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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: Besu Certified Professional Exam

$250

Exam Fee (USD)

Linux Foundation

90 min

Exam Duration

Linux Foundation

7 domains

Blueprint Domains

Linux Foundation BCP outline

26%

Networking (heaviest domain)

Linux Foundation BCP outline

2 years

Certification Validity

Linux Foundation

2 attempts

Included within 12-month window

Linux Foundation

The Besu Certified Professional (BCP) is an online proctored, multiple-choice Linux Foundation exam on Hyperledger Besu, the Java Ethereum client. It runs 90 minutes, costs $250 USD (or $495 bundled), includes two attempts within a 12-month window, and is valid for 2 years; the Linux Foundation does not publish the passing score. The seven domains are Besu Core Concepts (24%), Networking (26%), Transactions and Storage (14%), Cryptography (10%), Permissioning and Privacy (10%), Execution Engine and Consensus (8%), and Monitoring (8%).

Sample Besu Certified Professional Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your Besu Certified Professional exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1What is Hyperledger Besu, as maintained under LF Decentralized Trust?
A.An open-source Ethereum client written in Java that can run on the public Ethereum network and on private permissioned networks
B.A consensus library that other Ethereum clients import to add proof-of-authority support
C.A managed cloud service that hosts Ethereum nodes and bills per transaction
D.A permissioned-only distributed ledger written in Go with its own non-EVM virtual machine
Explanation: Hyperledger Besu is an open-source Ethereum client developed under the Apache 2.0 license and written in Java. It is unique among the LF Decentralized Trust ledger projects because it is Ethereum-based and can run on the public Ethereum Mainnet, public testnets such as Sepolia, and private permissioned networks.
2Which license governs Hyperledger Besu and which programming language is it implemented in?
A.MIT license, implemented in Go
B.Apache 2.0 license, implemented in Java
C.BSD-3 license, implemented in C++
D.GPLv3 license, implemented in Rust
Explanation: Besu is released under the Apache 2.0 open-source license and is written in Java, which lets it run on the Java Virtual Machine across operating systems. This permissive license and JVM portability are key reasons enterprises adopt it for consortium deployments.
3An Ethereum client is the software that implements the Ethereum protocol. Which statement best describes Besu's role as a client?
A.It is a block explorer that reads other nodes' state but never participates in the network
B.It only validates blocks and cannot execute smart contracts
C.It implements the EVM, peer-to-peer networking, storage, and JSON-RPC APIs needed to run a node on EVM-based chains
D.It is a wallet that stores user funds but does not maintain blockchain state
Explanation: As an Ethereum client, Besu contains the components needed to participate in an EVM-based network: an EVM to execute transactions and smart contracts, peer-to-peer networking to communicate with other nodes, a storage layer for world state and blocks, and JSON-RPC APIs for external interaction. This modular separation of consensus, networking, storage, and EVM is a deliberate Besu design choice.
4Besu implements the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA) client specification. What is the primary purpose of aligning with the EEA specification?
A.To replace the public Ethereum protocol with a proprietary enterprise protocol
B.To mandate proof-of-work consensus for all enterprise networks
C.To require all transactions to be private by default
D.To create common, standard interfaces across Ethereum implementations so enterprises avoid vendor lock-in
Explanation: The EEA client specification was established to create common interfaces among open and closed source Ethereum projects so that users do not experience vendor lock-in and so application teams can rely on standard interfaces. Besu implements enterprise features in alignment with the EEA client specification, including its private transaction (EEA priv/eea JSON-RPC) interfaces.
5Why does Hyperledger Besu deliberately avoid managing user private keys inside the client?
A.For security reasons; instead an external signer such as Web3Signer (formerly EthSigner) handles key storage and transaction signing
B.Because Besu has no need to send signed transactions
C.Because private keys are stored on-chain in the genesis file
D.Because the JVM cannot perform cryptographic signing operations
Explanation: Besu does not support key management within the client due to security concerns. Instead, an external signing service such as Web3Signer (the successor to EthSigner) holds keys and signs transactions, often backed by HashiCorp Vault or cloud HSMs. This separation keeps private key material out of the client process.
6What does the genesis file define for a Besu network?
A.The list of peers a node should dial after startup
B.The first block in the chain and the network-wide settings, including the consensus protocol and initial account allocations
C.Only the metrics scrape interval used by Prometheus
D.The private keys for every validator on the network
Explanation: The genesis file defines the first block in the chain, and that first block defines which chain a node joins. It specifies network-wide settings such as the chain ID, the consensus protocol (ethash, ibft2, or qbft), gas configuration, and the initial account balances in the alloc section. All nodes in a network must use the same genesis file.
7In a Besu genesis file, what does the chainId in the config section establish?
A.The block period in seconds between consecutive blocks
B.The number of validators required to produce a block
C.A unique network identifier used for replay protection (EIP-155) so transactions signed for one chain cannot be replayed on another
D.The maximum number of peers a node may connect to
Explanation: The chainId is a unique identifier for the network and is incorporated into transaction signatures per EIP-155 replay protection, so a transaction signed for one chain ID cannot be replayed on a chain with a different ID. Each private Besu network should use its own distinct chain ID, separate from Mainnet (1) and public testnets.
8Which command-line option is used to start Besu with a custom private-network genesis file?
A.--data-path=<path>
B.--config-file=<path>
C.--network=mainnet
D.--genesis-file=<path>
Explanation: For a private network you create a JSON genesis file and point Besu at it with --genesis-file=<path>. For built-in public networks you instead use --network (for example --network=sepolia), where the genesis configuration is bundled into Besu.
9Besu can store its options in a configuration file. Which file format does Besu use for that configuration file?
A.TOML
B.INI
C.XML
D.YAML
Explanation: Besu uses the TOML format for its configuration file, supplied with --config-file. Storing flags in a TOML file makes a node's setup reusable and reproducible across restarts and across multiple nodes.
10What is a "free gas" (zero-base-fee) network in the context of a private Besu deployment?
A.A network where validators are paid a fixed block reward in stablecoins
B.A network configured so transactions cost no gas, typically by setting a zero base fee and a zero minimum gas price
C.A public network where the Ethereum Foundation subsidizes user gas
D.A network that disables the EVM to avoid computation costs
Explanation: Many private Besu networks run as free gas networks where transactions cost nothing, removing the need to fund accounts with ether. This is typically configured with a zero base fee in the genesis file (the zeroBaseFee or zerobasefee setting) together with starting Besu with --min-gas-price=0 so the node accepts zero-priced transactions.

