ArcGIS Developer Foundation 2026 Exam Information Guide
Click here to return to the Esri Academy description page for this exam.
Exam Details
- Exam Questions: 75
- Exam Duration: 1 Hour, 30 Minutes
- Exam Format: Multiple Choice
- Exam Language: English
- Certification Code: EADF_2026
- Exam State: Available to Public
- Published Date 18 May 2026
Exam Purpose
The 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.
Target Candidate Audience
The ArcGIS Developer Foundation exam is intended for candidates with up to 2 years of experience in creating apps, publishing and managing content and service types, authentication, and user types. Typical roles may include (but are not limited to):
- App developer
- GIS developer
- GIS analyst
- GIS administrator
Description of Qualified Candidate
Qualified candidates should demonstrate proficiency in interacting with the ArcGIS system and its SDKs. This proficiency is demonstrated by creating, extending and customizing applications, publishing and managing content and service types, managing data, and displaying 2D and 3D maps to deliver geospatial solutions, authentication, and user types.
Candidate Qualifications
A qualified candidate should be able to perform the following tasks:
- Display 2D and 3D data
- Host and publish data
- Create a web service
- Register application to create client ID
- Understand service capabilities
- Style layers
- Understand different authentication methods
- Determine which service to use for different capabilities
- Determine which SDK to apply to a solution
- Describe sharing model of a portal
- Differentiate data types
- Understand cost models of paid subscription services
- Query and edit layers
- Use basic display and analysis features
- Determine when to use low-code/no-code app builders
- License app to end users
- Determine end user versus developer roles, privileges, and identities
- Understand Arcade’s uses
- Understand spatial reference
- Troubleshoot basic client/app/service issues
- Recognize which services are available (using ArcGIS Identity and ArcGIS Location Platform)
The following tasks are considered beyond the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the qualified candidate:
- Have in-depth knowledge of ArcGIS Location Platform service offerings
- Understand syntax of each programming language
- Implement security patterns
- Perform or interpret system architecture/deployment/design
- Complete data development, editing, and so on
- Create or maintain databases
- Perform analysis: raster, spatial, and desktop
- Know the ArcGIS server roles outside of GIS server
A qualified candidate should be familiar with the following:
- Developer’s site (developers.arcgis.com)
- ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript 4.x
- ArcGIS Location Platform Q4 2025
- ArcGIS Maps SDK for Native Apps 200.8
- ArcGIS Pro .NET SDK 3.6
- ArcGIS Maps SDK for Game Engines 2.2
- ArcGIS Experience Builder 1.19 (Developer Edition)
- ArcGIS Pro 3.6
- ArcGIS API for Python 2.4.2
- ArcGIS Arcade 1.33
- ArcGIS Online Q3 2025
- ArcGIS Enterprise 11.5
Skills Measured
Candidates should use the exam content sections below as a checklist to identify gaps between their knowledge and the skills measured by the exam. The relative weight indicates the approximate size of each section. It is recommended that preparation be focused in areas where knowledge gaps are found.
Content Management 17%
- Demonstrate data hosting concepts
- Publish and manage data
- Identify data types
Authentication & Security 17%
- Describe different authentication patterns
- Register an application
- Use a portal's sharing model
Solutions Design 32%
- Determine which SDK to apply to a solution
- Describe ArcGIS service capabilities
- Identify end user types, roles, and privileges
- Apply the appropriate service capability to different scenarios
- Recognize when to use App Builders and templates
Functionality & Visualization 34%
- Determine the appropriate styling method to apply to layers
- Describe core Arcade capabilities
- Display 2D maps and 3D scenes
- Determine when to use basic display and analysis
- Demonstrate ability to query and edit layers
- Identify the common cause for client issues
Resources
To help prepare for the exam, we recommend candidates use the training resources provided below, along with reviewing the list of exam objectives, to identify and fill any knowledge gaps. Completing the recommended training courses does not guarantee a passing score on a certification exam.
The Esri-curated learning plan for this exam is updated regularly to reflect the latest Esri Academy resources and resource retirement schedules.
Esri Academy
Esri Community
Link to ArcGIS Documentation
Esri Press Book Resources
Stay Connected
We hope you will subscribe to this article to keep up to date with the progress of this exam update and click this link to Ask Questions.
