CI/CD, containers, cloud platforms. The infrastructure tools that get you hired.
Every server runs Linux. Get comfortable with the terminal, ssh, file permissions. This is the foundation everything else builds on.
Branching, merging, PRs, GitHub Actions. CI/CD starts here. If you can't manage code, you can't manage infrastructure.
Containerize applications. Understand Dockerfiles, images, compose. Used everywhere. This is the single most important DevOps skill right now.
AWS for breadth, most jobs require it. Get AWS Cloud Practitioner certified. Cloudflare for modern edge infrastructure at zero cost.
Define infrastructure in code. The skill that separates junior from mid DevOps. Version-controlled, repeatable, reviewable infrastructure.
Automate tests, builds, deployments. Set up pipelines for your portfolio projects. Every project you build should have a CI/CD workflow.
Dashboards, alerts, observability. Shows you think about production, not just deployment. The skill that proves you're ready for real infrastructure.
Linux. Free
Version control. Free
Containers. Free
Cloud. Free tiers
IaC. Free
CI/CD. Free
Monitoring. Free
AWS Cloud Practitioner or Solutions Architect Associate. It's the single highest-ROI certification in DevOps. Most job listings mention it explicitly.
Deploy a real app with full CI/CD pipeline, monitoring, and infrastructure as code. One well-documented project proves more than years of "experience".
Kubernetes is important but don't start there. Master Docker and docker-compose first. K8s builds on containerization, skip ahead and you'll struggle.
Document your setups, decisions, and troubleshooting in a blog. Shows communication skills, the #1 thing separating good from great DevOps engineers.
Mid-level DevOps / cloud engineer · varies by certifications and location
Explore all job seeker paths and find the right tools for your career move.
Browse all job paths →