Study Guide: Drupal 8 Backend Specialist (Draft)

Reference: 
https://www.acquia.com/customer-success/learning-services/acquia-certified-back-end-specialist-d8-exam-blueprint

https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2017/thoughts-on-acquia-certified-back-end-specialist-drupal-8-exam

https://www.drupaltutor.com/blog/2017-05/thoughts-on-the-acquia-certified-back-end-specialist-exam-for-drupal-8

Topics:

• Fundamental Web Development Concepts

  • HTML, CSS, JavaScript

  • OOP Concepts

  • Composer - managing dependencies

  • Git

  • Automated testing concepts

• Drupal Core API

  • Routing and Menu API

  • Form API (create, alter, validate & submit)

  • Entity API interaction

  • Core API (build and extend functionality)

• Debug Code and Troubleshoot

  • Debug code

  • Troubleshoot problems

• Theme Integration

  • Render API and JavaScript API

  • Twig templates and syntax

• Performance

  • Analyze and resolve site performance issues arising from site configuration

  • Analyze and resolve site performance issues arising from custom code

  • Cache API

• Security

  • Analyze and resolve security issues arising from site configuration

  • Analyze and resolve security issues arising from site custom code

  • Implement Drupal core security mechanisms

• Leveraging Community

  • Ability to contribute to the community

  • Drupal Coding Standards

Real world experience that matters to pass the exam. Custom module development, block plugins, services, twig and more with heavy focus on module development.

Possible types of questions:

• Plugins using and creating custom plugins

• Creating custom field types

• Filter API - custom filters or text formats

• Cache contexts and tags

• Advanced routing

• Testing - types and code locations

• Custom config forms

• Entity API - EntityTypeManager methods, accessing field values

• Code style standards

• JS - Drupal behaviors, drupalSettings, JQuery.once(), loading JS as needed

• Composer

• Advanced OOP

• Troubleshooting errors, performance, security

Study Resources:
https://acquia-academy.gitbook.io/study-guide-acquia-certified-back-end-specialist/study-guide

Code Standards
https://www.drupal.org/docs/develop/standards

Composer
https://www.drupal.org/docs/develop/using-composer

Tests
https://www.drupal.org/docs/8/phpunit
https://api.drupal.org/api/drupal/core!core.api.php/group/testing/8

D8 APIs
https://www.drupal.org/docs/8/api