The original study book this section is based on is a genuinely useful, well-organized resource -- its 5 modules already map almost exactly onto the 5 real ACP exam domains, and most of its non-software content (Domain 1: purpose, audience, copyright, project management, communication) is still completely accurate. This page documents, domain by domain, exactly what needed correcting or updating to reflect Photoshop and the exam as they exist in 2026, so nothing gets carried forward by accident.
Old exam format (from the book)
The version of this material in the 2013-2017 source book describes a 40-question, 50-minute, mostly multiple-choice exam (citing a 2017 Adobe exam guide). That format is out of date -- the current exam is the live, in-application Compass format described on the Exam Prep home page.
Exam format
The book describes a 40-question multiple-choice exam. The current exam is Live-in-the-Application (LITA) via Certiport's Compass engine -- you perform real tasks inside real Photoshop. Practice needs to emphasize speed and accuracy actually using the tools, not just memorizing definitions.
Certification name
The book (and the school's own older reference file, "ACA Standards - From Gmetrix website.docx") calls this "Adobe Certified Associate (ACA)." Adobe/Certiport have since renamed it "Adobe Certified Professional (ACP)." The domain objectives themselves have not meaningfully changed.
Pen tool vocabulary (Domain 4.1)
The book invents a non-standard term, "breezer," for the curve handles that appear when you click-and-drag with the Pen tool. The correct, industry-standard term -- used by Adobe's own documentation, GMetrix, and the real exam -- is a direction handle (the lines are direction lines, the points at their ends are direction points). Use "handle," never "breezer."
Selections (Domain 4.3)
The book only covers the Quick Selection and Magic Wand tools. Since 2020, Photoshop's Object Selection tool and the one-click Select Subject command use AI to select a photo's main object almost instantly, and are now the fastest way to make most selections -- know them, since a live exam task rewards speed.
Retouching (Domain 4.5)
The book covers the Spot Healing Brush, Healing Brush, Patch tool, and Clone Stamp -- all still current. What's new since the book: the Remove tool (a smarter, brush-based successor to Spot Healing that also removes shadows/reflections) and Generative Fill / Generative Expand, which use Adobe Firefly (generative AI) to fill or extend a selection from a text prompt. Both are now fair game for exam-style "retouch this image" tasks.
Filters (Domain 4.6)
Neural Filters (AI-powered filters like Skin Smoothing, Style Transfer, and Harmonization, found under Filter > Neural Filters) didn't exist when the book was written and aren't covered there.
Workspace (Domain 2.2)
Photoshop's toolbar and top options changed in 2023 to a unified toolbar plus a Contextual Task Bar -- a small floating bar that pops up near your selection with the next likely action. The book's screenshots predate this; the panel names it teaches (Layers, Properties, Adjustments, Character, Brushes) are all still accurate.
Cloud documents & Libraries (Domain 2.4)
The book only covers importing local files. Photoshop now also supports cloud documents (.psdc, auto-saved to Creative Cloud, easy to open on another computer or an iPad) and Creative Cloud Libraries (shared colors/assets across a team) -- both worth knowing conceptually even if your school works from local files day to day.
Everything else
Layers, masks, blending modes, adjustment layers, the Pen tool itself, type/character settings, transform commands, and the core export workflow (Export As / Save for Web / Quick Export) are all still accurate as described in the book -- these are the parts of Photoshop that have stayed the most stable.