DE-ASSOC FAQ — Databricks Data Engineer Associate Questions Answered

What is DE-ASSOC?

DE‑ASSOC is the Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate exam. It validates practical ability to build batch ETL on Databricks using Spark and Delta Lake.

Do I need to be a Spark expert?

No, but you should be comfortable with Spark SQL/DataFrames and understand what causes shuffles and why Delta Lake behaves differently than plain Parquet.

How long should I study?

Most candidates land between 25 and 100 hours depending on background. See the Study Plan for a 30/60/90-day structure.

What topics matter most?

• Spark SQL + DataFrames basics (joins, aggregations, windows)
• Delta Lake fundamentals (schema rules, MERGE, time travel)
• Safe ETL patterns (append/overwrite/incremental thinking)

What are common weak spots?

• Transformation vs action confusion (when jobs execute)
• Schema enforcement/evolution misunderstandings
• MERGE join conditions and duplicate handling
• Partitioning misconceptions (over-partitioning, small files)

What’s the best way to practice?

Use the Syllabus as your checklist and drill one section at a time in Practice. Keep a miss log and re-drill weak areas within 24–48 hours.