News & Updates
- New cert
Expanded all six Cisco certifications by +50 questions each (+300 in total)
We have expanded six Cisco certifications: CCST Networking (100-150), CCST Cybersecurity (100-160), CCNA (200-301), CCNA Cybersecurity (200-201), CCNA Automation (200-901), and CCNP Enterprise ENCOR (350-401) — now holding 110, 105, 150, 140, 140, and 150 questions respectively. The new questions were allocated to match each exam's official blueprint weights; for CCNA Automation and CCNA Cybersecurity the resulting distribution matches the official ratios exactly. Multiple-response ratios were also tuned to each exam's target. Most questions present an artifact in monospace — a configuration fragment, show output, API response, Python script, or EEM applet — and ask you to interpret, diagnose, or correct it. For quality assurance we combined machine validation with independent review by a separate model, fetching the official exam topics to confirm scope currency (ENCOR v1.2, effective since March 2026; CCNA Automation v1.1). Every artifact was checked for reproducibility on real equipment, and the printed figures were re-derived to confirm they genuinely support the stated conclusion.
- Feature
You can now revisit questions you have already answered
While practicing, you can now go back to the previous question or several questions back. Use "← Prev" in the bottom bar to step back one at a time, or tap "Question 3 / 30" at the top to open a grid of question numbers and jump straight to any of them. In immediate-scoring mode the grid is color-coded by correct, incorrect, and unanswered, so you can pick out just the ones you missed. Questions you revisit are shown in their graded state (answer revealed, with the explanation) and cannot be re-answered — this keeps your study record and XP from being counted twice. The same grid is available in batch-scoring and exam modes; since nothing has been graded yet there, it only shows whether each question is answered or unanswered, which helps when you do a final pass over the ones you skipped. Navigating always brings you back to the top of the question.
Learn more → - Fix
Improved the pace of answering questions on mobile
Based on feedback from a user, we improved two things about answering questions. First, the "Next" button used to sit below the explanation, so you had to scroll before you could move on. The primary actions — Submit, Next, and Prev/Next — are now pinned to the bottom of the screen and stay within thumb reach regardless of how long the explanation is (on short questions that fit the screen, they still appear inline at the end as before). In addition, the explanation now starts collapsed when you answer correctly, so you can move straight on from questions you already knew; tap "See explanation" to open it (once you do, it stays open for correct answers for the rest of that session). Second, when you moved to the next question the page kept the scroll position from the previous one, sometimes leaving the question text off-screen. Switching questions now always returns you to the top. The same fixes apply to batch-scoring and exam modes, and to the results screen. We also made the correct/incorrect verdict and your score announce automatically to screen readers.
Learn more → - New cert
Expanded all nine IPA Advanced certifications by +50 questions each (+450 in total)
We have expanded nine IPA Advanced certifications from 60 to 110 questions each: Registered Information Security Specialist (SC), Network Specialist (NW), Database Specialist (DB), Embedded Systems Specialist (ES), Project Manager (PM), System Architect (SA), IT Service Manager (SM), Systems Auditor (AU), and IT Strategist (ST). Rather than padding the banks, the new questions were allocated to match each exam's official domain weights — under-covered domains received more, already well-covered ones none. Every question is a judgment-type scenario (choose the best design or countermeasure from requirements and constraints, or diagnose a root cause from symptoms); none are simple definition recall. Distractors are plausible errors from the same field, and choice lengths were tuned so the answer cannot be guessed from length alone. For quality assurance, machine validation (section links, Japanese/English parity, explanation structure) was combined with independent review by a separate model covering answer validity, factual errors, scope currency, and duplication, with all findings addressed. All 450 new questions were confirmed to meet our exam-realism and accuracy standards.
- New cert
Added CCNP Enterprise ENCOR (350-401) — the Cisco lineup is now complete
We have added ENCOR (350-401), the shared core exam for CCNP Enterprise and CCIE Enterprise. It covers the core technologies of enterprise networking as practical configure-verify-troubleshoot judgment. Aligned with the official six domains (architecture 15%, virtualization 10%, infrastructure 30%, network assurance 10%, security 20%, automation & AI 15%), it includes a 6-chapter / 27-section textbook, 27 diagrams, 100 questions, and a 77-term glossary. The largest domain, infrastructure, centers on diagnosing root causes from show output — missing allowed VLANs on a trunk, EtherChannel flags, the difference between BPDU guard and root guard states, OSPF stuck in EXSTART due to MTU mismatch, NAT pool exhaustion, and more. With this, our Cisco lineup reaches six certifications: CCST Networking, CCST Cybersecurity, CCNA, CCNA Cybersecurity, CCNA Automation, and CCNP ENCOR.
- New cert
Added CCNA Cybersecurity and CCNA Automation (two Cisco associate certs)
We have added two Cisco associate certifications: CCNA Cybersecurity (exam 200-201; formerly CyberOps Associate / CBROPS) and CCNA Automation (exam 200-901; formerly DevNet Associate / DEVASC). CCNA Cybersecurity centers on the work of a SOC analyst — interpreting logs, packet captures, alerts, and artifacts through to triage — across the official five domains (security concepts, security monitoring, host-based analysis, network intrusion analysis, security policies & procedures), with a 5-chapter / 27-section textbook, 27 diagrams, and 90 questions. CCNA Automation covers network automation and programmability across the official six domains (software development & design, understanding & using APIs, Cisco platforms & development, application deployment & security, infrastructure & automation, network fundamentals), with a 6-chapter / 26-section textbook, 26 diagrams, and 90 questions, focused on judgment-style questions that read and diagnose real artifacts — JSON/YAML, HTTP responses, Python, Dockerfiles, Ansible, RESTCONF/NETCONF/YANG, and diffs. Both include a glossary. The next step is CCNP.
- Feature
Expanded question banks for four advanced AWS certifications (DOP-C02, SCS-C03, ANS-C01, AIP-C01)
We added 50 questions each to four professional/specialty AWS certifications — AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional (DOP-C02, now 217), AWS Certified Security – Specialty (SCS-C03, now 194), AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty (ANS-C01, now 181), and AWS Certified Generative AI Developer – Professional (AIP-C01, now 178). That completes the expansion across all twelve major AWS certifications. Befitting the advanced level, the questions center on multi-service design judgment and root-cause diagnosis of operational and security incidents, aligned with the official in-scope services and domain weightings, with staged bilingual explanations and links to the related textbook sections.
Learn more → - Feature
Expanded question banks for three more AWS certifications (DEA-C01, MLA-C01, SAP-C02)
We added 50 questions each to three AWS certifications — AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01, now 188), AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate (MLA-C01, now 208), and AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional (SAP-C02, now 249) — continuing the CLF/SAA/DVA/SOA/AIF expansion. All are exam-style scenario questions (choose the best design or service from data-platform / ML / large-scale architecture requirements and constraints), aligned with the official in-scope services and domain weightings, with staged bilingual explanations and links to the related textbook sections.
Learn more → - Feature
Expanded question banks for three more AWS certifications (DVA-C02, SOA-C03, AIF-C01)
We added 50 questions each to three AWS certifications — AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02, now 172), AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer – Associate (SOA-C03, now 192), and AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01, now 168) — following the earlier CLF-C02 / SAA-C03 expansion. All are exam-style scenario questions (pick the best service or design from the requirements and constraints; diagnose the cause from operational symptoms), aligned with the official in-scope services and domain weightings, with staged bilingual explanations and links to the related textbook sections.
Learn more → - New cert
Added CCST Networking and CCST Cybersecurity (two Cisco entry-level certs)
We have added two Cisco entry-level certifications that serve as on-ramps to the Cisco program: CCST Networking (exam 100-150) and CCST Cybersecurity (exam 100-160). CCST Networking covers how networks operate — devices, media, and protocols; CCST Cybersecurity covers cybersecurity fundamentals — identifying threats, applying basic defenses, and incident handling — both from a support technician's perspective. CCST Networking spans the official six domains (standards & concepts, addressing & subnet formats, endpoints & media types, infrastructure, diagnosing problems, security) with a 6-chapter / 24-section textbook, 24 diagrams, and 60 questions; CCST Cybersecurity spans the official five domains (essential security principles, basic network security, endpoint security, vulnerability assessment & risk management, incident handling) with a 5-chapter / 20-section textbook, 20 diagrams, and 55 questions. Both feature entry-level situational, identification-style questions (some multiple-select) and a glossary. The next step is CCNA / CyberOps.
