MuleSoft Certified Developer-Level 1 (Mule 4)

A Level 1 MuleSoft Certified Developer should be able to work on basic Mule 4 projects with supervision and guidance. Candidates studying for the MCD – Level 1 (Mule 4) exam will be assessed as developers, with knowledge and skills in designing, constructing, testing and debugging, deploying, and managing basic APIs and integrations, including moving from Anypoint Platform to Anypoint Studio and back.

Further, candidates successfully passing the exam will be able to:

• To begin, utilize MuleSoft’s Anypoint Platform to take a simple API through all of its lifecycle stages: design, create, deploy, manage, and govern.
• Secondly, utilize Anypoint Studio to create, test, and debug simple API implementations and integrations.
• Connect to a variety of resources, such as databases, files, online services, SaaS applications, and JMS queues, in the third step.
• Then, using DataWeave 2.0, execute basic data manipulations.
• Lastly, manage the flow of events, handle problems, and process batch records.

Exam Format

• MuleSoft Certified Developer – Level 1 (Mule 4) exam is a closed book exam that will have 60 multiple-choice questions.
• For completing the exam, there is a time duration of 120 minutes.
• To pass the exam, there is a minimum passing score of 70%.
• The exam will cost you around $250 (USD). And, the exam can be given in the English language.
• However, the exam has a validity of 2 years and in order to extend the validity you can take the MuleSoft Certified Developer – Level 1 (Mule 4) MAINTENANCE exam.
• Further, you can take the exam a maximum of 5 times, with a 24-hour wait between each attempt.

Schedule the Exam

For scheduling, you have to log in to your learner account. Then go ahead and buy the certification exam, study for it, and take it. MuleSoft also no longer allows users to take certification examinations at physical testing locations.

Exam Course Outline

MuleSoft Certified Developer – Level 1 (Mule 4) exam validates a candidate’s performance on the basis of the following topics:

1. Explaining application network basics

• Explaining MuleSoft’s proposal for closing the IT delivery gap.
• Describing the role and characteristics of the “modern API.” ( Reference: API Strategy Resources)
• Describing the purpose and roles of a Center for Enablement (C4E). ( Reference: Center for Enablement (C4E))
• Defining and explaining the benefits of API-led connectivity and application networks. ( Reference: What is API-led Connectivity?)
• Defining and correctly use the terms API, API implementation, API interface, API consumer, and API invocation. ( Reference: API Strategy Resources)
• Describe the basics of the HTTP protocol and the characteristics of requests and responses. ( Reference: HTTP Request Configuration, HTTP Request Connector)
• Describing the capabilities and high-level components of Anypoint Platform for the API lifecycle. ( Reference: What is full lifecycle API management?)

2. Designing and consuming APIs

• Describing the lifecycle of the “modern API.” ( Reference: API Strategy Resources)
• Using RAML to define API resources, nested resources, and methods.
• Identifying when and how to define query parameters vs URI parameters.
• Using RAML to define API parameters, requests, and responses.
• Using RAML to define reusable data types and format-independent examples.
• Reading a RAML spec and formulate RESTful requests with query parameters and/or headers as appropriate.

3. Accessing and modifying Mule events

Reference: Enrich Data with Target Parameters

• Describing the Mule event data structure. ( Reference: Mule Events)
• Using transformers to set event payloads, attributes, and variables. ( Reference: Set Payload Transformer, Set Variable Transformer)
• Writing DataWeave expressions to access and modify event payloads, attributes, and variables. ( Reference: Mule 4: DataWeave Expression Language, Mule Expression Language (MEL))
• Enriching Mule events using target parameters. ( Reference: Enrich Data with Target Variables, Migrating the Enricher to a Target Variable)

4. Structuring Mule applications

• Parameterizing an application using property placeholders. ( Reference: Configure Property Placeholders)
• Defining and reusing global configurations in an application. ( Reference: Global Configurations)
• Break an application into multiple flows using private flows, subflows, and the Flow Reference component. ( Reference: Flows and Subflows)
• Then, defining what data (payload, attributes, variables) is persisted between flows when a Flow Reference is used. ( Reference: Flow Reference Component)
• Specifying what data (payload, attributes, variables) is persisted between flows when a Mule event crosses a connection boundary.
• Lastly, specifying what data (payload, attributes, variables) exists in a flow before and after a call in the middle of a flow to an external resource. ( Reference: Flow and Subflow Scopes)

