What is a DevOps Engineer?
A DevOps engineer helps development and operations teams work together. They automate how code is tested, built and released, manage servers and cloud infrastructure, and make sure applications stay fast, secure and available.
DevOps engineers use tools such as Linux, Git, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform and cloud platforms like AWS, Azure or Google Cloud. Their work lets companies release updates many times a day instead of a few times a year.
How to use this devops engineer roadmap
Follow this DevOps engineer roadmap in order. Linux and networking come first, because almost every DevOps tool runs on top of them.
Practise in a real environment. Free cloud tiers and a home lab let you break things safely and learn how to fix them, which is the heart of DevOps work.
1Step 1: Linux and the command line
Most servers run Linux. Learn to use it confidently from the terminal.
What is it?
Linux is the operating system that runs most servers. You control it through the command line, typing commands to manage files, users, permissions and running programs. SSH lets you log in to a remote server securely.
What to learn
Spend real time in the terminal. Speed and confidence here make every later step easier.
Example
bash
ssh user@203.0.113.10
sudo apt update && sudo apt install nginx -y
sudo systemctl status nginxLog in to a server, install the Nginx web server and check that it is running.
Helpful resource: Linux Journey
2Step 2: Networking basics
Understand how services talk to each other across networks.
What is it?
Networking is how computers find and talk to each other. IP addresses identify machines, DNS turns names into addresses, ports identify services and TLS certificates encrypt traffic for HTTPS.
What to learn
Many production problems are network problems. Knowing the basics helps you find issues quickly.
Example
bash
dig example.com +short
curl -I https://example.com
sudo certbot --nginx -d example.comLook up a domain, check the HTTPS response and install a free certificate with Certbot.
Helpful resource: MDN: An overview of HTTP
3Step 3: Scripting and a programming language
Automate repeated tasks with scripts.
What is it?
Scripting means writing small programs that automate repeated tasks. Bash is great for quick server jobs and Python for more complex automation. Cron runs scripts on a schedule.
What to learn
Python is the most common language for DevOps automation. Our Python roadmap covers the basics.
Example
bash
#!/bin/bash
tar -czf /backups/site-$(date +%F).tar.gz /var/www/html
find /backups -mtime +7 -deleteA nightly backup script that compresses the website folder and deletes backups older than seven days.
Helpful resource: GNU Bash manual
4Step 4: Git and collaboration
Use version control for code and infrastructure.
What is it?
Git tracks changes to code and configuration. In DevOps, scripts, pipelines and infrastructure definitions all live in Git so every change is reviewed and can be rolled back.
What to learn
In DevOps, everything should live in Git, including scripts and infrastructure definitions.
Example
bash
git log --oneline -5
git revert a1b2c3d
git pushView recent changes and safely undo a bad commit with revert.
Helpful resource: Pro Git book (free)
5Step 5: Containers with Docker
Package applications so they run the same everywhere.
What is it?
A container packages an app with everything it needs, so it runs the same on any machine. Docker builds images from a Dockerfile, and Docker Compose runs several containers together.
What to learn
Containers solve the classic problem of code that works on one machine but not another.
Example
yaml
services:
web:
build: .
ports: ["8000:8000"]
db:
image: postgres:16
environment:
POSTGRES_PASSWORD: exampleOne file starts a web app and its PostgreSQL database together.
Helpful resource: Docker getting started guide
6Step 6: CI/CD pipelines
Automate testing and deployment every time code changes.
What is it?
CI/CD stands for continuous integration and continuous delivery. Every code change is automatically tested, built and, if everything passes, deployed.
What to learn
A good pipeline gives teams fast, safe feedback. Start simple and improve it over time.
Example
yaml
name: CI
on: [push]
jobs:
test:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
- run: docker build -t app .
- run: docker run app pytestOn every push, GitHub Actions builds the Docker image and runs the tests inside it.
Helpful resource: GitHub Actions documentation
7Step 7: Cloud platforms
Learn to run infrastructure on a major cloud provider.
What is it?
Cloud platforms like AWS, Azure and Google Cloud rent you servers, storage, databases and networks on demand. IAM (identity and access management) controls who can do what.
