DP-800
DP-800: Developing AI-Enabled Database Solutions
Everything for Microsoft exam DP-800: format, passing score, the three skill areas, a four-week study plan and free SQL vector search sample questions.
- Duration
- 120 min
- Passing score
- 700 / 1000
- Level
- Associate
- Languages
- 10
DP-800, Developing AI-Enabled Database Solutions, is Microsoft’s exam for developers who build database solutions on the Microsoft SQL platforms and add AI features to them: people who write T-SQL, design tables and programmability objects, secure and tune the database, ship changes through a CI/CD pipeline, and store embeddings so an application can search by meaning. Passing it earns the Microsoft Certified: SQL AI Developer Associate credential.
The exam covers SQL Server, Azure SQL and SQL databases in Microsoft Fabric. It is a database exam first and an AI exam second. Roughly three quarters of the weight sits on classic database development, security, performance and deployment; the rest covers embeddings, vector and hybrid search and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) from inside the database.
What the exam covers
| Skill area | Weight |
|---|---|
| Design and develop database solutions | 35–40% |
| Secure, optimize, and deploy database solutions | 35–40% |
| Implement AI capabilities in database solutions | 25–30% |
The first two areas are weighted equally and together make up most of the exam. AI-specific topics are a minority, so a candidate who knows vectors but is weak on row-level security, execution plans or SQL database projects will struggle. The English outline is updated on October 19, 2026, with minor changes to database objects, AI-assisted tools, models and embeddings, and intelligent search. This site follows the newest outline.
Where to start
Read the exam format for the mechanics, then how DP-800 compares with DP-700 if you are choosing between the SQL developer and the Fabric data engineer track. The study plan fits in four weeks if you already write T-SQL. If your work is building AI apps and agents in application code rather than in the database, look at AI-103 instead.
DP-800 guides
- DP-800 exam format: questions, score and costThe DP-800 format: 120 minutes, passing score 700, 10 languages, proctored delivery, pricing and what the three domain weights mean for your revision.
- DP-800 vs DP-700: which exam fits you?DP-800 vs DP-700: the AI-enabled database developer exam against the Fabric data engineer exam, with domains, skills and who should take which.
- DP-800 study plan: pass in 4 weeksA four-week DP-800 study plan: T-SQL and objects, security and tuning, CI/CD and APIs, then embeddings, vector search and RAG, with a lab each week.
- Free DP-800 sample questions with answersFive free DP-800 practice questions on JSON in T-SQL, row-level security, deadlocks, vector search and embedding maintenance, each with an explained answer.
- DP-800 design and develop explainedThe DP-800 design and develop domain explained: table design, specialized tables, programmability objects, advanced T-SQL and AI-assisted tools.
- DP-800 secure, optimize and deployThe DP-800 secure, optimize and deploy domain explained: encryption, masking, RLS, query tuning, SQL Database Projects CI/CD and Data API builder.
- DP-800 AI capabilities explainedThe DP-800 AI capabilities domain explained: external models, embeddings, chunking, full-text, vector and hybrid search, RRF and RAG from T-SQL.
- DP-800 prerequisites: what you need firstDP-800 prerequisites: no required certification, but T-SQL experience, GitHub CI/CD familiarity and AI basics are expected. What to learn before you start.
- DP-800 exam tips: how to pass first timePractical DP-800 exam tips: how to read T-SQL scenarios, avoid common traps in security, tuning and vector search, and use the 120 minutes well.
- Free DP-800 practice test: 20 questionsA free 20-question DP-800 practice test on T-SQL, security, performance, CI/CD, embeddings, vector search and RAG, with explained answers.
- DP-800 study resourcesWhat to study for DP-800: the official study guide and sandbox, Microsoft's DP-800T00 course, SQL documentation worth reading and six labs that cover the exam.
- DP-800 cheat sheetA one-page DP-800 reference: the three skill areas, which SQL feature answers each requirement, search and security choices, and common exam traps.
- Is DP-800 hard? Exam difficulty explainedHow hard DP-800 really is: why T-SQL fluency, database security and tuning, CI/CD and fast-moving AI features matter more than any single topic.
- Is DP-800 worth it? Who should take itIs DP-800 worth taking? Who benefits, what the SQL AI Developer Associate credential covers, and when another Microsoft exam is a better fit.
- DP-800 career: SQL developers adding AIWhat the SQL AI Developer Associate points to: the developer role tag, the neighbours Microsoft names, what it leaves out and which exams can follow.
- DP-800 renewal and retake rulesDP-800 stays valid for one year and renews free on Microsoft Learn. Retake waits, the 5-attempt limit, beta rules and the October 19, 2026 outline change.
- DP-800 study profiles: three SQL backgroundsPlan DP-800 study from a SQL developer, application developer or DBA background, with 35-40% and 25-30% domain weights and a four-week order.