2026 Applied Information Technology Engineer Subject A study series

A multilingual study guide to IPA's Applied Information Technology Engineer (AP) Subject A, connecting core concepts and practice for the 2026 exam and Syllabus Ver.7.2.

These 38 topics form a finite roadmap: the AP1–32 core study map plus six fixed completion installments (AP33–36 supplements, AP37–38 mixed diagnostics). It is not a claim of complete syllabus coverage, and AP38 closes the series.

Publication cadence and the recommended review cycle are separate: posts appear as they are ready, while review should be spaced to suit your own schedule.

Motitory is not affiliated with or endorsed by IPA, and this series does not guarantee a passing result.

How to use this series

  1. Start with an official Japanese IPA past question to diagnose where you stand.
  2. Classify each mistake as a concept gap, a calculation slip, a Japanese reading problem, or a time shortage.
  3. Study the installment of this series that matches that area.
  4. Retry that installment's original Motitory questions without looking at the explanations.
  5. After a few days' spacing, check again with an official IPA question you have not seen yet.

Results on the 4–5 original questions in each installment do not guarantee that you are ready for the exam or that you will pass. Confirm your level with official IPA questions.

Official material is linked, not copied.

38-topic roadmap

  1. 01

    Number systems, complements & bits

  2. 02

    Logic & sets

  3. 03

    Probability & statistics

  4. 04

    Queueing theory

  5. 05

    Data structures, searching & sorting

  6. 06

    Pseudocode, recursion & complexity

  7. 07

    CPU, cache & performance

  8. 08

    RAID & availability

  9. 09

    OS, virtual memory & deadlocks

  10. 10

    Cloud & virtualization

  11. 11

    Circuits, measurement & control

  12. 12

    UI & media

  13. 13

    Database keys & normalization

  14. 14

    SQL & NULL

  15. 15

    ACID, locking & recovery

  16. 16

    Network layers & TCP/UDP

  17. 17

    IPv4 & CIDR

  18. 18

    DNS, HTTP, TLS & email

  19. 19

    Encryption, hashes, signatures & PKI

  20. 20

    Authentication & access control

  21. 21

    Attacks & countermeasures

  22. 22

    Requirements & UML

  23. 23

    Testing, quality & development methods

  24. 24

    PERT & EVM

  25. 25

    SLA & service management

  26. 26

    Audit & controls

  27. 27

    Strategy, operations & procurement

  28. 28

    Management, marketing & KPIs

  29. 29

    Accounting & break-even point

  30. 30

    AI & data

  31. 31

    Law & standardization

  32. 32

    Database indexes, page-access & performance measurement, access-control diagnosis

  33. 33

    Compilers & language processing (lexical, syntax & semantic analysis, intermediate representation & code, optimization)

  34. 34

    Wireless LAN

  35. 35

    Distributed databases & data warehouses

  36. 36

    Facility management

  37. 37

    Technology mixed diagnostic

  38. 38

    Management & strategy mixed diagnostic

AP21–28 syllabus coverage

A conservative record of the subtopics found by comparing only the AP21–28 posts with Syllabus Ver.7.2. Middle-category names are given exactly as the syllabus prints them in Japanese.

Covered
Used only when every sub-area of the middle category has been checked against the syllabus. No row uses it yet.
Partial
Only the subtopics named in that table row were confirmed in the posts. It does not mean the whole middle category was verified or covered.
Not covered
No dedicated installment was found within the stated review scope. It is not a finding that AP1–38 as a whole does not cover the category.
Not yet verified
Not yet compared with the syllabus.
InstallmentsWhat is coveredMiddle category (syllabus label)Status
AP21Selected threats, attack methods and technical controls中分類11 セキュリティPartial
AP22Selected requirements definition, UML and object-oriented design中分類12 システム開発技術Partial
AP23Selected testing and quality中分類12 システム開発技術Partial
AP23Selected development methods and DevOps中分類13 ソフトウェア開発管理技術Partial
AP24Selected integration, scope, schedule and cost management中分類14 プロジェクトマネジメントPartial
AP25Selected SLM, change, release, incident, problem and availability management中分類15 サービスマネジメントPartial
AP26Selected security risk and incident evidence中分類11 セキュリティPartial
AP26Selected system audit and internal control中分類16 システム監査Partial
AP27Selected strategy, EA and business process improvement中分類17 システム戦略Partial
AP27Selected planning, requirements and procurement中分類18 システム企画Partial
AP28Selected business strategy, marketing and KPIs中分類19 経営戦略マネジメントPartial
AP28Selected technology strategy and roadmaps中分類20 技術戦略マネジメントPartial
AP21–28No dedicated AP21–28 installment · full AP1–38 corpus not reviewed中分類21 ビジネスインダストリNot covered

The review scope is limited to the AP21–28 posts. Middle categories and installments not in this table, and sub-areas whose comparison is incomplete, are "Not yet verified"; this is not a finding about all AP1–38 or the full syllabus.

Published installments

Revision history: 2026-10-28 corrected the AP31 and AP32 roadmap topics to match their content (law and standardization / database indexes, performance measurement and access-control diagnosis), and added the study workflow and the AP21–28 syllabus coverage table.