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What does RISC-V stand for and what is its defining philosophy?

A reduced instruction set computer fifth generation, open standard ISA with a small base plus optional extensions

A proprietary microcontroller architecture from Intel

A graphics accelerator ISA from NVIDIA

A firmware language for hard drives

to track

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: RVFA Exam

Questions

Linux Foundation

90 min

Time Limit

Linux Foundation

75%

Passing Score

Linux Foundation

$250

Exam Fee

Linux Foundation

1 retake

Included

RVFA product page

12 months

Eligibility Window

Candidate handbook

RVFA is a 90-minute, 60-question, online proctored multiple-choice exam with a 75% passing score and a $250 exam-only price. Official domain weights are RISC-V Overview (10%), RISC-V ISA (35%), Assembly Language (25%), High-Level Languages (15%), and RISC-V Operating Systems & Tools (15%). Certification is valid for two years, includes one free retake, and carries a 12-month eligibility window. The bundled LFD210 course (RISC-V Fundamentals) is the most common study resource.

Sample RVFA Practice Questions

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1What does RISC-V stand for and what is its defining philosophy?

A.A reduced instruction set computer fifth generation, open standard ISA with a small base plus optional extensions

B.A proprietary microcontroller architecture from Intel

C.A graphics accelerator ISA from NVIDIA

D.A firmware language for hard drives

Explanation: RISC-V is a free and open RISC instruction set architecture developed at UC Berkeley. Its defining philosophy is a small, stable base ISA (for example RV32I/RV64I) plus modular standard extensions that implementations can adopt as needed.

2Which organization is the steward of the RISC-V specifications and trademark?

A.RISC-V International

B.The Linux Foundation alone

C.IEEE

D.Intel Corporation

Explanation: RISC-V International (originally the RISC-V Foundation, now headquartered in Switzerland) is the nonprofit that develops and ratifies the RISC-V specifications and manages the trademark.

3Which of the following is TRUE about the RISC-V ISA?

A.It is an open specification that anyone can implement without paying royalties

B.It requires a per-chip royalty to RISC-V International

C.It is closed-source and proprietary

D.It is only available to universities

Explanation: The RISC-V ISA specifications are openly published and royalty-free. Anyone - commercial, academic, or hobbyist - can implement a RISC-V core without paying per-chip licensing fees.

4Which statement best describes RISC-V's modularity?

A.A small, stable base ISA such as RV32I plus standard optional extensions encoded by single letters

B.Every feature is mandatory in every implementation

C.The ISA changes randomly between cores

D.Each vendor defines its own incompatible core ISA

Explanation: RISC-V's modular design pairs a minimal base (I) with optional standard extensions (M, A, F, D, C, etc.). Implementations pick the subset they need, creating configurations like RV32IMAC or RV64GC.

5Which of these is NOT part of the RISC-V unprivileged specification?

A.The Windows kernel internals

B.Base ISA encoding

C.Standard extension encodings

D.Calling convention definitions

Explanation: The RISC-V unprivileged specification defines the base ISA, encodings, and related ABI material. Windows internals are an operating system concern, completely outside the ISA specification.

6Which combination defines the profile commonly abbreviated as RV64GC?

A.RV64I + M + A + F + D + Zicsr + Zifencei + C

B.RV32I + only M

C.RV64I + only C

D.RV64E + G

Explanation: G is shorthand for the IMAFD + Zicsr + Zifencei combination. Adding C gives RV64GC, a common profile for general-purpose RISC-V Linux cores.

7Which Linux Foundation course is explicitly bundled with RVFA to teach RISC-V fundamentals?

A.LFD210 RISC-V Fundamentals

B.LFD421 Kernel Internals

C.LFS250 Kubernetes Essentials

D.LFS260 Cloud Native Logistics

Explanation: LFD210 (RISC-V Fundamentals) is the self-paced training that Linux Foundation offers as a bundle with the RVFA exam voucher.

8Which statement about contributing to RISC-V specifications is TRUE?

A.Work happens in RISC-V International working groups and technical groups, with standard extensions going through a ratification process

B.Only one company writes the specs behind closed doors

C.Anyone can push changes directly to a master repo without review

D.There is no formal ratification process

Explanation: RISC-V International organizes contributors into technical groups and working groups. Proposals go through stable and frozen stages before ratification as standard extensions.

9What is the native register width of RV64I?

