Level path

Data Architecture Practitioner

Data Architect

Own features and services with solid implementation judgment across neighboring layers.

Total concepts 273

Curated for this specific career level.

Specific to this level 9

Concepts explicitly listed in this level.

Knowledge tracks 6

Concepts span multiple tracks and layers.

Job description signals Typical responsibilities

Define data models, platform boundaries, integration patterns, governance, and lifecycle standards.
Align analytical and operational data architecture with quality, privacy, security, and business needs.
Guide data platform evolution, interoperability, ownership, discovery, and migration decisions.
Own features end to end from design through implementation, testing, release, and support.
Make local technical tradeoffs and explain them clearly to teammates.
Improve reliability, maintainability, and observability of the systems you touch.
Collaborate with product, design, QA, operations, and adjacent engineering teams.

Cumulative view includes

Dev / Junior DevSE / Junior SEDE / Junior DEData Architecture / Junior Data ArchitectDev / DevSE / Mid SEDE / DE

Specific to this level 9 Cumulative 273

Track / layer mastery Concept coverage by layer

DATA

Data

8 concepts

Data Engineering 4 Data Platforms 4

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Software

1 concepts

Security 1

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Software

142 concepts

Software Design 35 Programming 23 System Design 16 Programming Languages 14 Algorithms & Data Structures 12 Databases 11 Computer Networks 9 Security 8 Software Architecture 5 Quality Assurance 5 Distributed Systems 3 Operating Systems 1

DATA

Data

62 concepts

Data Platforms 27 Data Engineering 23 Data Foundations 12

OPS

Operations

29 concepts

Deployment 11 Build & Packaging 7 Observability 7 Continuous Integration 2 Local Development 1 Runtime Infrastructure 1

MGT

Management

20 concepts

Business Foundations 10 Requirements & Planning 7 Delivery Methodologies 2 Team Leadership 1

Product

17 concepts

Developer Tools 11 API Products 4 Web Applications 2

Theory

3 concepts

Algorithmic Analysis 3

Learning scope Concepts by learning area

Specific to this level

Concepts introduced by this level

Level concepts

Data Platform Architecture

Design integrated warehouse, lake, lakehouse, and serving layers.

Data Lakehouse Data · Data Platforms new Delta Lake Data · Data Platforms new Apache Iceberg Data · Data Platforms new Apache Hudi Data · Data Platforms new

Level concepts

Data Governance

Establish ownership, discovery, quality, and controlled use of data assets.

Data Governance Data · Data Engineering new Data Catalog Data · Data Engineering new MDM Data · Data Engineering new Access Control Software · Security new Data Product Data · Data Engineering new

Cumulative level expectation

All concepts expected at this level

Inherited path

Coding Foundations

Developers begin by learning to translate requirements into working, readable code.

Inherited path

Developer Tooling

Daily development depends on version control, language tooling, static checks, and repeatable local workflows.

Git Product · Developer Tools awareness Compiler Software · Programming Languages awareness Interpreter Software · Programming Languages Package Manager Operations · Build & Packaging Linting Operations · Build & Packaging Code Editor Product · Developer Tools CLI Software · Operating Systems Version Control Product · Developer Tools Dependency Operations · Build & Packaging Artifact Operations · Build & Packaging Development Environment Operations · Local Development Software Ecosystem Software · Programming Repository Product · Developer Tools awareness Commit Product · Developer Tools awareness Branch Product · Developer Tools awareness Pull Request Product · Developer Tools awareness

Inherited path

Testing & Debugging

A developer owns not only writing code, but proving that it behaves as intended.

Unit Test Software · quality-assurance awareness Debugger Product · Developer Tools awareness Error Handling Software · Programming Code Documentation Software · Software Design Software Testing Software · quality-assurance awareness Test Case Software · quality-assurance awareness

Inherited path

Software Systems Basics

Even implementation-focused developers need a working vocabulary for clients, servers, interfaces, web requests, and the lifecycle surrounding a change.