What this section is
Every technology in this library that has an official certification gets a page here. Each page answers the same four questions in the same order: where do I study for free, what credentials exist, what does each one cost, and how do I actually book and pass one.
One page per program, so nothing is buried in a comparison. Pick the program you care about and read only that page.
Three rules that always hold
These apply to every program on every page in this section, so they are stated once here rather than repeated.
Study is free
Every program here has an official catalog of self-paced courses at no cost, usually readable without an account. Nothing in a catalog is a prerequisite for any exam.
For most people the free half is the whole job.
A badge is not a certification
Finishing a free course earns a completion badge that says you watched the material. Passing a proctored exam earns a credential with an exam code, a pass mark, and an expiry date.
The difference is visible to anyone who knows the program.
Rule 03 - prices are per attempt. Every figure in this section is one sitting, in USD. No program here sells a bundle or a subscription, and no exam has a formal prerequisite: recommended experience is advice, not a gate.
The programs
One row per program. The differences that decide most choices are eligibility and validity, not price.
| Program | Exams | Price range | Validity | Who can register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Anthropic | 4 · 3 Foundations + 1 Professional | $99 - $175 | 12 months, free on-time renewal | Claude Partner Network organizations only |
| Python OpenEDG | 5 · 3-rung ladder + 2 specialist | from $69 | 5 to 7 years, no renewal assessment | Anyone with a voucher |
Deciding whether to certify
Two patterns show up across programs, and they catch people out more often than any syllabus does.
- Eligibility can be a harder gate than difficulty. Anthropic's exams need a company email tied to a partner organization; OpenEDG sells to anyone with a card. Check the gate before you plan the study.
- Validity is not a footnote. A 12-month credential with a free renewal behaves very differently from a five-year one you simply re-sit. Put the expiry date in your calendar the day you pass.
The recommendation, whichever program you pick: work the free half first, and pay only when someone is actually asking. A client requirement, an employer policy, or a partner listing is a reason. A CV line on its own usually is not - and the study you did for it holds its value either way.
Prices, codes, and mechanics are drawn from each vendor's own published pages, cited in the References block on each program page. Programs revise exam versions and pricing without notice - check the vendor page before you buy. Where a figure is not published, these pages say so rather than guessing.