About the Besu Certified Professional Exam

The Besu Certified Professional (BCP) is a Linux Foundation / LF Decentralized Trust certification that validates skills with Hyperledger Besu, an open-source Ethereum client for both public and private permissioned networks. The exam confirms a candidate understands blockchain and EVM fundamentals and can design, deploy, and monitor production Besu deployments. The blueprint spans seven domains: Besu Core Concepts (24%), Networking (26%), Transactions and Storage (14%), Cryptography (10%), Permissioning and Privacy (10%), Execution Engine and Consensus (8%), and Monitoring (8%). It is delivered online with remote proctoring as a multiple-choice exam, and the certification is valid for two years.

Assessment

Question count not published by the exam provider

Time Limit

90 minutes

Passing Score

Not publicly published

Exam Fee

$250 (Linux Foundation (LF Decentralized Trust))

Besu Certified Professional Exam Content Outline

24%

Besu Core Concepts

Understand Besu as an Apache 2.0 Java Ethereum client that runs on public Ethereum, public testnets, and private permissioned networks; the genesis file, chain ID, milestone forks, and alloc; free gas (zero base fee) networks; TOML configuration; the plugin API; and EEA client-specification alignment.

26%

Networking

Master peer-to-peer networking with enode URLs, bootnodes, discovery, and static-nodes.json; default ports (30303 P2P, 8545 RPC, 9545 metrics); JSON-RPC over HTTP, WebSocket, and IPC; default ETH/NET/WEB3 namespaces versus enabling ADMIN/PERM/PRIV; snap versus full sync; and RPC security via CORS and host allowlists.