A.64 bits (XLEN = 64)

B.32 bits

C.16 bits

D.128 bits

Explanation: RV64I is the 64-bit base integer ISA. XLEN is 64, meaning the integer registers are 64 bits wide. RV32I is the 32-bit variant.

10Which best describes RVFA's positioning among RISC-V certifications?

A.An entry-level certification for those starting a RISC-V career or transitioning from another ISA

B.An expert-level silicon design certification

C.A networking certification

D.A cybersecurity certification

Explanation: RVFA is explicitly entry-level, intended for those new to RISC-V or transitioning from ARM, x86, or other architectures. It covers foundational ISA and tooling knowledge.

About the RVFA Exam

The RISC-V Foundational Associate (RVFA) validates entry-level skills across the RISC-V instruction set architecture, assembly language, C toolchains, and operating system and firmware fundamentals. It targets embedded engineers, RTL/DV engineers, software developers, and documentation engineers entering or transitioning to the RISC-V ecosystem.

Assessment

60 multiple-choice questions

Time Limit

90 minutes

Passing Score

75%

Exam Fee

$250 (The Linux Foundation / RISC-V International)

RVFA Exam Content Outline

10%

RISC-V Overview

RISC-V history, RISC-V International, the RISC-V specifications and documentation, and community contribution paths.

35%

RISC-V Instruction Set Architecture

RV32I/RV64I base ISA, instruction formats, standard extensions (M, A, F, D, C), privilege modes, CSRs, exceptions/interrupts, memory models, and virtual memory.

25%

Assembly Language for RISC-V

RISC-V assembly syntax, CSR access, writing and debugging code, performance assessment, and mapping high-level constructs to assembly.

15%

High-Level Languages (C)

Compilers (GCC/LLVM), debuggers, simulators, calling conventions, ABIs, the stack, disassembly, and inline assembly.

15%

RISC-V Operating Systems and Tools

OS fundamentals on RISC-V, firmware, microcontrollers vs. application processors, and general-purpose OS usage.

How to Pass the RVFA Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 75%
Assessment: 60 multiple-choice questions
Time limit: 90 minutes
Exam fee: $250

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

RVFA Study Tips from Top Performers

1Start with the base integer ISA (RV32I and RV64I) including all instruction formats (R, I, S, B, U, J) and what each field encodes.

2Know every standard extension by letter: M (multiply/divide), A (atomics), F/D (single/double float), C (compressed 16-bit).

3Memorize the RISC-V privilege modes (M, S, U) and the role of CSRs such as mstatus, mtvec, mepc, mcause.

4Practice writing RISC-V assembly for common patterns (function prologue/epilogue, loop, conditional, array access).

5Read compiler output with objdump -d and understand the standard calling convention and stack layout.

6Run code on QEMU-system-riscv or Spike and step through it with GDB to build familiarity with tools and firmware.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the RVFA exam?

RVFA is a 90-minute online proctored exam with 60 multiple-choice questions. You need 75% to pass. The exam is delivered through Linux Foundation's PSI Bridge secure browser with remote proctoring.

What score do you need to pass RVFA?

The passing score is 75%, aligning with most other Linux Foundation associate-level multiple-choice certifications. Results are typically emailed within 24 hours. Use timed 60-question practice sets until you can comfortably clear the 75% bar under exam conditions.

What are the official RVFA domain weights?

The current RVFA curriculum weights RISC-V Overview at 10%, RISC-V ISA at 35%, Assembly Language at 25%, High-Level Languages (C) at 15%, and RISC-V Operating Systems and Tools at 15%. That means 60% of the exam is ISA and assembly, so fluency with RV32I/RV64I, standard extensions, CSRs, and assembly encoding is critical.

Does RVFA require prior RISC-V experience?

There are no formal prerequisites. However, the exam expects working familiarity with C programming, GDB debugging, and basic system architecture. Candidates without that background typically benefit from the LFD210 RISC-V Fundamentals course before attempting the exam.

How much does the RVFA exam cost?

RVFA costs $250 exam-only. Linux Foundation also offers an LFD210 (RISC-V Fundamentals) plus RVFA bundle that adds the self-paced course. The exam-only price includes one free retake within a 12-month eligibility window.

How long should I study for RVFA?

Most candidates plan 4-8 weeks with 40-60 study hours, depending on prior exposure to ISAs and assembly. Focus heavily on the ISA and assembly domains, practice reading disassembly from GCC or Clang, and run code on an emulator like QEMU or Spike to solidify concepts.