- CHS-WDEV1 is the CodeHS Web Development Level 1 Certification: 45 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, with a 60% passing score.
- The exam covers four topic groups: JavaScript in HTML, jQuery, Storing and Collecting Data, and How to Build and Maintain a Website.
- No certification prerequisites exist; the Web Development course is recommended preparation, not an eligibility requirement.
- Every attempt consumes one purchased voucher, and retakes need a new voucher each time.
What CHS-WDEV1 Actually Is
CHS-WDEV1 is the shorthand used on this site for the CodeHS Web Development Level 1 Certification. It is an online, multiple-choice credential that checks whether a student can work with the core pieces of interactive, data-aware websites: JavaScript embedded in HTML, the jQuery library, ways of storing and collecting data, and the practical steps of building and maintaining a site.
The label is easy to confuse with other credentials that happen to share similar-looking codes. Everything in this article refers only to the CodeHS exam. If you are searching for a different vendor's test, the facts here (format, scoring, voucher rules, proctoring) will not transfer. For alternate phrasings of the same question, see our short explainers on what CHS-WDEV1 stands for and the meaning of the CHS-WDEV1 label.
Who Issues It and How It Is Delivered
CodeHS is both the governing body and the testing platform. Exams are taken online and monitored either by a teacher or by an authorized proctor, using the CodeHS Certifications app and the Proctor Dashboard. Candidates can test at school or at home, which makes the credential practical for classrooms, districts, and independent learners working through a school-sponsored program.
Because the credential is tied to the CodeHS ecosystem, most candidates arrive through a class that already uses CodeHS. That is why preparation advice for this exam centers on the Web Development course, the matching Level 1 Certification Practice course in the CodeHS catalog, and the official exam overview rather than on third-party textbooks. For a fuller walkthrough of the credential itself, visit our page on the CHS-WDEV1 certification.
Exam Format at a Glance
| Feature | CHS-WDEV1 Detail |
|---|---|
| Credential title | Web Development Level 1 Certification |
| Issuer / platform | CodeHS |
| Question type | Multiple choice, randomly selected questions |
| Number of questions | 45 |
| Time limit | 90 minutes, completed in one sitting |
| Passing score | 60% |
| Reference sheet | None provided for Web Development |
| Suggested materials | Paper, a pencil, and a calculator |
| Results | Within 36 hours on school days, with overall score and topic-level performance report |
| Certificate validity | 10 years |
Ninety minutes for 45 questions works out to an average of two minutes per question. That is generous for recall items but tight if you spend long stretches tracing code by hand, which is exactly what a web development exam tends to ask. Practice reading short HTML, JavaScript, and jQuery snippets quickly and predicting their output or on-page effect.
The 60% passing threshold is a score requirement, not a statistic about how many candidates pass. No official pass rate has been verified, so be skeptical of any site that quotes one. Our pages on the passing score and the pass rate question explain what the available information does and does not support.
The Four Exam Topic Groups
The issuer's exam overview lists four top-level topic headings. These are official topic groups, not a percentage-weighted blueprint, so do not assume the groups are equally weighted or that one dominates the exam. Our complete guide to the four CHS-WDEV1 content areas goes deeper on each one.
Domain 1: JavaScript in HTML
This group is about getting JavaScript to run inside a web page and interact with it. Expect questions that mix markup and script, where you must decide what the page will do.
- How scripts are included in and interact with an HTML document
- Responding to user actions on the page
- Callbacks and synchronization: code that runs later, and why order of execution matters
- Reading short code and predicting the visible result
Domain 2: jQuery
The exam overview expressly retains jQuery, so do not skip it because newer frameworks get more attention elsewhere.
- Selecting elements and changing their content or style
- Attaching event handlers with jQuery
- Understanding how jQuery relates to plain JavaScript
- Recognizing correct and incorrect jQuery syntax in short snippets
Domain 3: Storing and Collecting Data
This group covers how a site gathers information from users and works with data from other sources.
- Forms and the data they collect
- APIs: requesting and using data from outside services
- User-data analysis
- Callbacks and synchronization again, since data requests complete asynchronously
Domain 4: How to Build and Maintain a Website
The most practical-minded group, focused on what happens around the code.
- Hosting a website so others can reach it
- Using a content management system (CMS)
- Keeping a site updated and working over time
What the Scope Does and Does Not Tell You
It helps to be precise about what is official and what is inferred. The four headings above come from the issuer's exam overview, and the overview expressly retains jQuery, callbacks and synchronization, APIs, forms, user-data analysis, hosting, and CMS use. Those are the safest topics to treat as in scope.
The CodeHS Web Development course outline also teaches topics such as JSON, cookies, and local storage. Those are verified preparation-curriculum topics, not separately listed exam objectives. Studying them is sensible because they sit naturally beside forms and APIs, but you should not assume they are guaranteed to appear, and you should not treat them as extra exam domains.
