As you probably know, Microsoft changes the makeup of the AZ-900 exam regularly. Sometimes those changes are minor. Sometimes they’re not. My publisher and I pay careful attention to these changes. If the updates to the exam constitute more than a trivial update, we immediately begin work on a new edition of my book, Exam Ref AZ-900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals.

In September of 2022, we released the third edition of the book. This edition covers the latest state of the exam. However, you’ll find that many retailers (including Amazon) are trying to get rid of inventory and are still selling the second edition of the book. I’ve been asked by a few people which edition they should buy.

I work hard to bring you the best study guide you can get for the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals exam.

– Jim Cheshire

If your purpose for getting the book is to prepare for the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals exam, there’s no question: You should buy the third edition. There were some major changes to the exam in October of 2022, and the third edition reflects those changes. Many topics were removed, and new topics were added. If you’re using materials to prepare that were published prior to August or September of 2022, you’re likely learning about things you don’t need to know and not learning about things you do need to know!

If you simply want to learn more about Azure, either version will suit you fine. The books are definitely targeted at people who want to take the AZ-900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals exam, but there’s plenty to gain from the book even if you don’t plan on taking the exam.

When I set out to write a revision of the book, I review Microsoft’s official outline for the exam. The Exam Ref titles are organized exactly as the exam outline is organized, so I begin by working on an update to the entire table of contents. That proposed table of contents is reviewed by my editors, and we also have a technical editor review it to ensure our plan is on track. Once that review is complete, I set about writing the update.

Writing an update to the book isn’t just about removing content that’s no longer relevant to the exam and adding new exam content. It’s also about looking over any feedback we’ve gotten from you on previous editions and improving where we can. I read every review written on the book. I read every comment sent to my publisher. I work hard to bring you the best study guide you can get for the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals exam.

After I’ve completed the writing on the new edition, it goes through several editing passes. Some of those editors are focused on ensuring I’ve been clear in how I’ve described things. Other editors are purely technical in nature, and their job is to make sure I’ve told you the truth from a technical standpoint. They also provide valuable feedback on the Thought Experiment portions of the book.

The Thought Experiment sections appear at the end of each chapter. I present you with a real-world scenario that requires you to draw on the information you’ve learned in the chapter. I put a lot of time into writing these scenarios because not only do I want you to recognize some of the “gotchas” you might see on the exam, but I also want you to have the real-world capabilities that the AZ-900 exam is designed to give you. The unique Thought Experiments in the book are one reason why I think Exam Ref AZ-900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals has been the #1 best-selling Microsoft certification guide on Amazon for many years.

Let me know what you think of the book in the comments below. If you’re currently reading the book or plan to in the near future, I wish you the best of luck on your exam!