CSA Practice Test

The Certified Pega System Architect certification is for developers and technical staff learning to develop Pega applications. This page brings together free CSA practice sets, worked explanations and verified exam information to help you organize your preparation. Use the topic mapping to choose relevant practice, understand where our sets have gaps, and connect your study with Pega’s recommended System Architect mission. Practice with the free CSA - Certified System Architect practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (9 questions with answer explanations).

Free CSA - Certified System Architect Study Tools

Interactive CSA - Certified System Architect resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:

• CSA - Certified System Architect flashcards — review key terms and concepts card by card
• CSA - Certified System Architect study guide — topic-by-topic overview of what the exam covers
• CSA - Certified System Architect cheat sheet — one-page printable summary for last-minute review

CSA Exam at a Glance

What changed for CSA in 2026

• Oct 26, 2026: Validity changed to Does not expire (subject to change at Pega's discretion) (previously Does not expire (subject to change by Pega)).^[4]
• Oct 26, 2026: Eligibility changed to Beginner level; System Architect mission recommended as prerequisite (previously Beginner level; System Architect '25 mission recommended as prerequisite).^[1]
• Oct 26, 2026: Retake policy changed to Wait 3 days after 1st attempt, 14 days after 2nd attempt; max 3 attempts per 12 months (previously Wait 3 days, then 14 days; max 3 attempts in 12 months).^[3]

What the CSA is and how it works

According to Pegasystems, “The Certified Pega System Architect ’25 certification is for developers and technical staff members who want to learn how to develop Pega applications.”^[1]

The Certified Pega System Architect exam is a beginner-level certification for developers and technical staff who want to learn to develop Pega applications. Pega recommends the System Architect mission as a prerequisite. Treat that recommendation as the starting point for your preparation; beginner level does not mean you should skip the official learning material.

The exam has 60 questions and a passing score of 65%. Delivery is through a Pearson VUE test center or online proctoring through OnVUE. For online delivery, Pega describes a quiet, uninterrupted room with webcam proctoring. The exam fee is $190 (USD) per attempt, according to Pega’s certification FAQs.

If you need a retake, Pearson VUE’s Pega policy requires a wait of 3 calendar days after your first attempt and 14 calendar days after your second attempt. The limit is 3 attempts per 12 months.

Your score report is available in your Pearson VUE account. Certification appears on your Pega profile within 5 business days unless an account issue needs manual resolution. Certifications currently do not expire, but Pega may change that policy. Consult Pega Academy’s exam page, certification FAQs and follow-up guidance, plus Pearson VUE’s Pega page, for official requirements.

CSA content outline and where to practise each area

The content areas below are copied from the official CSA content outline published by Pegasystems, with the share of the exam each area carries. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.

Worked examples: how to reason through CSA questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: Which approach is recommended for implementing compliance standards changes?

1. Making all changes at once without testing
2. Following a structured change management process with testing
3. Implementing changes only during peak hours
4. Skipping documentation to save time

Answer: B. Following a structured change management process with testing

Explanation:

Following a structured change management process with testing is correct. Compliance changes can affect existing behavior, so a planned process gives you a way to assess the change, test its effects and document what happened. Making all changes at once without testing removes the opportunity to catch problems before they affect use. Implementing changes only during peak hours adds disruption without improving compliance. Skipping documentation makes it harder to understand or verify the change later. Remember the rule: a requirement to change something does not remove the need to test it and keep a clear record.

Example 2

Question: What is the best practice for monitoring network configuration systems?

1. Check systems manually once a month
2. Implement automated monitoring with alerting thresholds
3. Monitor only when users report problems
4. Rely on vendor notifications exclusively

Answer: B. Implement automated monitoring with alerting thresholds

Explanation:

Implement automated monitoring with alerting thresholds. This approach checks system conditions and draws attention to values that need investigation. Manual checks once a month can leave problems unnoticed between checks. Monitoring only when users report trouble makes detection depend on someone experiencing and reporting a problem. Vendor notifications can provide useful information, but relying on them exclusively does not show what is happening in your own environment. Remember the rule: monitoring should help detect local problems proactively, with thresholds that make alerts useful. An alert is a reason to investigate; it does not itself diagnose or fix the underlying issue.

Example 3

Question: What does an active health check on a load balancer do?

1. Increases the session timeout
2. Periodically probes backends and removes unhealthy ones from rotation
3. Encrypts traffic between nodes
4. Logs every client IP address

Answer: B. Periodically probes backends and removes unhealthy ones from rotation

Explanation:

An active health check periodically probes backends and removes unhealthy ones from rotation. The load balancer uses the probe results to decide which backends should receive traffic. Increasing the session timeout changes how long a session can remain available; it does not test backend health. Encrypting traffic protects communication between nodes, which is a separate function. Logging client IP addresses records information about requests but does not establish whether a backend can serve them. Remember the rule: active health checks send test requests or probes and use the results to guide routing. Their usefulness depends on what the probe actually checks.

How to use these practice tests

Start with Pega’s recommended System Architect mission and the official exam outline. Use the blueprint mapping here to select related practice sets. Give particular attention to Case Management and Data and Integration because they carry the largest listed weights, while keeping every official area in your preparation.

Work through a relevant set, then explain why your chosen answer fits and why the alternatives do not. Record the concept behind each mistake and return to the official material when an explanation leaves you uncertain. Where the mission provides practical activities, use them to connect the concept with application behavior.

Treat the mappings as starting points, not evidence that a set covers an entire domain. The worked questions on this page illustrate general change management and infrastructure principles; they are our practice questions, not real exam questions. Broad topics such as network configuration should not displace Pega-specific study. Use official material for Pega GenAI, which has no dedicated set listed here.

Before booking, revisit unresolved topics and check the official delivery, fee and retake requirements. Choose a delivery option that fits your available testing environment.

Sources & last verified

1. Pegasystems — number of questions, passing score, delivery, eligibility (official source). “60 Questions” Verified Oct 27, 2026 · source checked Oct 23, 2026.
2. Pegasystems — exam fee (official source). “All Pega exams administered by Pearson VUE: $190 (USD) per exam attempt.” Verified Oct 26, 2026 · source checked Oct 23, 2026.
3. home.pearsonvue.com — retake policy (official source). “You must wait at least 3 calendar days after your first attempt to take the exam again. Third attempts must wait at least 14 calendar…” Verified Oct 26, 2026.
4. Pegasystems — validity, score release (official source). “Pega Certifications currently do not expire, though this is subject to change at Pega's discretion.” Verified Oct 26, 2026 · source checked Oct 23, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.