By 2029, the low-code development technologies (like OutSystems) market is estimated to reach $58.2 billion.

That explains how, in the near future, if you have a skill set in low-code development technology like OutSystems, you’re fit for this evolving market that demands efficient and faster execution and delivery. With increased use of AI in every market, low-code development technologies become even better at making your skills future-proof as they shift towards agentic AI and cloud native workflows.

Building a career around a technology that exhibits strong scalability and viability in future should be your next career step. This article will help you as a guide for not only understanding why a certification in low-code development technology and platform like OutSystems is helpful for your but also it is a thorough guide that gives you information on OutSystems Exams, Syllabus, and Training.

What is OutSystems Certification?

Before going into the certification part, understand OutSystems.

OutSystems is a low-code platform that eliminates the need for manual and lengthy code. It utilises a drag-and-drop environment. It consists of visual, reusable elements, modules, AI agents and more such components that help a developer develop, deploy, and maintain applications in a much faster and more efficient way than traditional coding environments and technologies. OutSystems is shifting to more cloud native and AI agentic workflows with ODC.

For an in-depth understanding of OutSystems, refer to What is OutSystems?

Now, OutSystems certification gives you professional validation of your knowledge and expertise in the OutSystems low-code skill set. The certification comes with certain examinations and training, which we will discuss in detail as we move further in this article.

The OutSystems examinations have a set of Certification Exams and Specialisation Exams. Certification exams test your overall knowledge or capability of OutSystems, and Specialisation exams are for testing and certifying you in a specialised field of OutSystems. As Certification exams test and certify you at different proficiency levels and roles, they usually have a broader syllabus, and Specialisation exams have a narrower syllabus, as they are focused on specific topics or areas.

A certification in OutSystems is beneficial for you when you want to demonstrate your skills alongside your projects to the employers if you are seeking a job, and to clients if you are working independently or as an OutSystems freelancer.

Types of OutSystems Certifications and Their Levels 

As we have briefly discussed, OutSystems certifications have a set of Certification exams and Specialisation exams, and we have also understood the basic differences between them. Now we will go deeper into the types of OutSystems certifications and understand their levels.

As the article briefly mentioned ODC earlier, we need to understand that OutSystems offer different foundational certification and specialisation exams for ODC and OutSystems 11.

ODC is a newer, cloud-native, AI agentic version of OutSystems that is built on Kubernetes with Aurora PostgreSQL, and the platform is based on the foundation of Amazon Web Services (AWS) native cloud services. ODC can generate AI enterprise-grade web apps, mobile apps, or agentic apps in just a few weeks, as it prioritises speed and simplicity, while OutSystems 11 (O11) is also a low-code platform that runs on .NET with SQL Server and supports both on-premises and cloud deployment.

Read O11 to ODC migration to gain an in-depth understanding of the difference between O11 and ODC, and how businesses are migrating from O11 to ODC.

OutSystems Certification

Associate Developer Certification 

This certification is one of the first steps when you’re starting your OutSystems journey as a beginner to become a professional and certified OutSystems developer. This certification focuses on the fundamentals of simple web and mobile app development.

There are separate exams for O11 Associate Developer and ODC Associate Developer.

OutSystems Specialisation Certifications 

This is your next step for receiving a certification in a specialised area like web development, app development, architecture specialist, etc in OutSystems.

Below are a few Specialisation Certification examinations that you can opt for:

Agentic AI Specialist

It is one of the significant milestones in becoming an ODC developer; this course is for you if you have experience in building agents and agentic systems. It evaluates your foundational knowledge in generative AI and applications of AI agents within the OutSystems environment.

Web Developer Specialist 

The Web Developer Specialist exam covers advanced areas of web development, such as asynchronous processes, integrations, and troubleshooting. It is for you if you have experience in building enterprise-grade applications.

Mobile Developer Specialist

The mobile development specialist course is for developers who are well-versed in fundamentals and are moving towards developing native mobile apps with offline scenarios.

