema
- 03
Data Ingestion and Transformation
25%- Auto Loader and COPY INTO
- Spark SQL
- PySpark transformations
- 04
Pipelines, Jobs and Governance
25%- Declarative pipelines
- Jobs and orchestration
- Unity Catalog
Independent practice test. Science of Apps is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Databricks, Inc. Product and exam names are trademarks of their owners. Passing earns a Science of Apps certificate, not the official exam credential.
Based on published standards
The questions are original scenarios, and each one names the public standard, official guide or research it draws on — shown under the question while you answer, and linked in your review. These are the sources behind this test:
- Databricks documentationDatabricks28 questions
- Delta Lake documentationLinux Foundation9 questions
- Apache Spark documentationApache Software Foundation2 questions
- Medallion architectureDatabricks1 question
Try a sample question
Running VACUUM on a Delta table
- rolls the table back to the previous version after a bad write
- deletes every row in the table but keeps its schema and history
- permanently removes old data files no longer referenced, limiting time travel to the retention period
- compacts many small files into fewer larger files to speed up queries
Show the answer
C. permanently removes old data files no longer referenced, limiting time travel to the retention period — The default retention threshold is 7 days. The real test has 20 questions like this.
How the test works
20 minutes, 20 questions
One question per screen, with a progress bar and a countdown. Your progress is saved on this device if you need to pause.
Graded on our server
Answers reach the page only after you submit, so the certificate can only be earned by passing.
Every answer explained
Pass or not, you see every question with the right answer, why, and the source behind it. Pass mark 70%, distinction 90%.
Your certificate
Founder-signed, with a QR code and credential ID. Download PDF or PNG, add to LinkedIn, and it's emailed to you.
What you earn

Pass, then add it to LinkedIn in one click
No typing. The Add to LinkedIn button opens your profile’s Licenses & certifications form already filled in: the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and a link recruiters can use to verify it.
- 1Take the 20-minute test
- 2Score 70% or more
- 3Click Add to LinkedIn

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Frequently asked questions
What is the Databricks Data Engineer Associate Practice Test?
The Databricks Data Engineer Associate Practice Test is a free intermediate-level, 20-minute skill test from Science of Apps. Readiness practice for the Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate exam — the lakehouse platform and compute, Delta Lake tables and maintenance, ingestion with Auto Loader and COPY INTO, Spark SQL and PySpark transformations, declarative pipelines and jobs, and governance with Unity Catalog. Score 70% or more on its 20 questions to earn a verifiable Databricks Data Engineer Associate Exam Readiness certificate (SOA-DDEA). Every question is based on published standards and research — including Databricks documentation (Databricks), Delta Lake documentation (Linux Foundation), Apache Spark documentation (Apache Software Foundation) — and each answer is explained with its source.
How do I take the Databricks Data Engineer Associate Practice Test for free?
Read the four skill areas on this page, then take the 20-minute test online — no fee, course or sign-up. You see every answer explained when you finish. Score 70% or more and you get a Databricks Data Engineer Associate Exam Readiness certificate straight away, on screen, as a PDF and by email, with a credential ID anyone can verify.
Are the Databricks Data Engineer Associate Practice Test questions based on real standards?
Yes. The questions are original scenarios written by Science of Apps, and each one is based on a public source you can read: Databricks documentation (Databricks); Delta Lake documentation (Linux Foundation); Apache Spark documentation (Apache Software Foundation); Medallion architecture (Databricks). The source is shown under each question and linked in the answer review. Science of Apps doesn't copy questions from other tests.
What does the Databricks Data Engineer Associate Practice Test cover?
Four skill areas with five questions each, drawn from a bank of 10 per area so a retake brings new questions: Lakehouse Platform and Compute (Lakehouse architecture, Clusters and SQL warehouses and Workspace tools); Delta Lake (Transactions and history, Table maintenance and MERGE and schema); Data Ingestion and Transformation (Auto Loader and COPY INTO, Spark SQL and PySpark transformations); Pipelines, Jobs and Governance (Declarative pipelines, Jobs and orchestration and Unity Catalog). Every question is an original scenario based on a published standard, official documentation or research, named under the question.
Who should take the Databricks Data Engineer Associate Practice Test?
Data engineer, Databricks developer, Analytics engineer, Big data engineer and Data platform engineer. It suits anyone who wants a quick, verifiable way to show Databricks Data Engineer Associate skills, from students and career switchers to experienced professionals.
Can I use this for Databricks certification practice test, Databricks exam questions or Databricks interview questions?
Yes. The Databricks Data Engineer Associate Practice Test is free and covers all of these: 20 scenario questions in 20 minutes, each answer explained with the source it comes from, so it works as interview and exam practice. It isn't a full course, so use the areas you miss as your study list. Scoring 70% or more earns a verifiable certificate.
Is this the official Databricks Data Engineer Associate exam?
No. It is an independent practice test written to the publicly available Databricks Data Engineer Associate content outline, for checking your readiness before you book the real exam. Science of Apps is not affiliated with Databricks, Inc., and passing earns a Science of Apps certificate rather than the official credential.
Can I take the Databricks Data Engineer Associate Practice Test from any country?
Yes. The test is online, in English and free everywhere — people take it from India, the US, the UK, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Your certificate is dated with your own local date and can be verified from anywhere at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/.
How long is the Databricks Data Engineer Associate Practice Test?
20 questions — 5 from each of 4 skill areas — with a 20-minute limit. You need 70% (14 of 20) to pass and 90% for distinction.
How hard is the Databricks Data Engineer Associate Practice Test?
We rate it Intermediate: assumes hands-on experience in the role. It has 20 scenario questions — 5 from each of 4 skill areas — and a 20-minute limit. You need 70% (14 of 20) to pass and 90% for distinction.
How much do Science of Apps certifications cost?
Nothing. There is no fee to take a test, to receive the certificate, to have it emailed or to verify it, and no sign-up.
How are the tests graded?
On our server, not in your browser. The answers never reach the page until you submit, so a certificate can only be earned by passing. Each certificate gets a unique credential ID stored by Science of Apps.
What happens if I don't pass?
You see your score for each area and every question with the correct answer and why, with the published source behind it. You can retake after 30 minutes, and the retake draws questions you haven't seen yet.
Do the certificates expire?
No. Every certificate is dated, so it always shows when you passed. Retake a test any time for a newer date or a higher score.
Can I add the certificate to LinkedIn?
Yes. After you pass, Add to LinkedIn opens the Licenses & certifications form with the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and the verification link filled in. You can also download it as a PDF or PNG, and it's emailed to you as a PDF.
How can an employer verify my certificate?
Every certificate has a credential ID and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the ID at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/, shows the holder's name, the certification, the score and the issue date from our records.
Are these accredited qualifications?
No. They are Science of Apps' own assessments of applied skill. They aren't issued by a university or standards body, and they work best alongside a portfolio that shows the skills in real work.
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