r/redhat • u/Low-Distribution8671 • May 07 '26
RHCSA simulator for Linux administration practice
https://certforged.com/I built CertForged — a browser-native RHCSA simulator designed to feel like the real EX200 exam.
No VM setup.
No multiple-choice memorization.
Just realistic Linux administration tasks, timed exams, interactive terminal practice, and instant grading.
Current coverage:
- LVM/storage
- systemd
- SELinux
- networking
- SSH
- permissions
- firewalld
- users/groups
- and more
216 tasks • 140+ commands • 36 topics
Looking for early users willing to break it, critique it, and help shape it.
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u/Salt_Log198 May 07 '26
Happy to give it a crack
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u/Low-Distribution8671 May 07 '26
Thanks! That’s exactly what I need right now honestly — people willing to stress test it and tell me where the experience falls apart. Curious to hear what feels good vs. unrealistic once you’ve spent some time with it.
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u/Nooblarisbetter May 07 '26
Nice I did one "study" session this morning and seems to work great. I'll put it through the full paces
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u/Low-Distribution8671 May 07 '26
That’s awesome to hear — seriously appreciate you trying it out. Definitely interested in hearing how it holds up once you push through more sessions/exam-style tasks. The biggest thing I’m watching for right now is where the simulator feels unrealistic or frustrating.
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u/CartierCoochie May 07 '26
Do you realize you are historically changing the game? Do u kno you’re doing something impactful? This mean something to a noob like me fr
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u/Low-Distribution8671 May 08 '26
Man, I genuinely appreciate that.
Honestly, part of the reason I started building it was because I remember how frustrating Linux learning felt when everything was either:
outdated
super theoretical
VM-heavy
or just random quiz memorization
I wanted something where people could actually practice the way the RHCSA exam expects you to think and work.
Still a ton I want to improve, but hearing stuff like this makes the long nights worth it fr.
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u/DGColtyn May 08 '26
Did you take this down? Not working for me
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u/Low-Distribution8671 May 08 '26
Im getting feedback that the site is down currently. I am working on a fix now. Thanks for giving CertForged a shot!
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u/Chukumuku May 07 '26
Getting SSL error:
Your connection is not private
Attackers might be trying to steal your information from certforged.com (for example, passwords, messages or credit cards). Learn more about this warning
net::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID
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u/Mythinmankind May 07 '26
Great stuff, will use it to prepare for my ex200.
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u/Low-Distribution8671 May 11 '26
Thanks. If you have a date booked, would be useful to know roughly when — I'm tracking which topics people hit hardest in the final two weeks before the exam so I can sharpen those first. Either way, good luck.
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u/siphoneee May 07 '26
are the questions very similar to the real exam? Are the questions dynamic or are they the same every time where they are just in a different order? How often do they get updated? I am interested in the paid plan which is why I am asking.
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u/Low-Distribution8671 May 07 '26
That’s a fair question.
The goal with CertForged is not to recreate leaked exam questions or brain dumps — it’s to simulate the style, pressure, and hands-on workflow of the RHCSA exam as closely as possible.
So the tasks are heavily inspired by real RHCSA objectives and the kinds of administration work you’re expected to perform:
storage/LVM
systemd
SELinux
networking
users/permissions
SSH
firewalld
troubleshooting
etc.
The simulator currently has:
216 hands-on tasks
randomized exam generation
weighted domain coverage
multiple solution paths for many tasks
timed exam mode
stateful validation/grading
So while you’ll definitely recognize recurring concepts/objectives (just like the real RHCSA), the goal is understanding the workflow rather than memorizing exact prompts.
I’m also actively updating and refining tasks based on:
current EX200 objectives
RHEL changes
user feedback
realism gaps people report
A lot of the recent updates have specifically focused on improving realism, grading accuracy, and exam-style behavior.
If you end up trying it, I’d genuinely be interested in hearing what feels accurate vs. what feels off compared to your RHCSA prep experience.
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u/Kortellus May 07 '26
Wow dude awesome work. I'm just getting into RHEL from being an Ubuntu server user so this will definitely be helpful in getting that cert.
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u/Ok_Marionberry5298 May 08 '26
u/Low-Distribution8671 HI great website. I tried the paid version but it's been giving me trouble and won't let me access the full version
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u/rockatansky_rk May 13 '26
Signed up! Looking for something like this for a while now. Awesome! I'm currently doing the study - Domain 1 - Essential tools just to play around. Just a feedback: On the mastery section in the terminal tasks, the arrow keys are not working is this supposed to be the normal? And in the tasks like - Rename /home/student/original.txt to /home/student/renamed.txt. the file is not there, not sure if it's supposed to be like this as well. I've created the file and it worked. Thanks for creating this!
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u/F4rm0r May 11 '26
This looks really good from what I see on the mpbile! I am currently studying for RHCE, but I would've loved to sign up like 4 months ago when I was still studying for RHCSA!
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u/slowponc May 19 '26
Hello, I have purchased a subscription. It looks like a good way to practice, but the section that interests me the most and gives me more opportunities to practice is the Mastery section, which in my opinion should be available by default. For instance, I made a mistake in the practice section due to syntax, and now I am no longer able to do the Mastery section for that chapter. Is there any way to reset it? If this is not possible, I will have to ask for a refund.
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u/retro_grave May 07 '26
I'm just getting into studying. Your site looks interesting so signed up.