This article provides you with a quick look at key information unique to the ArcGIS Exam Name exam. Per the key exam preparation resources article, exam selection and preparation begin with Esri Academy. Here you'll find exam details and have access to the corresponding Learning Plan and a link to Esri Community for the Exam Information Guide (EIG) and this exam comparison article. Here is an article to help you select the exam that’s right for you: A Personalized Approach to Exam Selection.
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New Version: ArcGIS Developer Foundation 2026
Available to Public: Published Date 18 May 2026
The 2026 ArcGIS Developer Foundation exam tests candidates’ experience delivering applications that interact with the ArcGIS System and its SDKs. It expects the candidate to have up to 2 years of experience in creating, extending and customizing applications, publishing and managing content and user roles, authentication, and service types.
- Exam Details Page in Esri Academy (Access exam learning plan, buy exam vouchers)
- Exam Information Guide (EIG) in Esri Community (view detailed exam information, access exam preparation resources)
- Exam Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Previous Version: ArcGIS Developer Foundation 2201
Pending Retirement 30 June 2026
The 2201 exam version is intended for candidates with at least 2+ years of applied experience using ArcGIS Developer. The exam serves as an entry point for developers. It tests the candidate's experience delivering applications that interact with the ArcGIS System and its APIs.
- Exam Details Page in Esri Academy Catalog (Access exam learning plan, buy exam vouchers)
- Exam Information Guide in Esri Community (view detailed exam information, access exam preparation resources)
- Exam Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Learn more about exam retirement here.
Exam Version Comparison – 2026 vs 2201
Key Differences:
- Number of Questions: # of questions changes due to # of sections, overall exam items/topics, and complexity of exam content among other factors.
- ArcGIS Developer Foundation 2026 exam has 75 questions
- ArcGIS Developer Foundation 2201 exam has 65 questions
- Exam Blueprint: The exam blueprint is the information outlined in the Exam Information Guide (EIG). This is created as a result of exam development efforts in collaboration with ArcGIS users like yourself. Learn more about exam development below.
- The 2026 exam version was re-organized to align with current software versions
Exam Information Guide (EIG) - Skills Measured Comparison
2026 Exam Version – Available to Public | 2201 Exam Version – Pending Retirement 30 June 2026 |
Content Management - 17% | Content Management - 18% |
Demonstrate data hosting concepts | Demonstrate data hosting concepts |
Publish and manage data | Publish and manage data |
Identify data types | Identify data types |
Authentication & Security - 17% | Authentication & Security - 17% |
Describe different authentication patterns | Describe different authentication patterns |
Register an application | Register an application |
Use a portal's sharing model | Use a portal's sharing model |
Solutions Design - 32% | Solutions Design - 29% |
Determine which SDK to apply to a solution | Determine which API to apply to a solution |
Describe ArcGIS service capabilities | Describe ArcGIS service capabilities |
Identify end user types, roles, and privileges | Identify end user roles, privileges, and identities |
Apply the appropriate service capability to different scenarios | Apply the appropriate service capability to different scenarios |
Recognize when to use App Builders and templates | Recognize when to use Developer App Builders and templates |
Functionality & Visualization - 34% | Functionality & Visualization - 35% |
Determine the appropriate styling method to apply to layers | Determine the appropriate styling method to apply to layers |
Describe core Arcade capabilities | Describe core Arcade capabilities |
Display 2D maps and 3D scenes | Display 2D maps and 3D scenes |
Determine when to use basic display and analysis | Determine when to use basic display and analysis |
Demonstrate ability to query and edit layers | Demonstrate ability to query and edit layers |
Identify the common cause for client issues | Identify the common cause for client issues |
We hope you will engage with us during the next exam update process
Exams are updated every 18-24 months, and we welcome ArcGIS users and Subject Matter Experts to help shape the validity of our exam content. Your participation is critical to the success of our program, and your feedback is key to ensuring that the exam enhancements meet the needs of our GIS Industry. To learn more about exam development, visit our Esri Certification Exam Development blog.
How you can participate:
- View upcoming exam participation opportunities and RSVP to events that interest you on our Exam Development Participation board.
- Subscribe to the event board to receive notifications when new exam development events are added.
