Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS)
MCTS certifications provide the foundation for Microsoft Certification. These certifications are designed to help validate your skills on the features and functionality of key technologies. You can show your depth of knowledge in one specific technology, earn multiple MCTS certifications to show breadth across different technologies, or build on the MCTS to earn one of our Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) certifications.
| Your goal | Certification | Requirements |
| To create Windows-based applications that run on corporate servers or user desktop computers. | MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Windows Applications | Exam 70-511: TS: Windows Applications Development with Microsoft .NET Framework 4 |
| To create web-based applications that run on the ASP.NET platform and are hosted on Internet Information Server. | MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Web Applications | Exam 70-515: TS: Web Applications Development with Microsoft .NET Framework 4 |
| To create applications that communicate with servers or other applications in a connected or disconnected state. | MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Service Communication Applications | Exam 70-513: TS: Windows Communication Foundation Development with Microsoft .NET Framework 4 |
| To create data-driven applications that access data from various sources, such as Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Microsoft Office Access, object data sources, XML, or other flat-file sources. | MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Data Access | Exam 70-516: TS: Accessing Data with Microsoft .NET Framework 4 |
| To create rich Internet-based applications by using Microsoft Silverlight. | MCTS: Silverlight 4, Development | Exam 70-506: TS: Silverlight 4, Development |
Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD)
MCPD certifications help validate a comprehensive set of skills that are necessary to design, build, and deploy applications successfully by using Microsoft Visual Studio and the Microsoft .NET Framework. This certification builds on the MCTS certification and is designed to help provide hiring managers with a strong indicator of your potential job success. Candidates for the MCPD typically have two to three years of relevant experience and a commitment to remaining current in best practices and technologies.
| Your goal | Certification | Certification prerequisites | Requirements |
| To design, build, and deploy Windows-based applications by using Visual Studio 2010. | MCPD: Windows Developer 4 | MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Windows Applications and MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Service Communication Applications and MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Data Access | Exam 70-518: PRO: Designing and Developing Windows Applications Using Microsoft .NET Framework 4 |
| To design, build, and deploy web-based applications by using Visual Studio 2010. | MCPD: Web Developer 4 | MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Web Applications and MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Service Communication Applications and MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Data Access | Exam 70-519: PRO: Designing and Developing Web Applications Using Microsoft .NET Framework 4 |
| To design, build, and deploy cloud-based applications that will be hosted on Windows Azure. | MCPD: Windows Azure Developer | MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Service Communication Applications and MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Data Access | Exam 70-583: PRO: Designing and Developing Windows Azure Applications* |