Learn more → - Feature
Expanded the question banks for two AWS certifications (CLF-C02, SAA-C03)
We added 50 questions each to two popular AWS certifications — AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) and AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) — bringing them to 179 and 223 questions respectively. All are exam-style scenario questions that ask you to pick the best service or design from the requirements and constraints, aligned with the official in-scope services and domain weightings, with staged bilingual explanations and links to the related textbook sections.
Learn more → - New cert
Added CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate)
We have added CCNA (exam 200-301), Cisco's associate-level certification — Instiq's first Cisco vendor certification. It covers networking fundamentals, routing, switching, IP services, security, and automation, centered on Cisco IOS device configuration, verification, and troubleshooting. Aligned with the official six domains (Network Fundamentals 20% / Network Access 20% / IP Connectivity 25% / IP Services 10% / Security Fundamentals 15% / Automation & Programmability 10%), it includes a 6-chapter / 28-section textbook with diagrams, 100 scenario-based questions (with IOS command output; some multiple-select), and a glossary.
Learn more → - Feature
Ask AI is now free to try
Ask AI (grounded answers from your material with source links and web search) — previously paid-only — is now open to free members: up to 3 times a day, and 100 times total after signing up. You can revisit past questions and answers anytime from “Ask AI history.” Upgrade to the paid plan for unlimited questions.
Learn more → - New cert
Added IT Strategist (ST, morning exam)
We have added the IT Strategist Examination (ST), the top tier of Japan's national IT exams. It is the strategy track and highest level of IPA's advanced exams — completing the full set of advanced divisions (technical, architecture, service management, project management, systems audit, and strategy). Covering the multiple-choice morning exam, it includes 60 questions centered on the ST-specific Part-A-II specialty (business strategy management, technology strategy management, business & industry, system strategy, system planning, and corporate activities & law), plus a 6-chapter / 25-section textbook and glossary. (The common Part-A-I builds on the Applied Information course; the descriptive/essay afternoon exam is out of scope.)
Learn more → - Feature
Section previews: read each section’s intro before signing up
Sections beyond the free preview (Chapters 1–3) now show their key points and opening passage without logging in. Sign up free to read the section in full, plus every chapter and all questions. You can check what a section covers before you start.
Learn more → - Feature
Added "similar concepts in other vendors" to the Knowledge Map
When you select a term in the Knowledge Map, it now shows the corresponding concept in other clouds/vendors (e.g., AWS Lambda ≈ Azure Functions, Blob Storage ≈ Cloud Storage, SageMaker ≈ Vertex AI) in the inspector. Each has a vendor badge, and clicking it jumps straight to that concept on the other vendor’s Knowledge Map — so you can trace "what is this equivalent to on another cloud?" across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
Learn more → - Feature
Added "Ask AI" (beta)
We added "Ask AI", so you can ask a question the moment it comes up while studying. Select text in the textbook and press "Ask AI", or use the floating button at the bottom-right of the screen. Answers are grounded in Instiq's study material (textbook sections) wherever possible, with links to the cited sections. Each answer has 👍/👎 and a report action to help us improve quality. (This feature was initially paid-only; since 2026-07-17 it is also free to try.) Answers can be inaccurate, so always confirm important details with official sources.
- Feature
Knowledge Map now has a page per certification (shareable, searchable, 80 certs)
The Knowledge Map now lives at a dedicated URL for each certification (/knowledge-map/<cert>), published for all 80 available certifications. Every page shows the interactive map on top and a full "concept index (term + definition)" below it. Bookmark or share the URL to open that certification’s map directly, and the pages are now discoverable from search engines. You can still switch certifications right from the selector in the map.
Learn more → - Feature
Made the Knowledge Map (beta) much easier to use
We reworked the Knowledge Map as a learning tool. (1) It now defaults to a 2D view so labels are always readable, with scroll/pinch zoom and drag to pan. (2) The meaning (definition) of the selected term is shown right there. (3) Your mastery of the certification is visualized as a bar. (4) "Good to learn next" surfaces unlearned terms adjacent to ones you already know, both as a list and as markers on the map. (5) An "Overview" button shows the whole certification's concept connections at a glance, and clicking a term drills into its neighborhood. Even without logging in, the map is colored by how connected each concept is.
Learn more → - Feature
Expanded in-text term tooltips for AP, FE, IT Passport, and Information Security Management
We greatly increased the hover tooltips that show a term’s meaning when you point at emphasized keywords in the textbook, across the Applied Information Technology Engineer (AP), Fundamental Information Technology Engineer (FE), IT Passport, and Information Security Management (SG) study materials. We added real concepts that were missing from the glossary—carefully checked to avoid duplicating existing terms—with definitions reviewed for exam-level accuracy, so more terms can be looked up in place while you read.
- New cert
Added the Systems Auditor Examination (AU, morning exam)
Added the morning exam (Part A) of the Systems Auditor (AU), Japan's top-tier national certification for systems audit. Centered on the AU-specific Part-A-II specialty — audit fundamentals, planning, execution and techniques, IT governance and internal control, control evaluation, and reporting and follow-up — study with a 6-chapter, 25-section textbook (with diagrams) grounded in the systems audit standards / internal control / COBIT / J-SOX, 60 judgment-oriented multiple-choice questions, and a glossary. The common Part-A-I builds on the AP course; the descriptive/essay afternoon exam is out of scope.
Learn more → - New cert
Added the IT Service Manager Examination (SM, morning exam)
Added the morning exam (Part A) of the IT Service Manager (SM), Japan's top-tier national certification for IT service operations. Centered on the SM-specific Part-A-II specialty — service management fundamentals, design/transition, operation, continuity/availability, security operations, and system operation/facilities — study with an ITIL/JIS Q 20000-based 6-chapter, 25-section textbook (with diagrams), 60 judgment-oriented multiple-choice questions, and a glossary. The common Part-A-I builds on the AP course; the descriptive/essay afternoon exam is out of scope.
Learn more → - New cert
Added the System Architect Examination (SA, morning exam)
Added the morning exam (Part A) of the System Architect (SA), Japan's top-tier national certification for system design. Centered on the SA-specific Part-A-II specialty — requirements definition, system architecture design, software design methods, non-functional design, cloud/platform, and system integration/migration — study with a 6-chapter, 25-section textbook (with diagrams), 60 multiple-choice questions on design trade-off judgment, and a glossary. The common Part-A-I builds on the AP course; the descriptive/essay afternoon exam is out of scope.
Learn more → - New cert
Added the Project Manager Examination (PM, morning exam)
Added the morning exam (Part A) of the Project Manager (PM), Japan's top-tier national certification for IT project management. Centered on the PM-specific Part-A-II specialty — integration/scope, schedule/cost (EVM), quality/resource, risk/procurement, stakeholder/communication, and PM standards/agile — study with a 6-chapter, 25-section textbook (with diagrams), 60 judgment-oriented multiple-choice questions, and a glossary. The common Part-A-I builds on the AP course; the descriptive/essay afternoon exam is out of scope.
Learn more → - New cert
Added the Embedded Systems Specialist Examination (ES, morning exam)
Added the morning exam (Part A) of the Embedded Systems Specialist (ES), Japan's top-tier national certification for embedded systems. Centered on the ES-specific Part-A-II specialty — embedded processors, memory, real-time OS, hardware interfaces, embedded software, and IoT/functional safety/low power — study with a 6-chapter, 25-section textbook (with diagrams), 60 judgment-oriented multiple-choice questions, and a glossary. The common Part-A-I builds on the AP course; the descriptive/essay afternoon exam is out of scope.
