- What the EX294 Outline Actually Is (and Isn't)
- The 14 Objective Lines at a Glance
- Domain 1: The RHCSA Foundation Underneath Everything
- Domains 2 and 3: Core Components and Configuration
- Domains 4 to 6: Managed Nodes, SSH Keys and Privilege Escalation
- Domains 7 and 8: Deploying Files and Running Playbooks
- Domains 9 and 10: Git and VS Code
- Domains 11 and 12: Plays, Playbooks, Roles and Collections
- Domains 13 and 14: Automating RHCSA Tasks and Managing Content
- How the Hands-On Format Shapes Your Preparation
- Sequencing the Domains in Your Study Plan
- Fees, Delivery, Results and Renewal
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The 14 domains are first-level exam-objective lines from Red Hat's EX294 outline, not an issuer-declared official domain count.
- Red Hat publishes no percentage weights for these objectives, so any weighting you see elsewhere is a study opinion, not exam fact.
- Passing EX294 alone earns Red Hat Certified Advanced System Administrator in Ansible; current RHCSA plus EX294 is the RHCE in Ansible path.
- Playbooks are evaluated against freshly installed systems, and configurations must survive a reboot without intervention.
What the EX294 Outline Actually Is (and Isn't)
Before dissecting each content area, it helps to be precise about what you are studying. The Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) credential in its current Ansible form is built around the EX294 performance-based exam. Red Hat publishes a list of exam objectives, and this guide walks through the first-level entries in that list. As of the outline reviewed on October 14, 2026, there are fourteen of them, including three managed-node tasks that appear as peers rather than being nested under one heading.
Two caveats matter. First, fourteen is simply the count of lines we are working from; Red Hat does not declare "14 official domains." Second, these are exam objectives, not a course curriculum. They describe what you must be able to do on exam day, not the order in which any training course teaches it.
The 14 Objective Lines at a Glance
The table below lists each objective line as published and pairs it with the kind of competence it demands. Use it as a checklist when you audit your own readiness.
| # | Objective line | What it demands in practice |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Perform all tasks expected of a Red Hat Certified System Administrator | Command-line RHEL administration fluency |
| 2 | Understand core components of Ansible | Inventories, modules, variables, facts, plays, playbooks |
| 3 | Configure Ansible | Control-node configuration and inventory setup |
| 4 | Configure Ansible managed nodes | Preparing target hosts to be automated |
| 5 | Create and distribute SSH keys to managed nodes | Key generation and distribution |
| 6 | Configure privilege escalation on managed nodes | Sudo-style escalation set up correctly |
| 7 | Deploy files to managed nodes | Copying and templating content to hosts |
| 8 | Run playbooks | Executing and validating automation |
| 9 | Perform basic source control operations using Git | Everyday Git workflow |
| 10 | Be familiar with Visual Studio Code (VS Code) and perform tasks from within the editor | Working inside the editor, including development containers |
| 11 | Create Ansible plays and playbooks | Authoring tasks, handlers, conditionals, loops |
| 12 | Use roles and Ansible Content Collections | Reusable, structured automation content |
| 13 | Automate standard RHCSA tasks using Ansible modules | Mapping sysadmin tasks to modules |
| 14 | Manage content | Handling the content your automation relies on |
Note that objectives 10 and 13 end in a colon on the published page, introducing sub-lists of specific tasks. Always read the live outline for those sub-items rather than relying on any summary, including this one.
Domain 1: The RHCSA Foundation Underneath Everything
Be able to perform all tasks expected of a Red Hat Certified System Administrator
This is the line candidates most often underestimate. It means the entire RHCSA skill set is fair game on an Ansible exam: storage, users and groups, networking, services, SELinux, firewalling, package management and more.
- Know how each task is done by hand, because you cannot automate what you cannot verify.
- Be ready to troubleshoot a managed node when a playbook fails for a system-level reason rather than an Ansible-level one.
- Remember that results must persist across reboots, which is classic RHCSA discipline.
The program's own framing reinforces this. Under the framework dated May 11, 2026, current RHCSA (EX200) plus EX294 constitutes the RHCE in Ansible path, while passing EX294 alone earns the Red Hat Certified Advanced System Administrator in Ansible designation. If you are weighing the two tracks, our piece on RHCE requirements and how to qualify covers the eligibility mechanics.
Domains 2 and 3: Core Components and Configuration
Understand core components of Ansible
Conceptual fluency comes first. You should be able to explain, and more importantly use, the building blocks the rest of the exam assumes.
- Inventories, including host groups and group-level variables
- Modules as the unit of work, and idempotency as the guiding principle
- Variables, facts and how precedence affects results
- Plays versus playbooks, and tasks versus handlers
Configure Ansible
This is where the control node becomes yours. Expect to set up configuration, point to an inventory, and define sensible defaults so that later playbooks run without per-command flags.