5. Building API implementation interfaces

• Manually create a RESTful interface for a Mule application. ( Reference: Build an Application from an API Specification)
• Then, Generating a REST Connector from a RAML specification. ( Reference: REST Connect Connector Generator)
• Explain the features and benefits of APIkit. ( Reference: About APIkit)
• After that, using APIkit to create implementation flows from a RAML file. ( Reference: Generating RAML-based Flows, Generate a Mule Flow from an API Specification)
• Explaining how requests are routed through flows generated by APIkit. ( Reference: APIkit Anatomy)

6. Routing events

• Use the Choice router to route events based on conditional logic. ( Reference: Choice Router)
• Using the Scatter-Gather router to multicast events. ( Reference: Scatter-Gather Router)
• Validate data using the Validation module. ( Reference: Validation Module 1.4 – Mule 4)

7. Handling errors

• Explain the default error handling in a Mule application. ( Reference: Error Handlers)
• Defining a custom global default error handler for an application and identify in what situations it will be used.
• Compare and contrast how the On Error Continue and On Error Propagate scopes work. ( Reference: On-Error Components)
• Create one or more error handlers for a flow.
• Use the Try scope to specify error handlers for one or more event processors. ( Reference: Try Scope)
• Describe the data structure of the Mule Error object. ( Reference: Mule Errors)
• Map errors to custom application errors. ( Reference: Introduction to Mule 4: Error Handlers)

8. Transforming data with DataWeave

• Write DataWeave scripts to convert JSON, XML, and Java data structures to different data structures and data types. ( Reference: Supported Data Formats)
• Use DataWeave functions. ( Reference: Define DataWeave Functions)
• Then, Define and use DataWeave variables, functions, and modules. ( Reference: DataWeave Variables, Define DataWeave Functions)
• Define and use custom data types. ( Reference: Custom Data Types in Flow Designer)
• After that, apply correct DataWeave syntax to coerce data types. ( Reference: Type Coercion with DataWeave)
• Apply correct DataWeave syntax to format strings, numbers, and dates. ( Reference: Format Dates and Times)
• Lastly, call Mule flows from a DataWeave script. ( Reference: DataWeave Scripts, lookup)

9. Using Connectors

• Retrieve data from a Database using the Database connector. ( Reference: Database Connector Examples – Mule 4)
• Create parameterized SQL queries for the Database connector.
• Retrieve data from a REST service using HTTP Request or a REST Connector. ( Reference: Consume a REST Service Example – Mule 4)
• Use a Web Service Consumer connector to consume SOAP web services. ( Reference: Web Service Consumer Connector 1.6 – Mule 4)
• Use the Transform Message component to pass arguments to a SOAP web service. ( Reference: Consume a Web Service – Mule 4)
• List, read, and write local files using the File connector. ( Reference: List Files Using the File Connector, Read a File Using the File Connector, To Write a File Using the File Connector)
• List, read, and write remote files using the FTP connector. ( Reference: List Files Using the FTP Connector, Write a File Using the FTP Connector, Read a File Using the FTP Connector)
• Use the JMS connector to publish and listen for JMS messages. ( Reference: Publish Messages Using the JMS Connector)

10. Processing records

• List and compare and contrast the methods for processing individual records in a collection. ( Reference: Batch Processing)
• Secondly, explain how Mule events are processed by the For Each scope. ( Reference: For Each Scope)
• Use the For Each scope to process records.
• Explain how Mule events are processed by the Batch Job scope.
• Then, use a Batch Job with Batch Steps and a Batch Aggregator to process records. ( Reference: Refining Batch Steps Processing)
• Using the Scheduler component to trigger a flow. ( Reference: Scheduler Endpoint (Trigger))
• Use connector listeners to trigger flows. ( Reference: Trigger a Flow When a New File is Created or Modified)
• After that, describe the features, benefits, and processes to use watermarking.
• Describe the features, benefits, and processes to use automatic watermarking vs. manual watermarking. ( Reference: Migrating Watermarks)
• Use connectors with automatic watermarking capabilities. ( Reference: Set Up Watermarks with an Object Store, Migrating Watermarks)
• Lastly, persist data between flow executions using the Object Store. ( Reference: Store Application Data Using Object Stores, Object Store Module)

11. Debugging and troubleshooting Mule applications

• Use breakpoints to inspect a Mule event during runtime. ( Reference: Breakpoints)
• Install missing Maven dependencies.
• Read and decipher Mule log error messages. ( Reference: View Log Data)

12. Deploying and managing APIs and integrations

Reference: Configuring API Autodiscovery in a Mule 4 Application

• Package Mule applications for deployment. ( Reference: Package a Mule Application)
• Deploy applications to CloudHub. ( Reference: Deploy to CloudHub)
• Use CloudHub properties to ensure deployment success.
• Then, create and deploy API proxies. ( Reference: Set Up and Deploy an API Proxy)
• Connect an API implementation to API Manager using autodiscovery. ( Reference: Autodiscovery)
• Use policies, including client ID enforcement, to secure an API. ( Reference: Client ID Enforcement Policy)
• Create SLA tiers and apply SLA-based policies. ( Reference: Applying an SLA-Based Policy)

Check MuleSoft Certified Developer-Level 1 (Mule 4) Exam FAQs for more queries.