Learn more → - Feature
Launched the Knowledge Map (beta)
We launched the Knowledge Map (beta) — a graph that maps how a certification's concepts connect. Explore related terms by following the graph, with nodes colored by your understanding (auto-derived from your answers, reviews, and vocabulary, plus manual overrides). Available for 22 major certifications (GitHub / AWS / Azure / Google Cloud / IPA and more). Open it from "My learning" on your dashboard, or from any certification's study-guide page.
Learn more → - New cert
Added the Database Specialist Examination (DB, morning exam)
Added the morning exam (Part A) of the Database Specialist (DB), Japan's top-tier national database certification. Centered on the DB-specific Part-A-II specialty — data models, normalization, SQL/relational algebra, transactions/concurrency control, recovery, performance design, and distributed DB/NoSQL — study with a 6-chapter, 25-section textbook (with diagrams), 60 judgment-oriented multiple-choice questions, and a glossary. The common Part-A-I builds on the AP course; the descriptive afternoon exam is out of scope.
Learn more → - New cert
Added the Network Specialist Examination (NW, morning exam)
Added the morning exam (Part A) of the Network Specialist (NW), Japan's top-tier national networking certification. Centered on the NW-specific Part-A-II specialty — TCP/IP, routing/switching, wireless/WAN, SDN/virtualization, QoS/high availability, and network security — study with a 6-chapter, 25-section textbook (with diagrams), 60 judgment-oriented multiple-choice questions, and a glossary. The common Part-A-I builds on the AP course; the descriptive afternoon exam is out of scope.
Learn more → - New cert
Added the Registered Information Security Specialist Examination (SC, morning exam)
Added the morning exam (Part A) of the Registered Information Security Specialist (SC), Japan's national cybersecurity certification. Centered on the SC-specific Part-A-II specialty — cryptography, authentication, PKI, attack techniques, ISMS, security implementation, and networking — study with a 6-chapter, 25-section textbook (with diagrams), 60 judgment-oriented multiple-choice questions, and a glossary. The common Part-A-I builds on the AP course; the descriptive afternoon exam is out of scope.
Learn more → - New cert
Added the Applied IT Engineer Examination (AP, morning exam)
Added the morning exam (Part A) of the Applied IT Engineer (AP), IPA's national level-3 certification. Study the three areas — technology, management, and strategy — with a 6-chapter, 27-section textbook (with diagrams), 90 judgment-oriented multiple-choice questions, and a glossary. The descriptive afternoon exam is out of scope.
Learn more → - Feature
Expanded and refined the glossary (2,895 terms)
We reviewed the glossary across every certification, splitting entries that had bundled several concepts under one heading into individual terms and tidying them so they can be shared across certifications. The glossary grew by about 180 terms to 2,895 in total, improving the coverage of in-text highlight (==term==) tooltips and the /glossary page. Surface-form resolution stays automatic, and any term not yet in the glossary simply renders as plain text.
Learn more → - New cert
Added the Information Security Management Examination (SG)
We added the "Information Security Management Examination (SG)," a national level-2 certification from Japan’s IPA (the same level as FE). It targets the knowledge and practical skills needed by people who manage and operate information security in IT-using departments and organizations. Aligned to the latest official syllabus (Ver.4.1), it covers both Exam A (security fundamentals, management, controls, related fields) and Exam B (practical case studies): a textbook (5 chapters / 22 sections), per-section diagrams, 90 questions, and a glossary. It reflects the newest laws and threats.
Learn more → - New cert
Added the Fundamental Information Technology Engineer Examination (FE)
We added the "Fundamental Information Technology Engineer Examination (FE)," a national level-2 certification from Japan’s IPA and a rite of passage for IT engineers. Aligned to the latest official syllabus (Ver.9.2), it covers both Exam A (technology, management, strategy) and Exam B (algorithms with pseudocode plus information security): a textbook (6 chapters / 29 sections), per-section diagrams, 110 questions, and a 130-term glossary. For Exam B algorithm questions we added a new feature that renders pseudocode in a clear monospaced code block. It reflects the newest scope including generative AI, CNN, and DevOps.
Learn more → - New cert
Added the IT Passport Examination (iPass)
We added the “IT Passport Examination (iPass),” a national entry-level certification from Japan’s IPA. Aimed at every working professional and student who uses IT, it maps 1:1 to the latest official syllabus (Ver.6.5) across all 23 mid-categories in the three fields (Strategy, Management, Technology): a textbook (3 chapters / 23 sections), per-section diagrams, 90 four-choice questions matching the real exam format, and a glossary. It reflects the newest scope, including generative AI. This is the first of the IPA-family exams, with the Fundamental Information Technology Engineer Examination (FE) planned next.
Learn more → - New cert
Added OSS-DB (Silver and Gold)
We added “OSS-DB,” the PostgreSQL engineer certification from LPI-Japan. It covers two levels — Silver (general knowledge, operations, development/SQL) and the advanced Gold (performance monitoring, tuning, failure response, and replication) — mapped to the official Ver3.0 syllabus (target PostgreSQL 12–14): textbooks (Silver: 3 chapters / 11 sections; Gold: 4 chapters / 13 sections), per-section diagrams, scenario-based questions (85 for Silver, 86 for Gold), and a PostgreSQL glossary. This adds a new learning path for database engineers.
Learn more → - New cert
Added LinuC Level 2 (exams 201 and 202)
We added “LinuC Level 2,” the advanced Linux engineer certification from LPI-Japan. Covering advanced server engineering (kernel, storage/LVM, KVM virtualization, containers, DNS/BIND, web servers/Apache/nginx, mail/Postfix/Dovecot, file sharing/Samba/NFS, security/iptables/OpenSSH, and HA/scalability), it maps 1:1 to the official Version 10.0 objectives (subtopics 2.01–2.13): a textbook (201: 6 chapters / 21 sections, 202: 7 chapters / 23 sections), per-section diagrams, and scenario-style questions modeled on the real exam (90 each for 201 and 202). Together with Level 1, this completes a full Linux learning path.
Learn more → - New cert
Added LinuC Level 1 (exams 101 and 102)
We added “LinuC Level 1,” the Linux engineer certification from LPI-Japan. For each of the two exams (101 and 102) we provide a textbook mapped 1:1 to the official objectives (subtopics 1.01–1.11)—101: 5 chapters / 21 sections, 102: 6 chapters / 18 sections—plus diagrams, a glossary (143 terms total), and scenario-style questions modeled on the real exam (101: 95, 102: 100). This is our first non-cloud, Japan-based vendor certification.
Learn more → - Fix
Weekly study report now reliably summarizes the past week
Fixed an issue where the weekly study-report notification rarely arrived—and could be empty when it did—because of its delivery timing (Monday morning by default). The report now summarizes the week that just finished rather than the week that just started, so earned XP and other figures show correctly. The wording also changed from “this week +X XP” to “last week +X XP.”
Learn more → - Fix
Small fixes: comment links, exam countdown, calendar export, and more
Direct/bookmarked links to a question’s comment page now open correctly even if you’ve switched certifications. Fixed an occasional one-day mismatch in the days-until-exam count between the study plan and the stats page, and a daylight-saving edge case that shifted the end date in study-plan calendar (.ics) export. We also made small reliability improvements, including preventing ads from showing to paid members during transient network issues.
Learn more → - Fix
More fixes: ranking, notes, flashcards, notifications, vocabulary edit
Fixed the ranking wrongly highlighting other users who share your nickname as “You” (now only your own row is highlighted). Highlight quotes in My Notes now display correctly for sections migrated to the new block-based content. Fixed flashcards ending study prematurely when marking a card learned under a memorize-status filter. Turning browser notifications off now reliably stops delivery across all your devices, including subscriptions left on other devices. Also fixed a failure when saving a vocabulary deck after editing only its description.
Learn more → - Fix
Reliability fixes: scoring, stats dates, language toggle, reminders, security
We fixed multiple-choice scoring so selecting the same option more than once is no longer wrongly counted as correct. Daily boundaries for stats and streaks are now unified to Japan time (JST), so late-night/early-morning study no longer lands on a different day. Switching language (JA/EN) now preserves URL state such as certification filters and question links. We also fixed reminder emails: the win-back reminder no longer stops permanently after reaching its cap, and now goes to your current email address after a change. In addition, stats no longer drop data for users with very large answer histories (pagination), and security headers were added to all pages.
