AWS Solutions Architect Associate Syllabus
The AWS Solutions Architect Associate exam is not a service-memorisation test. Questions rarely ask which service exists; they ask which one is right under a given set of constraints. That is why all four domains are framed around design decisions. This page covers SAA-C03; AWS revises the exam guide periodically.
Each heading below carries one question. Read them before you close this page: whichever one you stumble on is the part you still have to study.
Domain 1
-
Design secure architectures (IAM, encryption, network security)
Can you explain Design secure architectures in your own words, in two minutes, without looking at the source?
Domain 2
-
Design resilient architectures (multi-AZ, redundancy, recovery)
Can you explain Design resilient architectures in your own words, in two minutes, without looking at the source?
Domain 3
-
Design high-performing architectures (scaling, caching, storage choice)
Can you explain Design high-performing architectures in your own words, in two minutes, without looking at the source?
Domain 4
-
Design cost-optimised architectures (right-sizing, pricing models)
Can you explain Design cost-optimised architectures in your own words, in two minutes, without looking at the source?
What this page does not have
No past papers, no exam dates, no score calculators. All three are searched for constantly, but we do not hold reliable data on them, and a page with the wrong date is worse than no page at all. Check the awarding body’s own announcements for those.
Headings are kept at the top level. Sub-topics shift from year to year while the main headings do not, and a wrong sub-topic is worse than a missing one.
Frequently asked
What is the AWS-SAA syllabus?
AWS Solutions Architect Associate covers: Design secure architectures (IAM, encryption, network security), Design resilient architectures (multi-AZ, redundancy, recovery), Design high-performing architectures (scaling, caching, storage choice), Design cost-optimised architectures (right-sizing, pricing models).
What sections does the AWS-SAA have?
The exam is split into Domain 1, Domain 2, Domain 3, Domain 4. Not every candidate sits all of them; the part you are preparing for decides your study list.
How should I study for the AWS-SAA?
Reading a topic creates familiarity, not knowledge. When you finish a heading, close the source and explain it out loud for two minutes. Wherever you stall is what you need to revisit; re-reading something you can already explain is wasted time.
Can I find past AWS-SAA papers here?
No. This page lists topics only. For past papers, exam dates and scoring, check the awarding body’s own site.
I have read the material. How do I know I actually know it?
Reading makes you feel like you know it. If you can close the source and explain the topic in your own words, you have learned it; if you stall halfway, you have not. That is exactly what Demostra measures.
Reading is not knowing
Reading something makes it feel familiar, and that familiarity gets mistaken for knowledge. The only thing that separates the two is explaining it: close the source, say it in your own words, and notice where you stall.
That is what Demostra does. You set a goal, the app builds a topic map like the one above, you explain each topic out loud, and every topic lands in one of three states: proven, blurry, revisit. No score, just a state.