How long does it take to learn AWS?

With 2-3 hours of daily practice, you can learn core AWS services in 2-3 months and be ready for entry-level roles. Preparing for Solutions Architect Associate certification takes 3-4 months. Becoming proficient across multiple domains takes 1-2 years of hands-on experience.

Which AWS certification should I get first?

Start with AWS Cloud Practitioner for fundamentals (1-2 months prep). Then pursue Solutions Architect Associate - it's the most popular and valuable certification. After that, choose based on your career path: Developer Associate, SysOps Associate, or specialty certifications.

Do I need programming skills for AWS?

Basic programming knowledge helps, especially for Lambda, automation, and Infrastructure as Code. Python is most commonly used with AWS. However, many AWS roles focus on architecture and operations where programming is less critical. Learn Python basics alongside AWS.

AWS vs Azure vs GCP - which should I learn?

AWS has the largest market share (32%) and most job postings. Start with AWS - the concepts transfer to other clouds. Once comfortable with AWS, learning Azure or GCP is much easier. Many organizations use multi-cloud, so AWS skills remain valuable regardless.

How much does it cost to practice AWS?

AWS Free Tier provides 12 months of limited free usage for most services. This is sufficient for learning. Budget $20-50/month for additional practice. Always set billing alerts and clean up resources. Use AWS Calculator to estimate costs before deploying.

What is the best way to learn AWS?

Combine theory with hands-on practice. Watch tutorials, then immediately implement in your AWS account. Build real projects, not just follow-along exercises. Use the Free Tier extensively. Consider A Cloud Guru, Stephane Maarek courses, or AWS Skill Builder for structured learning.

Is AWS still in demand in 2026?

Yes, cloud computing demand continues to grow. AWS remains the market leader with consistent growth. Every company is either on the cloud or moving to it. AWS skills are among the most sought-after in tech. The shift to cloud is accelerating, not slowing down.

How do I get my first AWS job?

Get at least one certification (Cloud Practitioner or Solutions Architect Associate). Build 3-5 projects demonstrating different AWS services. Create architecture diagrams. Contribute to open source projects using AWS. Network on LinkedIn and apply for Cloud Engineer or DevOps roles.

2026 Roadmap

AWS Roadmap

Master Amazon Web Services from fundamentals to advanced architecture. Your complete guide to becoming an AWS professional in 2026.

3-6 Months•Beginner Friendly•High Demand

What is AWS?

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world's leading cloud platform, offering over 200 services for computing, storage, databases, machine learning, and more. AWS powers millions of applications from startups to enterprises.

As an AWS professional, you will design, deploy, and manage cloud infrastructure, build scalable applications, implement security best practices, and help organizations leverage cloud computing effectively.

Key Responsibilities

Design and implement cloud architecture on AWS
Deploy and manage EC2, containers, and serverless
Configure networking, security, and IAM
Set up databases and storage solutions
Implement monitoring and logging
Automate infrastructure with IaC
Optimize costs and performance

Learning Roadmap

Click on any topic to mark it as complete

Your Progress0/21 completed

AWS Fundamentals

You understand AWS basics!

Compute Services

Networking

You can design AWS networks!

Storage Services

Database Services

You can manage AWS databases!

Serverless

Containers

Monitoring & DevOps

You are AWS proficient!

Security & Compliance

You are an AWS professional!

Not Started

Completed

Milestone

AWS Professional Salaries 2026

United States (USD/Year)

Entry (0-2 yrs)

$70K - $100K

$85K

Mid (2-5 yrs)

$100K - $145K

$120K

Senior (5-8 yrs)

$145K - $190K

$165K

Architect (8+ yrs)

$190K - $280K+

$230K

India (INR/Year)

Fresher (0-1 yr)

₹4L - ₹8L

₹6L

Junior (1-3 yrs)

₹8L - ₹16L

₹11L

Mid (3-5 yrs)

₹16L - ₹30L

₹22L

Senior (5+ yrs)

₹30L - ₹55L+

₹40L

AWS certifications significantly boost earning potential. Solutions Architect and DevOps Engineer roles command premium salaries. Multi-cloud experience (AWS + Azure/GCP) increases marketability.

Project Ideas

Build these to strengthen your portfolio

Static Website Hosting

Beginner

Host a static site with S3 and CloudFront

S3CloudFrontRoute 53

Serverless REST API

Beginner

Build an API with Lambda and API Gateway

LambdaAPI GatewayDynamoDB

Auto-Scaling Web App

Intermediate

Deploy app with auto-scaling and load balancing

EC2ALBAuto ScalingRDS

CI/CD Pipeline

Intermediate

Automated deployment pipeline

CodePipelineCodeBuildCodeDeploy

Containerized Microservices

Advanced

Run microservices on ECS/EKS

ECSFargateECRService Mesh

Multi-Region Architecture

Advanced

Highly available multi-region setup

Route 53Global AcceleratorDynamoDB Global Tables

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Roadmaps

DevOps Engineer

CI/CD and infrastructure automation

View Roadmap

Backend Developer

Server-side development

View Roadmap

System Design

Design scalable systems

View Roadmap

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