Exam Terms and Conditions

MuleSoft’s Certification Exam provides various terms and conditions that are applied for all certifications. Some of them are:

1. Eligibility

For taking MuleSoft Certification exams, candidates must be 18 years of age or older. There should be only one exam account. However, if there are multiple exam accounts then, a violation of this agreement will be there.

2. Certification Revocation

If any candidates violate the Terms or engage in any misconduct, they may be prohibited from taking the Certification Exam and/or any other MuleSoft Certification Exam.

3. Reschedule or canceling the exam

• Firstly, log in to your account at training.mulesoft.com. Then, click on Dashboard from the top menu.
• Secondly, click on Certification Exams under Enrollments. Then, locate the exam you want to reschedule.
• Thirdly for rescheduling the exam, click the BLUE calendar icon. This is available next to the name of the exam. After that, choose a new date and time.
  • However, if you need to cancel your scheduled exam, then, locate the exam you want to cancel and click the RED calendar icon with an “x” inside of it. 

MuleSoft Certified Developer-Level 1 (Mule 4) Study Guide

1. Understanding the Exam Topics

The MuleSoft Certified Developer – Level 1 (Mule 4) exam validates your knowledge and skills on the basis of topics. These topics will help you understand the concept as well as you will be able to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in each of the areas. However, the topics for the exam are:

• Firstly, explaining application network basics
• Secondly, designing and consuming APIs
• Thidly, accessing and modifying Mule events
• Fourthly, structuring Mule applications
• Then, creating API implementation interfaces
• Next, Routing events
• After that, handling errors
• Then, transforming data with DataWeave
• Using Connectors
• Then, processing records
• After that, debugging and troubleshooting Mule applications
• Lastly, deploying and managing APIs and integrations

2. Instructor-led training: 

This five-day class course on Anypoint Platform Development: Fundamentals (Mule 4) is regarded as the most effective and efficient approach of preparation. Candidates who complete this course will be able to:

• Firstly, create an application network using API-led connectivity and an Anypoint Platform.
• Secondly, use the Anypoint Platform for discovering, consuming, designing, building, deploying, managing, and governing APIs.
• Thirdly, connect to databases, files, web services, SaaS applications, JMS queues, and more.
• Fourthly, add application logic, handle errors, and convert data using DataWeave.
• Lastly, structure applications for facilitating development and deployment and handle batch data processing.

3. Self-study training

This training provides step-by-step exercises to teach you the basics. Here, the content is available instantly for you to complete at your own pace. This has the support of the MuleSoft training forum. However, successfully completing the course will include two MuleSoft-sponsored attempts for this exam. Further, there is an additional training course that is:

Mule 4 for Mule 3 Users: Anypoint Platform Development

This is a three-day course designed for experienced Mule 3 developers who want to quickly uplevel their skills to Mule 4. The course provides hands-on experience and explains what’s new and/or different in Mule 4 and Studio 7. Further, after completing the course, candidates will be able to:

• Firstly,  creating, configuring, and debugging Mule 4 applications using Anypoint Studio 7.
• Secondly, applying the new Mule 4 event model with the new reactive, self-tuning, streaming, and non-blocking Mule 4 runtime.
• Thirdly, use new Mule 4 connector operations and features anywhere in a flow and configure new Mule 4 connector listeners as flow triggers.
• Fourthly, transform complex data schema using DataWeave 2.0.
• Lastly, use the new Mule 4 error handling framework and Batch Job & Batch Aggregator scopes inline inflows.

6. Explore Learning Paths

MuleSoft has a number of learning paths from which you can begin preparing for the role you’ve applied for by following the step-by-step instructions. This is, however, for both new and professional users who wish to be successful in their roles.

5. Do-it-yourself exercises

This contains DIY exercises for getting experience with and apply the knowledge gained in class. However, this course can be considered a self-assessment quiz. Because it can test your knowledge and help in the preparation for the MuleSoft Certified Developer – Level 1 (Mule 4) certification exam.

6. Assessing yourself using Practice Tests

Examining yourself with practice tests helps you instantly identify your weak areas. Moreover, taking the tests will improve your answering skills and help you get a strong revision. So, start practicing using the MuleSoft Certified Developer – Level 1 (Mule 4) practice exam tests and pass the exam.

Prepare for MuleSoft Certified Developer- Level 1 (Mule 4) Exam Now!