ML-PRO FAQ — Databricks Machine Learning Professional Questions Answered

What is ML-PRO?

ML‑PRO is the Databricks Certified Machine Learning Professional exam. It focuses on production ML systems: feature pipelines, governance, controlled model release, and monitoring.

How is ML-PRO different from ML-ASSOC?

• ML‑ASSOC: core ML workflow + MLflow tracking basics.
• ML‑PRO: production readiness: feature lifecycle, release management, monitoring/drift, and governance.

How long should I study?

Most candidates land between 35 and 140 hours depending on background. See Study Plan for a 30/60/90-day structure.

What topics matter most?

• Feature pipelines (training/serving consistency, leakage prevention)
• MLflow registry + stage-based promotion/rollback
• Deployment trade-offs (batch vs online) and safe rollout thinking
• Monitoring and drift response (retrain vs rollback vs fix upstream)