Certification > Linux System Administration > Certified IT Associate (LFCA)

CERTIFICATION

Obtaining a LFCA certification demonstrates a user’s expertise and skills in fundamental information technology functions, especially in cloud computing. It is ideal for those getting started in an IT career as an administrator/engineer.

Not sure where to start? You may consider reviewing our suggested LFCA learning path.

You have three ways to purchase!

1. Certification exam only – $250
2. Certification exam + THRIVE-ONE Annual Subscription (includes unlimited access to all e-Learning courses, SkillCreds, and premium Microlearning content) – $495
3. Certification exam + Fundamentals of Open Source IT and Cloud Computing (LFS200) course – $299

PLEASE NOTE: The Linux Foundation Certified IT Associate (LFCA) exam was updated on September 16, 2025. Please review more information about the changes on this page.

Who Is It For

The LFCA is a pre-professional certification intended for those new to the industry or considering starting an IT career as an administrator or engineer. This certification is ideal for users interested in advancing to the professional level through a demonstrated understanding of critical concepts for modern IT systems including cloud computing.

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About This Certification

A Certified IT Associate will confirm early proficiency and aptitude in the IT field. The exam is intended to integrate with other qualifications and provides a stepping stone to more advanced credentials.

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What It Demonstrates

LFCA will test candidates' knowledge of fundamental IT concepts including operating systems, software application installation and management, hardware installation, use of the command line and basic programming, basic networking functions, security best practices, and other related topics to validate their capability and preparedness for an entry-level IT position.

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Domains & Competencies

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Linux Fundamentals16%

Linux Operating System
Command Line

System Administration Fundamentals30%

System Administration
Best Practices
Networking
Troubleshooting
Disaster Recovery

Cloud Computing Fundamentals18%

Cloud Computing
Performance/Availability
Budgeting
Best Practices
Networking

Security Fundamentals14%

Security
Sensitive Data
Compliance

DevOps Fundamentals12%

DevOps Basics
Git Concepts
Containers

IT Project Management Fundamentals10%

Project Management
Software Application Architecture
Functional Analysis
Open Source Software and Licensing

Exam Details & Resources

This exam is an online, proctored, multiple-choice exam.

Prerequisites

There are no pre-requisites for this exam.

Reviews

Jan 2025

It was multiple choice and easy to navigate. The exam covered the material very well, and was concise in its delivery.

Sep 2024

This one is quite quick to do, as it is multiple choice. Also, there are lots of different topics on various interesting aspects of linux, cloud and sysadmin.

Feb 2024

The LFCA exam takes me back to my early days as an information technology professional. I have been in the industry for over 7 years and still believe this exam was difficult to pass. This exam tested your in-depth knowledge of IT operations, including Linux, networking, security, Cloud, DevOps, and more. Thank you to the LFCA and PSI teams for organizing this examination.

Nov 2023

Questions have a wide range from theoretical to practical, from shallow to deep ones. All are expected at the exam level.

Oct 2023

The flow and structure of the questioning was clear.

Aug 2023

Overall, I really liked the exam. It really tested my knowledge on many aspects of the LFS200 course.