What to learn
Pick one cloud and learn it well. The ideas transfer easily to the others.
Example
bash
aws s3 mb s3://my-app-backups
aws s3 cp backup.tar.gz s3://my-app-backups/
aws ec2 describe-instances --output tableCreate a storage bucket, upload a backup and list your virtual servers with the AWS CLI.
Helpful resource: AWS getting started
8Step 8: Infrastructure as code
Define servers and cloud resources in code so they are repeatable.
What is it?
Infrastructure as code (IaC) describes servers, networks and other resources in files. Tools like Terraform read those files and create the same setup every time, with no manual clicking.
What to learn
Infrastructure as code removes manual mistakes and makes environments easy to rebuild.
Example
hcl
resource "aws_instance" "web" {
ami = "ami-0abcdef1234567890"
instance_type = "t3.micro"
tags = { Name = "web-server" }
}Terraform creates a small web server. Replace the AMI ID with one from your own region.
Helpful resource: Terraform tutorials
9Step 9: Kubernetes and orchestration
Run and scale many containers across multiple servers.
What is it?
Kubernetes runs and manages many containers across many servers. It restarts failed containers, scales them up or down and routes traffic to healthy ones.
What to learn
Kubernetes is complex. Learn the core ideas with a local cluster before using it in the cloud.
Example
yaml
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata: { name: web }
spec:
replicas: 3
selector: { matchLabels: { app: web } }
template:
metadata: { labels: { app: web } }
spec:
containers:
- name: web
image: myrepo/web:1.0This deployment keeps three copies of the web container running at all times.
Helpful resource: Kubernetes tutorials
10Step 10: Monitoring, security and job prep
Keep systems healthy and secure, then get ready for interviews.
What is it?
Monitoring collects metrics and logs so you can see how systems behave and get alerts before users notice problems. Prometheus stores metrics and Grafana shows them on dashboards.
What to learn
You cannot fix what you cannot see. Good monitoring is what keeps production running smoothly.
Example
yaml
groups:
- name: app
rules:
- alert: HighErrorRate
expr: rate(http_errors_total[5m]) > 0.05
for: 10mAn alert fires if more than 5% of requests fail for ten minutes.
Helpful resource: Prometheus overview
DevOps engineer roadmap project ideas
Projects turn what you learn into real skills. Build at least one project from each level below, and put every finished project on GitHub with a clear README.
Host a website on Linux
Set up Nginx, a domain and HTTPS on a cloud server.
Backup automation
A cron-scheduled script that backs up and rotates files.
Dockerised app with CI/CD
Tests and deploys automatically on every push.
Terraform cloud setup
Network, server and database created from code.
Kubernetes deployment
Scaled app with Helm, ingress and rolling updates.
Observability stack
Prometheus, Grafana dashboards and alerting for your app.
Tips to finish this devops engineer roadmap
- Learn by building. Spend at least two thirds of your study time writing code and making projects, not watching videos.
- Be consistent. One focused hour every day beats a long session once a week. Small daily progress adds up quickly.
- Share your work. Post your projects on GitHub and LinkedIn. It builds your confidence and helps recruiters find you.
- Ask for feedback. Join a community, ask questions and review other people’s code. Explaining things to others is one of the fastest ways to learn.
- Do not chase every new tool. The fundamentals in this devops engineer roadmap change slowly. Master them first, then explore new libraries.
Career paths and next steps
With this DevOps engineer roadmap complete, you can apply for junior DevOps, cloud engineer, site reliability engineer or platform engineer roles.
Knowing how applications are built helps a lot in DevOps, so the backend developer roadmap is a strong companion.
Related roadmaps
DevOps Engineer Roadmap FAQs
Is DevOps a good career for beginners?
Many people move into DevOps from support, system administration or development. Beginners can start too, but should build strong Linux and networking basics first.
Do DevOps engineers need to code?
Yes. You need scripting skills, usually in Bash and Python, and you should be comfortable reading application code.
Which cloud should I learn first?
AWS has the largest market share, but Azure and Google Cloud are also popular. Check job listings in your area and choose one.
How long does it take to become a DevOps engineer?
Most learners need 8 to 12 months of steady practice, depending on their starting point.