Vouchers, Retakes, and Expiration
Access to the exam runs through vouchers. CodeHS provides school and district voucher pricing by direct quote, and no public numeric fee was verified, so any specific dollar figure you see quoted elsewhere should be treated with caution. Ask your teacher or school administrator what your program has purchased. For the full picture of what is and is not known about pricing, see our certification cost breakdown.
| Policy | What It Means for You |
|---|---|
| One attempt per voucher | Each purchased voucher permits a single sitting at the exam. |
| Retakes | There is no numerical retake limit, but each additional attempt requires another purchased voucher. |
| Voucher expiration | Unused school or district vouchers expire at the end of the contract term and do not roll over between school years. |
| Certificate expiration | Earned certificates expire after 10 years. |
The practical lesson is to schedule deliberately. Because unused vouchers do not carry over between school years, a teacher or district may have a window in which to use them. Because retakes cost a fresh voucher, it pays to take the practice course seriously before your first attempt rather than treating the real exam as a trial run. Our page on exam dates and scheduling covers how timing works in practice.
Test-Day Rules and Proctoring
The exam must be completed in one sitting. It uses an Honor Code, randomly selected questions, and Focus Mode. Focus Mode blocks navigation to other CodeHS pages; it is not described as a system-wide browser lockdown, so do not rely on it to stop you from drifting elsewhere, and do not attempt to.
- Prohibited: external websites, collaboration, copying or sharing exam questions, and running code in another website or program.
- Allowed and suggested: paper, a pencil, and a calculator.
- No reference sheet: unlike some exams, none is provided for Web Development, so syntax you need must already be in your head.
- Accommodations: extended-time and read-aloud accommodations are supported; other requests go through platform review.
Eligibility is straightforward: there are no certification prerequisites. Taking Web Development or Web Design and Development is recommended preparation, not a requirement, and expectations in the course about prior HTML, CSS, or JavaScript knowledge are not admission rules for the certification. Details are on our requirements page.
Who Should Take It
This credential fits students who have completed, or are working through, a CodeHS web development course and want a portable proof of that learning. It suits high school and early college learners building a portfolio, and teachers who want a measurable end-of-course target for a class. Successful candidates receive a downloadable certificate they can attach to applications and profiles.
Be realistic about career claims. A Level 1 certification demonstrates foundational skill with JavaScript, jQuery, data handling, and site upkeep; it is not a substitute for projects and experience. If you are weighing it against your goals, read our worth-it analysis, and for the employment angle, our pages on CHS-WDEV1 jobs and the salary guide discuss what can and cannot be said responsibly. No verified salary figures tie directly to this credential, so treat any precise number with suspicion.
Sequencing Your Preparation by Domain
You do not need an elaborate method. A sensible order follows the dependencies between the topic groups: you cannot reason about jQuery without JavaScript in HTML, and you cannot reason about data collection without callbacks. Here is one way to lay out roughly four weeks, adjusted to the time you actually have before your voucher window closes.
JavaScript in HTML
- Trace short scripts on paper and predict page behavior
- Practice callbacks and execution order, since they return in Domain 3
jQuery
- Rewrite plain JavaScript examples in jQuery and compare them
- Drill selectors and event handlers until syntax is automatic
Storing and Collecting Data
- Work through forms, APIs, and user-data analysis questions
- Review JSON, cookies, and local storage as supporting curriculum topics
Build and Maintain a Website, then full review
- Cover hosting and CMS use
- Take timed practice sets at 45 questions in 90 minutes and revisit weak areas
Key Takeaway
Use your topic-level performance report from any practice attempt to decide where to spend extra time. The real exam also returns a topic-level report, so building the habit of reading results by domain pays off. For a fuller plan, see the CHS-WDEV1 study guide, and for a quick refresher right before test day, use the one-page cheat sheet.
When you are ready to check your readiness under realistic conditions, run timed sets on the CHS-WDEV1 practice test site, and use it again after reviewing mistakes. If you are still unsure how demanding the material is, our difficulty guide offers perspective, and our training overview covers the preparation resources CodeHS offers. You can also browse the full set of tools on the main practice test page.
Frequently Asked Questions
CHS-WDEV1 refers to the CodeHS Web Development Level 1 Certification, an online multiple-choice exam covering JavaScript in HTML, jQuery, storing and collecting data, and how to build and maintain a website.
The exam has 45 multiple-choice questions and a 90-minute time limit, and it must be completed in a single sitting. The passing score is 60%.
No. There are no certification prerequisites. CodeHS recommends Web Development or Web Design and Development as preparation, but that is a recommendation, not an eligibility requirement.
Yes. There is no numerical limit on retakes, but each voucher permits only one attempt, so every additional try requires another purchased voucher.
No. No reference sheet is provided for Web Development. CodeHS suggests having paper, a pencil, and a calculator, while external websites, collaboration, and running code in another program are prohibited.