Learn more → - Feature
Profile improvements: help on every card, and public URLs up to 60 characters
The notifications, achievements, plan & role, and account-deletion cards on your profile page now have “?” help too. We also raised the character limit for your public profile URL (instiq.net/u?u=…) from 30 to 60 characters.
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Added “?” help to each setting on your profile page
Each setting on your profile page (avatar, bio, target certifications, links, visibility, per-field visibility, public URL, nickname, display language) now has a “?” icon. Tap or click it to see a short explanation of what that setting does.
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Add external links (Credly, etc.) to your public profile
On your profile page you can now add up to 5 external links — Credly, LinkedIn, GitHub, X, your own site, and so on — shown on your public profile. Just enter a label and URL to point visitors to your credential pages. You can also show or hide the links via per-field visibility settings.
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The certification picker on your profile is now searchable
The “Target certifications” picker on your profile now matches the rest of the app: search by code or name, filter by vendor (AWS, Microsoft, Google, GitHub), and pick a certification to add it right away.
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Your study plan now syncs across devices
Your study plan — exam date, weekly hours, and task progress — is now saved to your account instead of the browser. Sign in on another device or browser and you’ll see the same plan and progress. Plans previously stored on your device are migrated to your account automatically on your next sign-in (your target certifications are now the basis for study plans).
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Get reminders before your certification expires
If you record an expiry date for an obtained certification, we’ll remind you by email or browser notification as it approaches (by default from 30 days before through shortly after). Toggle it and set the delivery time in your notification settings on the profile page.
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Record the acquisition and expiry dates of your certifications
On your profile page, obtained certifications can now record an acquisition date and an expiry date. Enter the acquisition date and we suggest an expiry based on each certification’s standard validity period (editable; certifications that never expire are labeled as such). Your public profile and dashboard also show the expiry status (“Nd to renew” / “Expired”).
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Continue studying straight from your target certifications
The dashboard now has a “Target certifications” card that shows your textbook progress for each certification you’ve added, with quick links to its study guide and questions. If you haven’t picked a certification to study yet, your first target is used as the default (switch anytime from the header). Add target certifications on your profile page.
Learn more → - Fix
Improved the certification picker on your profile page
On your profile page, the “Target certifications” picker is now grouped by vendor (AWS, Microsoft, Google, GitHub) and sorted by exam code. We also fixed a layout glitch where the “Add” button could overflow the card on narrow screens.
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XP gains now show their breakdown
When you answer a question correctly, the XP toast now shows how the amount was composed (base × cert tier × difficulty × streak × review). You can see at a glance why you earned that XP.
- Feature
Launched the paid plan (ad-free)
We launched a paid plan (¥480/month, tax included) that removes ads. Upgrade from “Plan & permissions” on your profile page; you can cancel anytime and keep access until the end of the current billing period. Payments are by credit card (Stripe).
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Redesigned the textbook and questions catalogs (search, filters, progress, counts)
The textbook (/learn) and questions (/questions) home pages are redesigned as certification catalogs. Search by code or name and filter by vendor (AWS, Microsoft, Google, GitHub) or level (fundamentals to specialty). Each card shows chapter/section or question counts, plus your reading progress when signed in. Pick a card to jump straight to that certification’s study guide or practice questions.
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Added a certification catalog to the textbook/questions home, plus exam-scope overviews per certification
The textbook (/learn) and questions (/questions) home pages now show a certification catalog grouped by vendor, so you can pick and open a certification at a glance. Each certification page also gains an overview — about the cert, the exam domains with approximate weighting, and how to study — to make the exam scope easier to grasp.
Learn more → - New cert
Added 11 Microsoft certifications (SC/AZ/DP/PL/MS/MD families)
We published 11 new Microsoft certifications: SC-100 (Cybersecurity Architect), SC-300 (Identity and Access Administrator), SC-200 (Security Operations Analyst), AZ-140 (Azure Virtual Desktop), DP-420 (Cosmos DB Developer), AZ-120 (SAP on Azure), PL-300 (Power BI Data Analyst), PL-400 (Power Platform Developer), MS-102 (Microsoft 365 Administrator), MS-700 (Teams Administrator), and MD-102 (Endpoint Administrator). Each comes with a 5-chapter textbook, per-section diagrams, a question bank (~100 bilingual items each), and a reference-grade glossary.
Learn more → - Fix
Refreshed the textbook to the latest service status
Using our AI textbook quality check (currency review), we refreshed mentions of retired or renamed services across about 20 certifications. Examples include AWS CodeCommit/CodeStar/OpsWorks/Elastic Transcoder, Azure Database for MariaDB, NSG flow logs, Azure AD B2C, GCP Deployment Manager and Dataplex (now Knowledge Catalog), and the GitHub Actions Node version—annotating retirements and successors. We also corrected factual errors such as the Well-Architected Framework now having six pillars.
Learn more → - Feature
Greatly expanded glossaries for GCP and GitHub certifications
Following AWS and Azure, we greatly expanded glossaries for Google Cloud (14 certs) and GitHub (5 certs). For each cert, beyond services and sub-features, you can now look up cross-cutting concepts—networking, security, reliability, design patterns, and IT fundamentals—with definitions reviewed against the latest facts. Reference-book-level glossaries are now available across the major AWS, Azure, GCP, and GitHub certifications.
Learn more → - Feature
Started expanding glossaries for Azure certifications (beginning with AZ-104)
Following all AWS certifications, we are now expanding glossaries for Azure certs too. We started by greatly expanding AZ-104 (Azure Administrator)—covering virtual networks, NSGs, storage tiers, AKS/containers, Bicep/ARM, monitoring/backup/Site Recovery, plus foundational networking, security, and reliability concepts you can look up individually. Definitions are reviewed against the latest facts (including tidying up retired services), shipping per certification.
Learn more → - Feature
Rolling out reference-book-level glossaries across all AWS certifications
Following SOA-C03 and AIP-C01, we are progressively expanding the glossary for each AWS certification—so you can look up not just services but sub-services, features, and foundational concepts (networking, security, reliability, machine learning, etc.) individually, with definitions reviewed for accuracy and currency (including tidying up retired services). Updates ship per certification, so your cert’s glossary will keep getting richer.
Learn more → - Feature
Greatly expanded the glossary for Generative AI Developer – Professional (AIP-C01)
We expanded the AIP-C01 glossary to a reference-book level (~12×). Beyond core generative-AI development concepts—Bedrock Knowledge Bases/Agents/streaming, RAG (chunking, embeddings, vector search, reranking), agent safety controls, AI governance, prompt governance, model evaluation, PII protection, and jailbreak detection—you can now look up the foundational AWS building blocks (compute/storage/IAM/cost) individually. Definitions were reviewed against the latest facts, including tidying up retired services.
Learn more → - Feature
Greatly expanded the glossary for SysOps Administrator (SOA-C03)
We enriched the glossary to a reference-book level. For SOA-C03 we increased entries roughly 6.6× (around 500 terms), so you can look up not just services but sub-services and features individually (e.g., CloudWatch logs/metrics/alarms, each Auto Scaling policy, IAM policy mechanics, and core networking/security/reliability concepts). We also greatly improved how often the in-text tooltips light up (meaning, glossary link, add-to-flashcards) and reviewed definitions for accuracy and currency against the latest facts (including tidying up retired services).
Learn more → - Feature
New insights on the stats page
We added three features to the learning-stats page. (1) “Exam readiness” — a 0–100 score per certification estimating how close you are to passing, from your accuracy, domain coverage, and practice volume. (2) “Study rhythm” — a weekday × time-of-day heatmap showing when you study most and when you score best. (3) “Do next” — your due reviews and weakest domain gathered at the top so you can jump straight into practice or review with one tap.