- Know where configuration is read from and how settings override one another.
- Be able to build and verify a static inventory by hand.
- Use Ansible's own documentation tooling to look up module parameters quickly.
One practical habit pays off here: when you are unsure of a module's parameters, query the built-in documentation rather than guessing. Whether supplied product documentation is available in your session depends on the booked exam's rules, since the exam page qualifies that availability as applying to most exams. Verify your session's rules rather than assuming.
Domains 4 to 6: Managed Nodes, SSH Keys and Privilege Escalation
The outline presents three managed-node tasks as peers, and they form a natural chain: prepare the hosts, establish passwordless trust, then grant the privileges automation needs. Treat them as one connected skill.
Configure Ansible managed nodes
Managed nodes must be ready to receive automation. That means the right user, the right connectivity and the prerequisites Ansible expects on a target.
Create and distribute SSH keys to managed nodes
Key-based authentication is the backbone of unattended automation.
- Generate a key pair on the control node.
- Distribute the public key to each managed node, ideally in a repeatable way.
- Verify that login works without a password before you build anything on top.
Configure privilege escalation on managed nodes
Most useful tasks need elevated rights. Configure escalation so playbooks can become the privileged user without interactive prompts, and know how to enable it at the play or task level.
Domains 7 and 8: Deploying Files and Running Playbooks
Deploy files to managed nodes
Delivering configuration files is a staple of real-world automation and a staple of the exam.
- Distinguish static file copies from templated content that varies per host.
- Set ownership, permissions and security context correctly so files behave on a hardened system.
- Use variables and facts to make one template serve many hosts.
Run playbooks
Writing a playbook is only half the job; running it correctly and interpreting the output is the other half.
- Execute playbooks against the right inventory and host patterns.
- Use syntax checking and dry-run style verification before committing to a real run.
- Read failures carefully and fix the root cause rather than retrying blindly.
Because the exam evaluates your work against freshly installed systems, a playbook that only succeeds on a machine you have already tweaked by hand is a trap. Your automation has to stand on its own from a clean starting point.
Domains 9 and 10: Git and VS Code
These two lines reflect how modern automation is actually written and are a notable feature of the current objectives, which include Git, VS Code and Ansible development containers.
Perform basic source control operations using Git
You do not need advanced branching strategy, but you do need a comfortable everyday workflow.
- Clone, stage, commit and inspect history.
- Work with remotes and understand what a change set looks like.
- Recover gracefully from common mistakes.
Be familiar with Visual Studio Code (VS Code) and perform tasks from within the editor
The published line introduces a sub-list of editor tasks, so consult the live outline for specifics. Expect familiarity with working in the editor and with Ansible development containers rather than treating the editor as a mere text box.
Candidates who learned Ansible entirely from a terminal and a plain editor sometimes overlook these lines. Spend dedicated practice time inside the actual tooling so that nothing about the workflow feels unfamiliar under pressure.
Domains 11 and 12: Plays, Playbooks, Roles and Collections
Create Ansible plays and playbooks
This is the heart of the exam: expressing desired state clearly and correctly.
- Conditionals, loops and registered variables to control flow
- Handlers to react to changes without needless repetition
- Error handling and blocks to keep runs predictable
- Vault-style protection of sensitive data where tasks require it
Use roles and Ansible Content Collections
Reuse is what separates scripts from engineering. Know how to consume existing roles and collections, and how to structure your own automation into roles that can be called cleanly.
- Understand role directory structure and how defaults and variables interact.
- Install and reference content from collections, and call modules by their fully qualified names.
- Keep roles focused so they remain readable and testable.
Key Takeaway
Practice writing the same automation three ways: inline in a playbook, as a role, and using collection modules. Fluency across all three removes the hesitation that costs time when a task requires a particular form.
Domains 13 and 14: Automating RHCSA Tasks and Managing Content
Automate standard RHCSA tasks using Ansible modules that work with:
The published line ends in a colon and introduces a list of task areas. This is where Domain 1 and the Ansible domains converge: you take the manual RHCSA skills and express them as idempotent modules.
- Map each familiar sysadmin task to the module that performs it.
- Verify the resulting state on the node, not just that the play reported success.
- Make sure changes are persistent, since configurations must survive reboot without intervention.
Manage content
The final line is deliberately broad. Read the current outline for its precise wording and treat it as an invitation to be comfortable handling the content that your automation consumes and produces, including the roles and collections from the earlier objective.
If you want to see how these objectives translate into question-style practice, our free RHCE practice tests are a useful companion, though remember that any practice material you use should be original and never claim to reproduce real exam content.
