DevOps Roadmap: How to Become a DevOps Engineer

DevOps engineering is one of the fastest-growing technology roles. In today's cloud-native world, companies cannot scale new products fast without a strong DevOps backbone.

According to Glassdoor, DevOps engineers are among the highest-paid tech roles. The average US DevOps engineer earns $149k annually, up to $223k for highly experienced professionals (Glassdoor).

A DevOps engineer can often support remote work/flexi-hours since you can manage infrastructure anywhere. This also enables easier migration to jobs across companies and geographies.

The increasing use of cloud platforms, AI/ML, and automation in software engineering will make DevOps skills even more vital and irreplaceable. Those who gain these skills now will reap the benefits.

DevOps engineers get end-to-end ownership of systems. They use the latest cloud, automation, and monitoring techniques. The work involves constant learning and challenging/impactful projects.

How Does DevOps Work?

DevOps, short for Development and Operations, is a set of practices that foster collaboration and communication between software development and IT operations teams.

The goal is to automate and streamline the processes of building, testing, and deploying software, leading to faster and more reliable releases.

In DevOps, development (creating software) and operations (managing IT infrastructure) teams work closely together to break down silos and improve efficiency.

They share responsibilities, use automation tools, and collaborate on a unified platform. This collaboration ensures a smooth and continuous delivery pipeline, fostering a culture of collaboration and shared objectives between traditionally separate teams.

Roadmap to Become a DevOps Engineer

Becoming a successful DevOps engineer involves combining technical skills, collaboration, and a mindset of continuous improvement. Here's a roadmap to guide your journey:

      1. Develop a strong understanding of one programming language

To excel as a DevOps engineer, it's vital to become proficient in at least one programming language. This foundational skill enables you to write, understand, and collaborate on code effectively. Whether it's Python, Ruby, or another language, a solid programming foundation is the key to implementing automation and streamlining various processes in the DevOps pipeline.

       2. Acquire knowledge of various operating systems

A successful DevOps engineer understands their functionalities and how they interact with software, as well as the details of various operating systems. From Windows and Linux to macOS, knowledge of diverse operating systems ensures adaptability. Understanding their functionalities, file structures, and command sets empowers you to troubleshoot issues and optimize system configurations across different environments.

       3. Familiarize yourself with command-line interfaces

Navigating the terminal is a fundamental skill for a DevOps engineer. Command-line interfaces provide a powerful way to interact with operating systems. Mastering terminal commands enhances efficiency in file manipulation, system configuration, and software installation. This proficiency is crucial for effective and precise control over your development and operational environments.

       4. Gain insights into networking, security principles, and communication protocols.

The importance of cybersecurity is only increasing, especially for those working in DevOps shoes. This knowledge ensures the secure and reliable flow of information between systems. It empowers you to create robust and protected infrastructures, contributing to the overall stability and integrity of software deployments.

      5. Understand server administration

Server administration forms the backbone of DevOps practices. As a DevOps engineer, you'll oversee server activities, ensuring they respond promptly to user requests for information. It's beneficial to acquaint yourself with popular web servers and associated services such as Apache, IIS, Tomcat, Linkerd, NGINX, Envoy, Istio, and Caddy.

     6. Explore containers and their orchestration tools

Containers revolutionize the deployment and scalability of applications. Understanding containerization tools like Docker and orchestration platforms like Kubernetes is crucial. 

These technologies enable you to encapsulate applications, streamline deployment, and manage containerized services effectively, fostering consistency and scalability in your infrastructure.

     7. Focus on microservices architecture

DevOps engineers should specialize in microservices and learn about miniservices to boost the efficiency of software development. Microservices break down big applications into small, independent parts, making them easier to manage and update. 

This approach enhances scalability, meaning the software can grow smoothly as needed. Additionally, microservices improve system resilience, ensuring the whole application doesn't collapse if one part has an issue. 

Learning about miniservices, like smaller versions of microservices, gives engineers more tools for creating flexible and modular applications. Specializing in these approaches allows DevOps engineers to contribute to faster deployments and more adaptable systems, aligning with the dynamic needs of modern software development. 

     8. Familiarize yourself with Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) principles

After getting the hang of containers and their management, the next step is diving into Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC). This becomes a crucial focus for any adept DevOps engineer and plays a vital role in project success.

In IaC, you essentially use code to set up and manage your infrastructure, making everything automated and scalable. To make the most out of IaC, you must use tools like Puppet, Terraform, Docker Swarm, Ansible, Istio, Chef, and others. 

These tools empower you to define and control your infrastructure through code, bringing efficiency and consistency to how your systems are set up and managed. Mastering IaC not only boosts your capabilities as a DevOps professional but also contributes significantly to the streamlined and effective execution of your projects.

      9. Understand Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) Tool

A key principle in DevOps is Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery/Deployment (CI/CD), making it essential to grasp. CI/CD tools are pivotal in automating tasks and streamlining processes, allowing your team more time for valuable work. 

Familiarizing yourself with tools like GitHub, GitLab, Jenkins, and Bamboo is crucial. These tools support different stages of the development pipeline, automating tasks from code integration to deployment. 

They not only enhance efficiency but also contribute to a smoother collaboration between development and operations teams. In DevOps, mastering CI/CD tools is like having a reliable assistant who ensures your software development process is seamless, quick, and error-free.

     10. Practice monitoring software and infrastructure

As a DevOps engineer, your main job is to monitor how applications and systems are doing. Your goal is to make everything run better and fix any issues that pop up. This involves looking at data from various sources like applications, servers, and network devices.

You'll track important metrics such as how much hardware is being used, how fast data moves through the network, and how long everything stays up and running. By constantly monitoring and analyzing this information, you play a key role in ensuring everything works smoothly and efficiently.