Learn more → - New cert
Added AWS Certified Generative AI Developer – Professional (AIP-C01)
We now support AWS’s new professional certification, Generative AI Developer – Professional (AIP-C01). Learn production FM integration, RAG, agentic AI, and Responsible AI with real services—Amazon Bedrock (AgentCore / Knowledge Bases / Guardrails / Prompt Management & Flows), SageMaker, Strands Agents/Agent Squad, and MCP. We provide a 5-chapter, 19-section textbook aligned to the official five domains (FM integration & data 31% / implementation & integration 26% / safety, security & governance 20% / operational efficiency & optimization 12% / testing & validation 11%), plus 120 exam-style scenario questions, a glossary, and diagrams.
Learn more → - Feature
Refreshed the learning-stats page
The learning-stats page (/stats) now shares the same glass + neon look as the home page and dashboard. The top groups your overall-accuracy ring with key numbers (answered, questions, to-review, study time, and last-30-days practice), and the by-certification / by-domain / by-difficulty breakdowns are consolidated into a single card you can switch with one tap. Chart colors now carry meaning by accuracy (weak = red, watch = orange, good = blue, strong = purple), and the accuracy-trend line shifts from red (low) to purple (high) so progress is obvious at a glance. Everything reads clearly in both dark and light themes.
Learn more → - Feature
Revamped how XP is earned
We reworked how XP is awarded to be fairer and better aligned with real learning. (1) Harder certifications (Professional / Specialty, etc.) now grant more XP per correct answer. (2) You can no longer farm XP by re-answering the same question — the first correct answer gives full XP, while reviews grant partial XP only when they’re due. (3) Beyond correct answers, learning actions now earn XP too: finishing a textbook section, completing a mock exam, and accumulating study time. (4) Levels now require progressively more XP as you climb. You now also see the XP you earned right after answering, and textbook sections auto-mark as read once you reach the end. Your existing XP carries over unchanged.
Learn more → - Feature
You can now upload a profile picture
In your profile settings, you can now set a custom image (JPEG / PNG / WebP) as your avatar. Images are automatically cropped to a square and shown on your dashboard and public profile. The preset emoji avatars are still available too.
Learn more → - Feature
Refreshed the dashboard and profile design
The dashboard and profile pages (after sign-in) now share the same look and feel as the home page (glass + neon). Your greeting, today’s tasks, quick actions, study plan, achievements, and study calendar are now cleaner and consistent in both dark and light themes.
Learn more → - Feature
Instiq is now officially launched
Instiq, previously offered as a public beta, is now officially launched. You can use the full set of study materials, question banks, and learning features across 50+ IT certifications (AWS, Microsoft, Google Cloud, and GitHub). Everything is free to use for now (some features will become paid later). We’ll keep improving the content and features, so please share any feedback or requests via Contact.
Learn more → - Feature
Refreshed the home page design
We refreshed the signed-out home page so the whole page now shares the hero’s glass-and-neon look. The certification picker is now a cleaner set of vendor-colored cards, and we added a “three steps to passing” walkthrough. From the news section to the closing call to action, the design is consistent — making it easier for first-time visitors to grasp the whole picture.
- Feature
Unified notes and vocabulary into “My library”
Your notes (highlights & memos) and vocabulary (flashcards) are now combined into a single “My library”. Switch between them with tabs on one page — managing the points you saved and the cards you study in the same place. Your existing /notes and /vocabulary links still work and open the matching tab.
Learn more → - Feature
Added study-time tracking
Your time spent reading and practicing is now tracked automatically and shown as “Study time” in your learning stats. Only active foreground time is counted — idle or background tabs are not. We record only your own learning data, with no ad tracking. See your stats on /stats or your profile (time accrues from this release onward).
Learn more → - Feature
Added study reminders (push & email)
You can now get study reminders. Three types are available — “your streak is at risk”, “you’ve been away (a nudge to return)”, and a “weekly summary” — each with its own on/off and delivery time. Choose how to receive them: browser push and/or email. Delivery times follow your device’s timezone. Configure it from “Notifications & reminders” on your profile page. To use browser push on iPhone / iPad, add the site to your Home Screen and open it as an app (email works without this).
Learn more → - Fix
Improved delivery of signup confirmation emails
We switched signup confirmation-code emails to be sent from our own domain (no-reply@instiq.net) with SPF/DKIM authentication. This reduces the chance of confirmation emails landing in spam and improves deliverability. If an email still doesn’t arrive, please check your spam folder or use the resend option on the signup screen.
- Feature
Published an Operator Information page
We published an "Operator Information" page summarizing the operator, the person in charge, the address, and how to get in touch — reachable from the "Legal" section of the footer. We also prepared a notation based on the Specified Commercial Transactions Act in preparation for future paid offerings.
Learn more → - Feature
Audited coverage with AI quality checks and added questions for under-tested fundamentals
We audited every certification's questions with multi-axis AI checks (including English accuracy and clarity) and fixed mistranslations and explanation inconsistencies. We also analyzed coverage at the level of learning objectives and added questions for previously under-tested fundamentals (data formats, generative-AI evaluation metrics, the shared responsibility model, tracking service updates, and more).
- Feature
Validated Google Cloud cert scope against official guides and added explanations/questions
We validated the in-scope services of Google Cloud certifications against the official exam guides (PDF) and refreshed glossary, textbook, and question coverage. We added explanations and questions for core services such as Artifact Registry, Filestore, Cloud NGFW, Cloud Interconnect, and Cloud Trace (Associate Cloud Engineer), Cloud Armor (Cloud Digital Leader), and Cloud Run (Generative AI Leader).
- Feature
Validated Azure cert scope against official guides and added explanations/questions
For the main Azure certifications (AZ-104/204/500/700/305/400, DP-300/700/600/100, AI-102), we validated the exam scope against Microsoft’s official "Skills measured" study guides and added explanations and questions for services that were previously thin. Newly added/strengthened services include Azure Container Apps, Azure Container Registry, Azure Advisor, Azure Virtual WAN, Microsoft Defender for Servers, RAG with Azure OpenAI and Azure AI Search, Azure App Configuration, Azure AI Content Understanding/Video Indexer, Microsoft Fabric Mirroring/Direct Lake/XMLA endpoint, Azure Route Server, and Azure Arc-enabled SQL. Use them in each certification’s glossary, textbook, and practice questions.
Learn more → - Feature
Strengthened service coverage across all Azure/Microsoft certs (glossary, textbook, questions)
For all Azure, Microsoft 365, and Power Platform certifications, we audited that the major in-scope services appear across the glossary, textbook, and questions, and filled the gaps. We added term-linked explanations of services that were thin per cert (Azure Key Vault, Azure Bastion, Azure Machine Learning, Azure AI Foundry, Azure Private Link, Microsoft Cost Management, Microsoft Intune, Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Search, and more) and added service-identification questions covering them. We also broadened the cert tagging of existing terms. This completes the service-coverage pass across all AWS, GitHub, Google Cloud, and Azure certifications.
Learn more → - Feature
Strengthened service coverage across all 14 Google Cloud certs (glossary, textbook, questions)
For all 14 Google Cloud certifications, we audited that the major in-scope services appear across the glossary, textbook, and questions, and filled the gaps. We added glossary terms such as VPC, firewall rules, service accounts, Cloud Shell, Deployment Manager, Cloud Billing, Cloud Endpoints, and API Gateway, and broadened the cert tagging of existing terms (App Engine, Cloud DNS, Cloud NAT, Security Command Center, Secret Manager, Vertex AI, and more). In the textbook we added term-linked explanations of services that were thin per cert (App Engine, Cloud CDN, Cloud Identity, BigQuery, VPC Flow Logs, Dataplex, Private Service Connect, and others), and added service-identification questions covering them. Use them in the cert-filtered glossary, word-book, and practice questions.
