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There is no universal list of allowed certification resources. What you may consult depends on the exact certification, exam version, exam format and delivery rules. “Open book” or “performance-based” does not automatically mean unrestricted internet access.
If you are taking a Linux Foundation exam, start with its official certification resources page, then check the current instructions for your particular exam. Use only resources the provider expressly permits or supplies.
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What counts as an allowed certification resource?
An exam resource is anything you might consult or use while the exam is in progress: official documentation, man pages, books, personal notes, local files, websites, search engines, AI assistants, another device, or tools such as a terminal and code editor.
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Linux Foundation certification resources
The Linux Foundation maintains a certification-specific resource reference. Find the subsection for your exact credential and read it alongside the exam instructions and candidate agreement. A forum response, including one about OpenJS Node.js Application Developer (JSNAD) or OpenJS Node.js Services Developer (JSNSD), can point you toward the right official page, but it does not replace the current rules: Linux Foundation forum discussion.
The available evidence does not establish one current set of permitted resources for every Linux Foundation exam, so it would be misleading to fill in a universal certification-by-certification list. Verify each item against your exam’s official instructions:
| Check for your exam | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Certification and exam version | That the resource policy applies to the credential and version you booked. |
| Documentation and tools | Whether specific documentation sites, man pages, command help, terminals or editors are provided or allowed. |
| External access | Whether access is restricted to named sites, and whether search engines or general browsing are allowed. |
| Notes and files | Whether printed notes, books, candidate-created files or prepared scripts are permitted. |
| Devices and proctoring | Whether a second monitor, phone or other device is allowed under the delivery rules. |
| AI and outside assistance | Whether AI services or any external help are expressly permitted. |
Check the policy shortly before test day. Exam versions, permitted resources and proctoring procedures can change.
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- Available means a resource is technically present or reachable.
- Permitted means the exam rules allow you to use it.
- Required means you need it to complete an exam task.
- Supported means the provider documents or tests its use.
A browser may be available only for a controlled documentation portal. A terminal may be necessary for a practical task, while unrelated websites remain prohibited. Do not infer permission from what loads, what another candidate used, or what a course instructor recommends.
Common assumptions that can cause trouble
- “Open book means anything goes.” The rule might allow one named book, a specific reference, or only material built into the exam environment.
- “The browser works, so I can use the internet.” Approved documentation access is not the same as unrestricted browsing. Search engines, forums, email, cloud storage and social media may be outside the permitted scope.
- “Man pages or official docs are always allowed.” Availability varies by exam. Confirm that the rules permit the specific reference or that it is supplied as an exam tool.
- “AI is not a person, so it is allowed.” AI may count as external assistance. Treat ChatGPT and similar services as prohibited unless the provider explicitly permits them. Do not paste exam questions or task content into an external service.
- “I wrote the script myself, so I can bring it.” Prepared scripts, dotfiles, personal repositories and other local files may still be restricted. Ask before relying on them.
- “A different certification allows it.” Rules vary widely across providers and exams. For example, DAMA describes a one-book allowance for CDMP exams, while the Vestibular Audiology Specialty Certification says resources, notes, books and references are not allowed. Those examples illustrate variation; neither rule applies to a Linux Foundation exam. See DAMA’s FAQ and the VASC exam information.
Check the rules before exam day
- Confirm the exact certification, exam version and format you registered for.
- Read that certification’s current official resource guidance and candidate instructions.
- Read the delivery or remote-proctoring rules separately, including restrictions on devices, monitors and physical materials.
- For anything unclear—such as local files, a personal script, an AI service or a particular website—ask the provider directly and keep its answer.
- Run any required system check and follow the instructions shown at check-in. If instructions appear to conflict, stop and ask the proctor or provider for clarification rather than guessing.
Use this order of authority: the exact certification page, current candidate handbook or exam instructions, delivery and proctoring instructions, instructions shown immediately before the exam, then direct clarification from the provider. Old PDFs, training descriptions, forum posts and anecdotes are not substitutes for current official rules.
Practise with the same constraints
Once you know what is permitted, practise using only those resources. If the exam allows specified documentation but not search engines, rehearse finding answers in that documentation without web search. Build familiarity with its navigation before test day; do not assume you can bring a personal index or notes unless the rules allow them.
- Practise timed tasks in an environment similar to the exam, including any permitted terminal, editor or documentation viewer.
- Work through mistakes and recovery, not just ideal solutions. Under time pressure, locating the right reference and recovering from an error are skills of their own.
- Check commands and examples against the relevant software version.
- Practise without a phone or second screen if the proctoring rules prohibit them.
- Repeat hands-on exercises until you can use the permitted references efficiently. A Linux Foundation forum discussion also emphasizes repeated practice and speed with the documentation allowed for the exam; treat it as candidate advice, not policy.
If you open a prohibited resource by mistake
- Stop using it immediately. Do not copy, save or transmit exam content.
- Close it if the exam interface permits, and notify the proctor or exam administrator promptly.
- Follow the incident-reporting instructions. Note when it happened and what occurred, without retaining or sharing restricted exam material.
- Do not assume that closing the window resolves the issue; let the provider advise you on next steps.
For any certification, the controlling rule is the current instruction for that specific exam—not a general claim that a test is open book, a resource’s technical availability, or another candidate’s experience.
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