Databricks Data Engineer Associate (DE-ASSOC)

This section targets DE-ASSOC, the Databricks Data Engineer Associate exam. The emphasis is batch-oriented data engineering on Databricks using Spark and Delta Lake. The guide content centers on the patterns the exam is really testing: when execution starts, where shuffles come from, how Delta changes ETL behavior, and which write or merge pattern is safest for the workload.

Use the cheat sheet for fast review of Spark and Delta fundamentals. Use the FAQ for exam expectations and study strategy, and use the resources page when you need official Databricks material and primary platform references.

In this section

• DE-ASSOC Study Plan (30 / 60 / 90 Days)
  A practical DE-ASSOC study plan you can follow: 30-day intensive, 60-day balanced, and 90-day part-time schedules with weekly focus, suggested hours/week, and tips for using the IT Mastery practice app.
• DE-ASSOC Cheatsheet — Spark + Delta Lake ETL (Tables, SQL, and Quick Rules)
  Last-mile DE-ASSOC review: Spark SQL/DataFrames essentials, Delta Lake features (schema, time travel, merge), ETL patterns, and exam-style pickers. Includes code snippets, tables, and diagrams.
• DE-ASSOC FAQ — Databricks Data Engineer Associate Questions Answered
  Common DE-ASSOC questions answered: prerequisites, what to focus on (Spark + Delta Lake), how long to study, and how to practice effectively.