Learn more → - Feature
Expanded GitHub certification glossary and explanations (service coverage)
For the five GitHub certifications (Foundations, Actions, Advanced Security, Administration, Copilot), we audited that the major in-scope services/features appear across the glossary, textbook, and questions, and filled the gaps. We added glossary entries such as GitHub Packages, dependency graph, Code of conduct, code review, configuration variables, Copilot-supported editors, GitHub Connect, and usage metrics, and improved the surfaces/cert tags of existing entries (OIDC, gh CLI, caching, security advisories). In the textbook we added an explanation of the dependency graph to the GitHub Foundations security section and named the supported editors (Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains) in the Copilot explanation.
Learn more → - New cert
Added Google Cloud Professional Security Operations Engineer
We now support the Google Cloud professional certification "Professional Security Operations Engineer." Study all six sections of the official exam guide—platform operations, data management, threat hunting, detection engineering, incident response, and observability—via a textbook (6 chapters, 12 sections, each with a figure), a 100-question bank, and a glossary. Learn integrating Google SecOps (SIEM/SOAR), Security Command Center, GTI, and Cloud IDS; log ingestion with parsers/UDM normalization and Event Threat Detection; event/entity data with aliasing-based enrichment; hunting with Logs Explorer/BigQuery, retrohunt, toxic combinations, and entity risk score; YARA-L detection rules, reference lists, Risk Analytics, and the entity graph; forensic/root-cause analysis, SOAR playbooks, and case management; plus dashboards/KPIs (MTTD/MTTR) and silent source detection—the SOC practice of Google Cloud. This completes all nine Professional-tier Google Cloud certifications.
Learn more → - New cert
Added Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning Engineer
We now support the Google Cloud professional certification "Professional Machine Learning Engineer." Study all six sections of the official exam guide—low-code AI, managing data and models, scaling into ML models, serving and scaling, automating ML pipelines, and monitoring AI solutions—via a textbook (6 chapters, 12 sections, each with a figure), a 100-question bank, and a glossary. Learn BigQuery ML/AutoML/Tabular Workflows, Model Garden ML APIs and RAG (Vertex AI Agent Builder), Dataflow/TFX preprocessing and Vertex AI Feature Store, Vertex AI Workbench and experiment tracking (Experiments/TensorBoard); custom training/Kubeflow/distributed training (TPU/GPU, Reduction Server/Horovod)/hyperparameter tuning/fine-tuning; batch/online inference, Model Registry, A/B testing, private endpoints, quantization/distillation/pruning; Vertex AI Pipelines/Cloud Composer, CI/CD, Vertex ML Metadata/lineage; plus Vertex AI Model Monitoring (skew/drift), Explainable AI, and Responsible AI—the Vertex-AI-centered ML practice of Google Cloud. The eighth of the Professional tier.
Learn more → - New cert
Added Google Cloud Professional Cloud Security Engineer
We now support the Google Cloud professional certification "Professional Cloud Security Engineer." Study all five sections of the official exam guide—configuring access, securing communications and boundary protection, ensuring data protection, managing operations, and supporting compliance—via a textbook (5 chapters, 10 sections, each with a figure), a 100-question bank, and a glossary. Learn Cloud Identity/GCDS/SSO and Workforce/Workload Identity Federation, keyless service accounts; IAM least privilege/deny policies/conditions/Privileged Access Manager/org policies; Identity-Aware Proxy/Cloud Armor/Cloud NGFW/VPC Service Controls/Private Google Access; Sensitive Data Protection (DLP)/CMEK/Cloud EKM/Cloud HSM/Confidential Computing/Vertex AI security; Binary Authorization/Artifact Analysis/Security Command Center/Cloud IDS/aggregated sinks; plus Assured Workloads/Access Transparency & Approval/regionalization—the security practice of Google Cloud. The seventh of the Professional tier.
Learn more → - New cert
Added Google Cloud Professional Cloud Network Engineer
We now support the Google Cloud professional certification "Professional Cloud Network Engineer." Study all six sections of the official exam guide—designing/planning a VPC network, implementing a VPC network, configuring managed network services, hybrid/multicloud interconnectivity, managing/monitoring/troubleshooting network operations, and cloud network security—via a textbook (6 chapters, 12 sections, each with a figure), a 100-question bank, and a glossary. Learn network tiers and Shared VPC/VPC peering/Network Connectivity Center, IPAM and global/regional dynamic routing; Cloud Interconnect (Dedicated/Partner/Cross-Cloud) and HA VPN, Cloud Router BGP; load balancing (internal/external, L7/L4, NEGs), Cloud CDN, and Cloud DNS; private GKE and Dataplane V2; VPC Flow Logs/Packet Mirroring and Network Intelligence Center; plus Cloud Armor (WAF/DDoS)/Cloud NGFW/Secure Web Proxy—the networking practice of Google Cloud. The sixth of the Professional tier.
Learn more → - New cert
Added Google Cloud Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer
We now support the Google Cloud professional certification "Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer." Study all five sections of the official exam guide—bootstrapping/maintaining an organization, building/implementing CI/CD pipelines, applying SRE practices, observability/troubleshooting, and optimizing performance/cost—via a textbook (5 chapters, 10 sections, each with a figure), a 100-question bank, and a glossary. Learn resource hierarchy and org policies, Shared VPC/Private Service Connect, Workload Identity; Cloud Build/Cloud Deploy/Artifact Registry and deployment strategies (canary/blue-green); Secret Manager/Binary Authorization/SLSA; SLI/SLO/SLA and error budgets, MIG/Cloud Run/GKE autoscaling and incident mitigation; Ops Agent/OpenTelemetry/Managed Service for Prometheus, Logs Explorer, distributed tracing (Cloud Trace); plus Active Assist and FinOps (Spot VMs/CUD/SUD/network tiers)—the DevOps/SRE practice of Google Cloud. The fifth of the Professional tier.
Learn more → - New cert
Added Google Cloud Professional Cloud Database Engineer
We now support the Google Cloud professional certification "Professional Cloud Database Engineer." Study all four sections of the official exam guide—designing scalable, highly available databases; managing across multiple technologies; migrating data solutions; and deploying—via a textbook (4 chapters, 8 sections, each with a figure), a 100-question bank, and a glossary. Learn choosing Cloud SQL/Spanner/Bigtable/Firestore/AlloyDB, zonal/regional/multi-regional placement with RTO/RPO and PITR, maintenance windows and session poolers, IAM/auditing/CMEK, slow-query diagnosis and index design, migration with Database Migration Service/Datastream/Transfer Appliance and reverse replication, plus HA with failover drills, read replicas, and synchronous/asynchronous replication—the database practice of Google Cloud. The fourth of the Professional tier.
Learn more → - New cert
Added Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer
We now support the Google Cloud professional certification "Professional Data Engineer." Study all five sections of the official exam guide—designing data processing systems, ingesting and processing, storing, preparing/using for analysis, and maintaining/automating—via a textbook (5 chapters, 10 sections, each with a figure), a 100-question bank, and a glossary. Learn IAM/encryption/PII and data governance, pipelines with Dataflow/Dataproc/Pub/Sub and Cloud Composer, BigQuery/BigLake/Bigtable/Spanner with partitioning/clustering, BI Engine/BigQuery ML/Analytics Hub, and Dataproc clusters/BigQuery reservations and monitoring/fault tolerance—the data-engineering practice of Google Cloud. The third of the Professional tier.
Learn more → - New cert
Added Google Cloud Professional Cloud Developer
We now support the Google Cloud professional certification "Professional Cloud Developer." Study all four sections of the official exam guide—designing cloud-native applications, building and testing, configuring for deployment, and integrating with Google Cloud services—via a textbook (6 chapters, 12 sections, each with a figure), a 100-question bank, and a glossary. Learn platform choice and APIs (REST/gRPC, Apigee), secure design with Secret Manager/IAP/Binary Authorization, storing data and consistency, Cloud Build/Artifact Registry and CI testing, deploying to Cloud Run/GKE, and Pub/Sub integration and observability (Cloud Logging/Trace, Error Reporting)—the developer practice of Google Cloud. The second of the Professional tier.
