What to Put on Cheat Sheets
Effective cheat sheets for IT certifications cover: networking fundamentals (OSI model layers and protocols, common ports, IP address classes and CIDR notation), security concepts (cryptography algorithm comparisons, authentication methods, attack types and defenses), cloud services (service comparisons, key limits and quotas), and certification-specific frameworks (ITIL practices, PMBOK process groups, AWS Well-Architected pillars).
Cheat Sheet Format
The most useful cheat sheet format uses tables for comparisons (TCP vs. UDP, symmetric vs. asymmetric encryption, IaaS vs. PaaS vs. SaaS), numbered lists for sequences (OSI model layers, TCP 3-way handshake steps), and key-value pairs for definitions (port numbers, acronyms). Keep each sheet to one side of one page - brevity forces prioritization of the most important content.
Using Cheat Sheets for Review
Use cheat sheets as active recall prompts, not passive reading material. Cover the right side of your cheat sheet and try to recall the values from the left-side prompts. For port numbers: cover the port column and recall ports from service names. For commands: cover the command and recall it from the description. This active use produces far better retention than re-reading the cheat sheet.
Best Pre-Made Cheat Sheets
Community-curated cheat sheets are available for most major certifications on GitHub, Reddit wikis, and certification community Discord servers. Professor Messer publishes free study guides for CompTIA certifications that function as high-quality reference sheets. AWS publishes official service overview sheets. For networking, practical networking (practicalnetworking.net) publishes free subnetting and OSI model reference sheets widely regarded as the best available.
All Guides
AWS Services Cheat Sheet: The Core Services Every Exam Tests
Quick-reference AWS services cheat sheet covering compute, storage, database, networking, and security services tested on every AWS certification exam.
Subnetting Cheat Sheet for Network Exams
Subnetting cheat sheet for certification exams with magic number method, CIDR reference table, VLSM examples, IPv6 quick reference, and practice problems with answers.
PMP Exam Formula Sheet: All Key Calculations
Complete PMP exam formula sheet with all EVM formulas, PERT calculations, communication channels, EMV, and schedule variance formulas with worked examples.
How to Make Effective Certification Cheat Sheets
How to create effective certification exam cheat sheets using memory-based creation, comparison tables, domain organization, and a final review strategy.
Google Cloud ACE Exam Cheat Sheet
Quick reference for the Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer exam covering compute, storage, database, IAM roles, gcloud CLI commands, VPC, and billing concepts.
CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 Cheat Sheet
CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 cheat sheet covering cryptography algorithms, port numbers, attack types, incident response phases, and key compliance frameworks.
CompTIA A+ Quick Reference Cheat Sheet
CompTIA A+ 220-1101 and 220-1102 cheat sheet covering hardware connectors, port numbers, Windows tools, malware types, and troubleshooting methodology.
Cisco CCNA Command Cheat Sheet: IOS Reference
Complete Cisco CCNA IOS command cheat sheet covering show commands, OSPF, VLANs, ACLs, NAT, DHCP, and subnetting quick reference for the 200-301 exam.
Azure AZ-104 Quick Reference Cheat Sheet
Azure AZ-104 administrator exam cheat sheet covering identity governance, storage redundancy, VM series, networking, NSG rules, and Azure Monitor quick reference.
AWS IAM and Permissions Cheat Sheet
AWS IAM cheat sheet for certification exams covering users, groups, roles, policy types, STS, cross-account access, and common exam scenarios with answers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I include in a certification exam cheat sheet?
Focus on discrete facts that require exact recall: port numbers and protocols, OSI layer functions, command syntax, service limits and quotas, acronym definitions, subnet masks and CIDR notation, key differences between similar concepts, and framework components. These are high-value because they appear frequently in exams and are not derivable from general understanding - you either know them or you do not.
Is it useful to create my own cheat sheets?
Yes - the process of creating a cheat sheet is a form of active recall and encoding that improves retention beyond just using someone else's cheat sheet. Create your cheat sheets from memory first (write down what you know), then fill in gaps by referencing your notes. This process reveals exactly what you have and have not retained. Use pre-made cheat sheets to check completeness rather than as your primary reference.
Can I bring a cheat sheet into a certification exam?
No. All major certification exams (AWS, Azure, CompTIA, Cisco, CISSP, PMP) are closed-book - no notes, cheat sheets, or reference materials are permitted. Some testing centers provide a blank whiteboard or scratch paper, but you must draw from memory. Cheat sheets are a study tool, not an exam tool. The goal is to internalize the information so thoroughly that you no longer need the cheat sheet.
What are the most important port numbers to memorize for IT certifications?
The most commonly tested ports: FTP (20/21), SSH (22), Telnet (23), SMTP (25), DNS (53), HTTP (80), POP3 (110), IMAP (143), HTTPS (443), RDP (3389), LDAP (389), LDAPS (636), SMB (445), SNMP (161/162), NTP (123), DHCP (67/68), Kerberos (88). Network+, Security+, and Cisco certifications all test port knowledge heavily.
What does this Certification Exam Cheat Sheets section cover?
Certification exam cheat sheets: Cheat sheets condense essential exam facts into scannable quick-reference formats, ideal for final review before your exam. This guide covers what to put in your cheat sheets and where to find the best pre-made ones.