Front-end developer specialist 

This exam covers the fundamentals of OutSystems front-end development and is for front-end developers who have experience in UI design and styling for web and app applications in ODC and O11.

Security Specialist 

Security Specialist exam is based on fundamental knowledge of security, authentication, access control, secure connections, and sensitive data handling best practices. It is for developers who have fair experience in OutSystems Reactive Web application development with security best practices.

Architecture Specialist 

Architecture Specialist exam is focused on OutSystems Architecture design fundamentals, targeted at OutSystems developers and architects with fair knowledge and experience in designing OutSystems Architecture.

Delivery Specialist

This exam is for Agile Project Managers, Owners, Business Analysts, and Tech Leads and focuses on the knowledge required for project deliveries with OutSystems Delivery Methodology.

Expert Developer Certification

This exam gives certifications to developers with a broader range of expertise. This is automatically granted to the developers who have these specialist certifications:

• Web Developer Specialist
• Mobile Developer Specialist
• Architecture Specialist
• Security Specialist
• Front-end Developer Specialist

OutSystems Certification Exams: Language, Duration and Requirements 

The duration of exams depends on the certification. Certification exams are generally 120 min in duration, with a few at 90 min; the Associate Developer certification is 120 min in duration.  The specialised exams are mostly 90 min in duration. As per the official website of OutSystems, the examinations are generally available in these languages: English, Español, 日本語, Português (BR) (depending on the exam).

Exam registration and requirements

To register for the exam, you can register yourself on the official OutSystems website under the exam that you want to register for. OutSystems gives you the option to take exams remotely or in exam centres based on your preference (wherever applicable).

OutSystems Certification requires government ID documents with your name and photo for verification. On the day of the exam, the candidate should be present with their I’d documents’ hard copies.

OutSystems accepts the following ID formats:

1. State or government-issued ID
2. Passport book/card
3. National ID card
4. Alien registration card
5. Chinese national ID
6. Driver’s license
7. Aadhaar card (India)
8. PAN Card (India)
9. If you’re taking the exam remotely in your native land, then your government-approved national ID can be used if approved by the exam proctor. If you’re taking the exam offline in a different country, you need to provide an acceptable, country-approved, and verified ID with your name, photograph, and date of birth in Latin characters in it.

OutSystems Certification Exam requires a fee that is given on the OutSystem official website which you can check according to your choice of exam.

Once you’ve passed the exam, you can download your certificate from your OutSystems profile.

Log in to your profile and access your profile details in View my profile. Click on the Learn tab, select certifications and click Download on whichever certificate you want to download in PDF format.

How to Prepare for an OutSystems Certification Exam 

Reading and parroting theoretical concepts is not the way to successful OutSystems certification; what you need is a practical understanding and training in OutSystems, irrespective of the exam you are choosing to attempt. You need exam-specific training, practical experience in building applications, and practice in concepts like data modelling, application logic, integrations, etc depending on the selected exam.

For a step-by-step guide and expert mentorship, Stepfinity (OutSystems Silver Partner) provides end-to-end training for exam aspirants. 

Here’s a brief look at how Stepfinity can help you successfully pass OutSystems certification exams.

We have an OutSystems training curriculum that includes practical learning that teaches you to implement enterprise-level solutions. We have trained and certified instructors with real-world experience. 

• No prior knowledge of OutSystems; our curriculum covers everything from scratch.
• Our curriculum is beginner-friendly. We start from basic and takes you to mastery.
• Our trainers come with real client project experience. 

Our training curriculum comes with

• Structured Enterprise Roadmap and Execution Frameworks
• Real-time engineering standards and mentorship 
• Training for qualifying Certifications
• Practice questions and documentation for daily practice

Our training program merges OutSystems concepts with real-time engineering best practices. 