Learn more → - New cert
Added Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect
We now support the Google Cloud professional certification "Professional Cloud Architect." Study all four sections of the official exam guide—designing and planning, managing and provisioning, security and compliance, and analyzing/optimizing technical and business processes—via a textbook (6 chapters, 12 sections, each with a figure), a 100-question bank, and a glossary. Learn requirements-driven architecture, choosing compute/storage/DB, availability/scalability/DR (RTO/RPO), migration and hybrid connectivity, IaC and networking, IAM and organization policies/encryption/compliance, and cost optimization and SRE/CI-CD—the architect practice of Google Cloud. The first of the Professional tier.
Learn more → - New cert
Added Google Cloud Associate Google Workspace Administrator
We now support the Google Cloud associate certification "Associate Google Workspace Administrator." Study all six sections of the official exam guide—users/domains/directory, core services, data governance and compliance, security policy and access control, browsers and endpoints, and monitoring and troubleshooting—via a textbook (6 chapters, 12 sections, each with a figure), a 100-question bank, and a glossary. Learn user provisioning (CSV/GCDS/SCIM) and OUs/admin roles, configuring Gmail/Drive/Calendar/Meet, Vault retention/holds/eDiscovery, DLP/data regions, 2-step verification/SAML SSO/context-aware access, Chrome and endpoint management, and reports/audit logs and troubleshooting—the practice of Workspace administration.
Learn more → - New cert
Added Google Cloud Associate Data Practitioner
We now support the Google Cloud associate certification "Associate Data Practitioner." Study all four sections of the official exam guide—data preparation and ingestion, data analysis and presentation, data pipeline orchestration, and data management—via a textbook (4 chapters, 11 sections, each with a figure), a 100-question bank, and a glossary. Learn data ingestion into BigQuery/Cloud Storage/Cloud SQL, SQL analysis and visualization with Looker/Looker Studio, pipelines with Dataflow/Dataform/Cloud Composer, and IAM least privilege, storage classes and lifecycle, and CMEK/CSEK/GMEK encryption keys—the data practice of Google Cloud.
Learn more → - New cert
Added Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer
We now support the Google Cloud associate certification "Associate Cloud Engineer." Study all five sections of the official exam guide—setting up the environment, planning and configuring, deploying and implementing, operating, and configuring access and security—via a textbook (5 chapters, 12 sections, each with a figure), a 100-question bank, and a glossary. Learn resource hierarchy and IAM, Compute Engine/GKE/Cloud Run/Cloud Functions, VPC and firewalls/load balancers, Cloud Monitoring/Logging, and service accounts with least privilege—the operational practice of Google Cloud.
Learn more → - New cert
Added Google Cloud Generative AI Leader
We now support the Google Cloud foundational generative AI certification "Generative AI Leader." Study all four domains of the official exam guide—fundamentals of generative AI, Google Cloud generative AI offerings, techniques to improve output, and business strategies—via a textbook (4 chapters, 10 sections, each with a figure), an 80-question bank, and a glossary. Learn how foundation models and LLMs work, Gemini/Vertex AI/Imagen/Veo/Chirp, prompt engineering and grounding/RAG, and responsible AI (SAIF, data governance)—the knowledge to apply generative AI in business.
Learn more → - New cert
Added Google Cloud Digital Leader (our first Google Cloud cert)
Instiq now supports its first Google Cloud (GCP) certification, “Cloud Digital Leader.” Study all six sections of the official exam guide—digital transformation with Google Cloud, data transformation, innovating with AI, modernizing infrastructure and applications, trust and security, and scaling with operations—via a textbook (6 chapters, 12 sections, each with a figure), an 80-question bank, and a glossary. Learn key Google Cloud services such as Compute Engine, GKE, Cloud Run, BigQuery, Vertex AI/Gemini, and Cloud IAM/BeyondCorp from a business perspective.
Learn more → - Feature
Added the glossary to navigation
We added “Glossary” to the header menu (alongside Textbook, Questions, and Review), and on mobile you can now reach the glossary from the “Learn” section of the menu—so you can quickly look up unfamiliar terms while studying.
Learn more → - Feature
Refreshed the site icons
We unified the icons across the site into an Instiq-original design derived from our logo (hexagon, blue-to-purple gradient, ascending steps). Icons and emoji throughout navigation, the dashboard, stats, questions, and the textbook now share one consistent, on-brand look.
- New cert
Added GitHub Administration (GH-100)
We now support the GitHub intermediate administrator certification “GitHub Administration (GH-100).” Study all five domains—manage identities & access (SAML SSO/SCIM/EMU, roles and teams), administer the Enterprise environment (deployment scenarios & licensing, user support), implement secure development & compliance (policies & rulesets, GHAS, API/apps), manage GitHub Actions (governance & runners, secrets & Vault), and monitor & optimize usage (audit log, cost optimization)—via a textbook (5 chapters, 11 sections, with figures), a 100-question bank, and a glossary, aligned with the latest official skills (July 2026 update).
Learn more → - New cert
Added GitHub Advanced Security (GH-500)
We now support the GitHub intermediate security certification “GitHub Advanced Security (GH-500).” Study all six domains—security suites & ecosystem, Secret Protection (formerly secret scanning), supply chain security (Dependabot/Dependency Review), Code Security (CodeQL), security operations (prioritization and remediation), and security suites administration—via a textbook (6 chapters, 12 sections, with figures), a 100-question bank, and a glossary, aligned with the latest official skills (July 2026 update) including the renamed domains.
Learn more → - New cert
Added GitHub Copilot (GH-300)
We now support the GitHub intermediate certification “GitHub Copilot (GH-300).” Study all six domains—responsible use (risks and validation), Copilot features (IDE/CLI, Agent Mode/Edit Mode/MCP, org policy), data and architecture, prompt engineering, developer productivity, and privacy/exclusions/safeguards—via a textbook (6 chapters, 13 sections, with figures), a 100-question bank, and a glossary, aligned with the latest official skills (January 2026 update).
Learn more → - New cert
Added GitHub Actions (GH-200)
We now support the GitHub intermediate certification “GitHub Actions (GH-200).” Study all five domains—authoring/managing workflows, consuming/troubleshooting, authoring/maintaining actions, managing Actions for the enterprise, and securing/optimizing automation—via a textbook (5 chapters, 12 sections, with figures), a 100-question bank, and a glossary, aligned with the latest official skills (January 2026 update). Start from the certification selector in the header or the cert picker.
Learn more → - Fix
English page titles in English mode
We fixed several main pages (textbook, question bank, ranking, learning stats, review, my notes, dashboard, etc.) whose browser-tab and search titles/descriptions stayed in Japanese while in English mode (/en); they now display in English. Japanese mode is unaffected.
- Feature
Added streak freeze (❄️)
We added “streak freeze,” which automatically protects your streak when you miss a day. You earn one freeze for every 7-day streak (up to 3), and if you skip a day, your next answer automatically spends a freeze to keep your streak going. See how many you have under “Achievements” on your profile. No payment needed — they accumulate as you keep studying.
Learn more → - Feature
Save a whole chapter or book as PDF
PDF/print used to be per-section; now you can also export a whole chapter or the whole book. In the textbook reader, the “⎙ PDF” menu (top right) offers “this section / this whole chapter / whole book.” It opens a print-friendly page — choose “Save as PDF” in your browser’s print dialog to export everything at once. Great for offline reading or paper review.
Learn more → - Feature
Added likes to comments
You can now give a 👍 like to comments on each question. Tap once to like a helpful comment and see the count; tap again to undo (no double-counting per person). Log in to use it.
- Feature
Richer profiles (avatar, bio, public profile)
We made profiles richer. From your My Page you can set a preset avatar, a short bio, and the certifications you’re studying or have obtained. Choose who can see it — private (only you), logged-in users, or public — and toggle each item (bio, target certs, level/XP, badges, streak) on or off individually. It’s private by default and only visible to others when you opt in. Set a public URL (handle) and others can view your profile via a share link.
Learn more → - Feature
More badges to earn
We added more badges that reflect your progress. New badges are now granted automatically when you meet the conditions: “🌅 Early bird” / “🌙 Night owl” (answer questions in those hours), “🏅 Domain master” (20+ answers and 85%+ accuracy in a domain), “🧹 Review cleared” (no review items left due), “🎓 Exam passed” (reach the pass line in exam/mock mode), and “💯 Perfect exam” (all correct on a 10+ question exam). You can see your badges on your profile.