14%

Transactions and Storage

Know Bonsai Tries (default) versus Forest of Tries, trie logs, RocksDB, and the historical-block limit; full versus archive nodes; transaction structure, nonce, gas limit, and the EIP-1559 base fee; the transaction pool; and the account and storage trie model.

10%

Cryptography

Work with secp256k1 ECDSA signatures and recovery (v, r, s) under EIP-155, Keccak-256 hashing, address derivation from the public key, tamper-evident block-hash chaining, and secure key handling using external signers and HSM-backed security modules.

10%

Permissioning and Privacy

Apply node and account permissioning, on-chain (smart-contract) versus local (file-based) permissioning, private transactions through Tessera, Privacy Marker Transactions, privacy groups with isolated private state, and the PRIV and EEA JSON-RPC namespaces.

8%

Execution Engine and Consensus

Configure proof-of-authority consensus with QBFT (recommended), IBFT 2.0, and Clique; reason about immediate finality, BFT quorum (2/3) and fault tolerance; manage validator voting and block period; and understand Besu as the execution client under Mainnet proof of stake via the Engine API.

8%

Monitoring

Enable Prometheus metrics with --metrics-enabled on default port 9545, visualize with Grafana, query debug_metrics over JSON-RPC, monitor chain-head lag and configure alerts, and use block explorers and EthStats-style dashboards for network-level monitoring.

How to Pass the Besu Certified Professional Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Not publicly published
  • Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
  • Time limit: 90 minutes
  • Exam fee: $250

Keys to Passing

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Besu Certified Professional Study Tips from Top Performers

1Build a private QBFT or IBFT 2.0 Besu network from a custom genesis file; hands-on practice with chainId, milestone forks, alloc, and extraData validators cements Core Concepts (24%) and Consensus (8%).
2Spend the most time on Networking (26%): memorize default ports (30303 P2P, 8545 RPC, 9545 metrics), how enode URLs, bootnodes, discovery, and static-nodes.json work, and which JSON-RPC namespaces (ETH/NET/WEB3) are enabled by default versus opt-in.
3Compare Bonsai Tries versus Forest of Tries: know that Bonsai is the default and best for recent reads while Forest suits archive nodes, and understand trie logs and the 512-block historical limit.
4Drill cryptography fundamentals: secp256k1 ECDSA, Keccak-256, address derivation from the public key, EIP-155 replay protection in the signature v value, and why Besu keeps keys out of the client (Web3Signer, HSM security modules).
5Learn the privacy and permissioning model end to end: Tessera private transaction manager, Privacy Marker Transactions, privacy groups, node versus account permissioning, and on-chain versus local permissioning with the PRIV/EEA namespaces.
6Practice monitoring: enable --metrics-enabled, scrape port 9545 with Prometheus at /metrics, visualize in Grafana, and know to alert on how far a node is behind the chain head.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the current exam facts for the BCP?

The Besu Certified Professional is an online proctored, multiple-choice Linux Foundation exam lasting 90 minutes and costing $250 USD (or $495 bundled with THRIVE-ONE). It includes two attempts within a 12-month eligibility window and the certification is valid for two years.

What does the BCP exam cover?

It covers seven domains: Besu Core Concepts (24%), Networking (26%), Transactions and Storage (14%), Cryptography (10%), Permissioning and Privacy (10%), Execution Engine and Consensus (8%), and Monitoring (8%), all grounded in the Hyperledger Besu Ethereum client.

Which domain carries the most weight on the BCP?

Networking is the heaviest domain at 26%, covering peer-to-peer enode/bootnode discovery, JSON-RPC over HTTP/WebSocket/IPC, default ports, API namespaces, sync modes, and RPC security. Besu Core Concepts is close behind at 24%.

What is the passing score for the BCP?

The Linux Foundation does not publicly publish the BCP passing score. Prepare to demonstrate broad, accurate knowledge across all seven domains rather than targeting a specific percentage.

Are there prerequisites for the BCP?

There are no formal prerequisites, but the Linux Foundation recommends a foundation in IT infrastructure, networking, and basic blockchain and Ethereum (EVM) concepts. Hands-on experience deploying and monitoring a private Besu network is the best preparation.

How long is the BCP certification valid?

The Besu Certified Professional certification is valid for two years, after which it must be renewed to remain current.