Once you have completed our training program, you will be able to

• Understand OutSystems Full Stack Development 
• Integrate external databases and APIs
• Create enterprise-level workflows
• Deep knowledge of Authorisation and Authentication

Begin your Certification Journey with Stepfinity today! Explore our training courses on OutSystems Training & Certification

Once you’ve attended the training program and successfully registered for the exam, now is the time to prepare for the exam day!

Before leaving for the exam centre, check thoroughly for exam requirements in the official notification from OutSystems or on the official OutSystems page; look for examination setup and technical setup and understand remote proctoring instructions if you’re attempting the exam remotely. Your identification documents should be ready; check and confirm the exam details and time. In our training program, we assist the candidates end-to-end so that their examination process goes smoothly.

Which OutSystems Certification Should You Choose? 

So far, we have discussed the types of exams for OutSystems certification you can opt for, how to register for them, their requirements, and how you can prepare for them. With all this information, one question remains: “Which OutSystems Certification Should I Choose?”

Here’s a brief guide based on your profile that can help you to choose the certification exam that is ideal for you.

If you’re a beginner in OutSystems and have just started learning about it, Associate Developer Certification is the best certification exam for you to begin with. As discussed earlier, this course covers the basic fundamentals of mobile and web application development, so passing this exam will give you a strong start in your OutSystems career.

If you have fair experience in O11 development, choose certifications that are mainly focused on the O11 certification pathway. Similarly, if your experience and interests are inclined toward ODC, the ODC certification exams are a good fit for you, especially if you already have good hands-on experience in O11.

Further, your choice of certification can be associated with your interest in the field or expertise in the field. For an interest in Web Development, Mobile Application Development, Architecture Design, or Application Security, there are specialist courses for each of these. These courses are a good fit for you, especially if you’re an experienced developer and not a beginner in OutSystems.

FAQs

Q1. Is OutSystems certification suitable for beginners? 

Yes, OutSystems certification is suitable for beginners. You can begin with Associate Developer Certification; it covers fundamentals and basics of mobile and web app development. You can start preparing for this exam; the preparation does not require any pre knowledge.

Q2. How long does it take to prepare for an OutSystems certification exam? 

Preparation duration for an OutSystems certification exam depends on your level of expertise and also on the difficulty level of the exam you’ve chosen. As a beginner, you may need more time to understand the concepts and fundamentals of OutSystems, and if you’re sitting for Specialised certifications, it entirely depends on what level of knowledge you have in your chosen area.

Q3. Is OutSystems certification free? 

No, OutSystems certification exams have a fee. The fee depends on the exam you are choosing; you can check the fee on the official OutSystems page before registering for the exam.

Q4. What is the difference between OutSystems 11 and ODC certification? 

OutSystems 11 (O11) and ODC are different environments and versions of OutSystems. O11 is based on .NET and SQL and supports on-premises and cloud deployments; ODC is a newer cloud-native platform that is built with agentic AI capabilities, so both of them require different skills and knowledge for which you need different certifications. 

Q5. Does OutSystems certification guarantee a job? 

An OutSystems certification shouldn’t be considered a guarantee for a job. Instead, it shows that you have strong knowledge in the chosen field of OutSystems; it helps in getting you a job, but your projects, ability, and knowledge are also equally helpful in getting you a job in the OutSystems field. 

Q6. Can I take the OutSystems certification exam online? 

Yes, OutSystems provides an option between an online exam and an offline exam wherever possible. For the online exam, you have to follow online proctoring instructions and adhere to required identity verification.

Q7. Which OutSystems certification is best for experienced developers? 

If you have fair experience in OutSystems, your choice of certification can be associated with your interest in the field or expertise in the field. For an interest in Web Development, Mobile Application Development, Architecture Design, or Application Security, there are specialist courses for each of these.

Q8. Do I need coding experience to learn OutSystems? 

No, you don’t need coding experience to learn OutSystems. OutSystems is a low-code platform that emphasises drag-and-drop building with visual components. Still, if you have experience in coding, it’s a plus for you, as you have a good understanding of basic programming logic, concepts, databases, etc.