Learn more → - Feature
Added a “This week” tab to the ranking (weekly ranking)
The ranking page now switches between “All-time” and “This week.” “This week” is a weekly ranking based only on the XP you earn during the current week, and it resets every Monday at 00:00 Japan time. Even if the all-time top is hard to catch, a strong week can put you near the top. Earning XP by answering questions counts toward both the all-time and weekly boards automatically.
Learn more → - Feature
Export the glossary and your vocabulary to flashcard apps (Anki / Quizlet)
You can now export the glossary and your vocabulary in formats that flashcard apps import directly. On the glossary page, one tap exports the terms you have filtered (by certification or search) for Anki / Quizlet, with the certification code added as a tag. Each vocabulary deck now offers an “Export” menu with CSV (for spreadsheets), Anki, and Quizlet. Everything is generated on your own device and nothing is sent externally — Anki reads the exported .txt as-is, and Quizlet imports it by pasting.
Learn more → - Feature
Refreshed the learning-stats colors to the brand palette
We unified the learning-stats colors around the site’s brand color (purple) for a more refined look. Accuracy is now shown as shades of purple (darker = higher), consistently across the per-certification and per-domain bars, the accuracy trend, the last-30-days practice volume, and the study-calendar shading. The pass-guideline line uses an amber tone that stands out clearly against the purple, and incorrect answers in the volume chart are shown in a quiet neutral gray. Contrast is tuned for both light and dark themes.
Learn more → - Feature
Revamped the learning-stats page
We made the learning-stats page clearer and better at keeping you going. Each section heading now has a “?” icon with an on-the-spot explanation. “Last 30 days” gained Y-axis (count) and X-axis (date) labels, stacked correct/incorrect bars, and a 30-day total plus daily average. The study calendar has a cleaner color scale with a counted legend and weekday/month labels, alongside a big “🔥 current streak / 🏆 longest streak” display and a nudge when you haven’t studied yet today. We also added an accuracy trend (7-day moving average), a pass-guideline line on each accuracy bar (matched to each exam’s passing score), and progress toward your next badge.
Learn more → - Feature
Rolling out “confusable term” contrasts in explanations (glossary, flashcards)
We are adding the distinctions between easily-confused term pairs (e.g., visibility timeout vs message retention, EFS vs EBS) to question explanations, so you can study them in the glossary and as flashcards. We publish each certification as it is completed. [Done] DVA-C02 (Developer – Associate), MLS-C01 (Machine Learning – Specialty), ANS-C01 (Advanced Networking – Specialty), CLF-C02 (Cloud Practitioner – Foundational), AIF-C01 (AI Practitioner – Foundational), SAA-C03 (Solutions Architect – Associate), SCS-C02 (Security – Specialty), SOA-C02 (SysOps Administrator – Associate), SCS-C03 (Security – Specialty), SOA-C03 (CloudOps – Associate), SAP-C02 (Solutions Architect – Professional), DOP-C02 (DevOps Engineer – Professional). All targeted AWS certifications are now complete.
- Feature
Added diagrams to the “service coverage” sections of SOA-C03/SCS-C03
We added a diagram to each of the “in-scope service coverage” sections in the SOA-C03 (CloudOps Engineer – Associate) and SCS-C03 (Security – Specialty) textbooks (12 sections total, one at the end of each chapter). Each diagram groups the services the same way as the section summary (e.g., databases / storage / recovery control), bringing these sections in line with the “one figure per section” style used elsewhere.
- Feature
Refreshed the home page calls-to-action
We tidied the home page calls-to-action. "Start free (sign up)" is now the primary path, with "try without signing up (book and questions)" alongside it. The hero notes that "Chapter 1 needs no signup," and after you pick a certification we add a gentle prompt to sign up. The idea: try it freely first, then sign up if you like it.
- New cert
Rolling out stronger coverage of in-scope services (glossary, textbook, questions)
We are cross-checking each certification against its official “in-scope services” list and progressively improving coverage across three axes—glossary, textbook, and questions—publishing each certification as it is completed. [Done] DOP-C02 (DevOps Engineer – Professional), SAP-C02 (Solutions Architect – Professional), SAA-C03 (Solutions Architect – Associate), DVA-C02 (Developer – Associate), DEA-C01 (Data Engineer – Associate), ANS-C01 (Advanced Networking – Specialty), MLA-C01 (Machine Learning Engineer – Associate), MLS-C01 (Machine Learning – Specialty), AIF-C01 (AI Practitioner – Foundational), CLF-C02 (Cloud Practitioner – Foundational), SOA-C03 (CloudOps Engineer – Associate), and SCS-C03 (Security – Specialty): each now covers 100% of in-scope services in the glossary, adds textbook explanations for previously missing services, and adds exam-style questions for core services.
- Feature
Added a “Glossary” button to each certification card
We added a “Glossary” button to the certification cards on the home page. Tap it to open the glossary filtered to that certification, alongside Textbook and Questions.
- Feature
Study plans revamped: phased, time-based, with today’s tasks
We reworked how study plans are built. The setting changed from “intensity” to “weekly study time”, and plans now auto-organize into three phases—Input (textbook) → Practice (questions) → Final (mock & review)—based on how much of the textbook you’ve read. The top of your dashboard now shows “today’s tasks” plus the rest of this week.
- Feature
Study plans upgraded: multiple certs, intensity, calendar export
You can now keep multiple study plans, one per certification. Pick a certification and intensity (light/standard/intense) when creating one, and see “this week’s tasks” gathered across all plans at the top of your dashboard. Each plan shows a pace estimate and can be exported to your calendar (.ics). We also added a dedicated dashboard URL (/dashboard), a link to My page, and an “active certification” label.
- Feature
Added "?" explanations to each dashboard feature
On the dashboard, we added a "?" mark to the top-right of each feature button—textbook, questions, review, stats, vocabulary, notes, and ranking. Tap it to see a short overview of what each feature does, so newcomers can get started with confidence.
- Feature
Added search to the certification switcher
We revamped the header certification switcher so you can search by code or name. You can filter by vendor (AWS/Azure/GitHub) and see full names and levels, making it faster to find the certification you want.
- Feature
Reorganized navigation and added a mobile menu
We reorganized links into three groups—Learn, My learning, and Info. On mobile you can now reach every feature from the header menu (≡), and your stats, vocabulary, notes, and ranking are gathered on the dashboard and My page.
- Feature
Added a clarity rating (★) to each section
You can now rate each textbook section ★1–5 for clarity (when signed in). Your ratings help us improve the materials.
Learn more → - Fix
Reviewed question/explanation quality and fixed errors and ambiguities
We reviewed questions and explanations across all certifications and fixed numerous technical errors, answer-key issues, and unclear wording—including a display issue with explanation summaries.
- Feature
Legal, FAQ, and Contact pages now bilingual
Terms, Privacy Policy, FAQ, and Contact are now available in Japanese and English, with language-specific URLs (hreflang) for search engines.
- New cert
Added AI-300 (Operationalizing ML & Generative AI)
Added AI-300 "Operationalizing Machine Learning and Generative AI Solutions" as the successor to DP-100 (5 chapters + 100 questions), covering MLOps and GenAIOps.
Learn more → - New cert
Added SOA-C03 / SCS-C03
Added AWS CloudOps Engineer (SOA-C03) and Security – Specialty (SCS-C03), including the latest scope such as container operations and generative-AI application security.
Learn more → - New cert
Added SC-500 and AB-900
Added Cloud and AI Security (SC-500, successor to AZ-500) and Microsoft 365 Copilot & Agent Administration (AB-900, successor to MS-900).
Learn more → - New cert
Added AI-901 / AI-103 / AI-200
Added AI-901, AI-103, and AI-200 as successors to the retiring AI-900, AI-102, and AZ-204, with quick links to switch from retiring certifications to their successors.
Learn more →