How the Hands-On Format Shapes Your Preparation
EX294 is not a multiple-choice test. It is a hands-on Ansible Automation Platform assessment in which candidates configure multiple systems with playbooks. Those playbooks are then evaluated against freshly installed systems, and the resulting configurations must survive a reboot without intervention.
- Outcome-based grading: What matters is the end state of the systems, so a playbook that looks elegant but leaves a service stopped after reboot earns nothing for that task.
- Clean-slate evaluation: Idempotency and independence from your own manual tweaks are essential.
- No internet or personal notes: Internet access and candidate-supplied notes or books are prohibited. Check your booked session for what documentation, if any, is provided.
- Timer unconfirmed in the reviewed page: The current exam page does not specify a duration, so confirm the timer on your booking rather than relying on an older figure.
Red Hat recommends RH124 plus RH134, or RH199, or equivalent RHEL administration experience, together with AU294 or equivalent Ansible experience. Course attendance is optional; what counts is that you can do the work.
Sequencing the Domains in Your Study Plan
Because the objectives build on each other, order matters more than hours logged. The sequence below follows dependency rather than the published list order.
Foundations and connectivity
- Refresh RHCSA skills (Domain 1) with emphasis on persistence across reboots
- Configure Ansible and build an inventory (Domains 2 and 3)
- Set up managed nodes, SSH keys and privilege escalation (Domains 4 to 6)
Core automation
- Write plays and playbooks with conditionals, loops and handlers (Domain 11)
- Deploy files and templates (Domain 7)
- Run, check and troubleshoot playbooks (Domain 8)
Structure and tooling
- Roles and collections (Domain 12)
- Git and VS Code workflow (Domains 9 and 10)
- Manage content (Domain 14)
Integration under realistic conditions
- Automate the full range of RHCSA task areas (Domain 13)
- Rebuild fresh systems and re-run everything from scratch
- Reboot and verify that every change persists
Adjust the pacing to your background. An experienced administrator may compress week one, while someone new to Ansible may need extra time on playbook authoring. Our RHCE cheat sheet offers a compact review aid once the concepts are in place.
Fees, Delivery, Results and Renewal
A few logistics deserve attention because they influence how and when you sit the exam.
Cost and booking
The program-wide standard exam list price is USD 500, but the regional booking-cart price controls, so treat that figure as a reference rather than a checkout quotation. Our RHCE certification cost breakdown goes deeper. Remote, testing-center and classroom delivery are subject to booking availability. Remote candidates need a LiveUSB, a successful compatibility test and the required identity and hardware checks. Scheduling details are covered in our guide to RHCE exam dates.
Retakes
Eligible unsuccessful first individual attempts receive one free retake under Red Hat's training policies, subject to purchase or subscription eligibility periods and scheduling restrictions. Read the policy for your situation before relying on it.
Results
The exam page says results usually arrive within three U.S. business days, while the program guide allows up to five business days. The exam page describes total scores, and the handbook also describes objective-area feedback; neither provides task-by-task performance details. For score mechanics, see what the passing score means, and for outcome data, what the pass-rate evidence shows.
Renewal
Certifications are current for three years. You can renew before expiry through the original exam or qualifying same-level or higher-level credentials under the current framework. For pre-framework credentials, the FAQ says updated renewal and mapping rules apply to the active transcript after you pass a new exam following May 11, 2026. Be aware that Red Hat's separate renewal page still uses older non-expiring terminology and narrower specialist exam-only wording, so consult the current handbook, the dated framework and your active transcript rather than that legacy page alone.
Career value
Whether the credential pays off depends on your market, role and experience, and no certification guarantees employment or a particular salary. Weigh the evidence in our RHCE ROI analysis and the RHCE salary guide before deciding.
Frequently Asked Questions
This guide covers 14 first-level exam-objective lines from Red Hat's published EX294 outline. Fourteen is the count of those lines, not an issuer-declared official domain count, and Red Hat publishes no percentage weights for them.
Passing EX294 alone earns Red Hat Certified Advanced System Administrator in Ansible. Current RHCSA (EX200) plus EX294 is the RHCE in Ansible path under the May 11, 2026 framework. The first objective also expects RHCSA-level skills regardless of your credential route.
Internet access and candidate-supplied notes or books are prohibited. Red Hat's page qualifies supplied product-documentation availability as applying to most exams, so check the rules for your booked session rather than assuming access.
The reviewed exam page does not specify a duration, and no verified task count is published, so confirm the timer on your booking. Be skeptical of figures from older sources that may describe a previous version.
Eligible unsuccessful first individual attempts receive one free retake under Red Hat's training policies, subject to eligibility periods and scheduling restrictions. Confirm your eligibility when you book.