How long does it take to become a DevOps Engineer?

With consistent learning (3-4 hours daily) and some prior IT experience, you can become job-ready in 6-12 months. Focus on Linux, Docker, CI/CD, and one cloud provider first. Hands-on practice with real projects is essential. Those with development or sysadmin background can transition faster.

Do I need coding skills for DevOps?

Yes, scripting skills are essential. Python and Bash are most important for automation, configuration management, and writing CI/CD pipelines. You do not need to be a full-stack developer, but understanding code helps you work with development teams and automate effectively.

Which cloud provider should I learn first?

Start with AWS - it has the largest market share and most job opportunities. Learn core services like EC2, S3, VPC, IAM, and Lambda. Once comfortable, expand to Azure or GCP. Most DevOps concepts transfer between clouds, so deep knowledge of one is better than surface knowledge of all.

Is Kubernetes necessary for DevOps?

Kubernetes is increasingly important but not mandatory for entry-level roles. Start with Docker to understand containers, then learn Kubernetes. Many companies use managed Kubernetes (EKS, GKE, AKS) or simpler alternatives. However, K8s knowledge significantly boosts your career prospects and salary.

What is the difference between DevOps and SRE?

DevOps focuses on culture, practices, and tools to improve collaboration between development and operations. SRE (Site Reliability Engineering) is Google approach to operations, emphasizing automation, SLOs, and treating operations as a software problem. SRE is more specialized with heavier focus on reliability and incident management.

Which DevOps certifications are valuable?

AWS Solutions Architect and DevOps Professional are highly valued. CKA (Certified Kubernetes Administrator) is excellent for container roles. HashiCorp Terraform Associate for IaC. Docker Certified Associate is good for beginners. Certifications help but practical experience and projects matter more.

Should I learn Ansible or Terraform first?

Learn Terraform first - it is the industry standard for infrastructure provisioning and has clearer syntax. Terraform handles "what infrastructure exists" while Ansible handles "how servers are configured." Both are valuable, but Terraform is more fundamental to modern DevOps. Learn Ansible after for configuration management.

Is DevOps a good career in 2026?

Yes, DevOps remains one of the most in-demand and well-paid IT careers. Cloud adoption continues growing, companies need automation expertise, and the shift to Kubernetes and GitOps creates new opportunities. Remote work is common, and the skills transfer across industries.

2026 Roadmap

DevOps Engineer Roadmap

Master Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD, Cloud Platforms, and Infrastructure as Code. Your complete guide to becoming a professional DevOps engineer in 2026.

6-12 Months•Intermediate•High Demand

What is a DevOps Engineer?

DevOps Engineers bridge the gap between software development and IT operations. They automate processes, manage infrastructure, implement CI/CD pipelines, and ensure reliable, scalable deployments.

As a DevOps Engineer, you will work with containers, orchestration tools, cloud platforms, and monitoring systems to help teams deliver software faster and more reliably.

Key Responsibilities

Design and implement CI/CD pipelines
Manage and automate infrastructure with IaC
Deploy and manage containerized applications
Monitor system performance and reliability
Implement security best practices (DevSecOps)
Manage cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP)
Troubleshoot production issues
Collaborate with development teams

Learning Roadmap

Click on any topic to mark it as complete

Your Progress0/18 completed

Learn a Language

You can write automation scripts!

Operating Systems

Networking & Security

You understand infrastructure!

Version Control

Containers

You can containerize applications!

CI/CD

Cloud Providers

You can deploy to the cloud!

Infrastructure as Code

Monitoring & Logging

You are a DevOps Engineer!

Not Started

Completed

Milestone

DevOps Engineer Salaries 2026

United States (USD/Year)

Entry (0-2 yrs)

$70K - $100K

$85K

Mid (2-5 yrs)

$100K - $140K

$120K

Senior (5-8 yrs)

$140K - $180K

$160K

Lead (8+ yrs)

$180K - $250K+

$210K

India (INR/Year)

Fresher (0-1 yr)

₹5L - ₹10L

₹7L

Junior (1-3 yrs)

₹10L - ₹18L

₹14L

Mid (3-5 yrs)

₹18L - ₹30L

₹24L

Senior (5+ yrs)

₹30L - ₹55L+

₹40L

Kubernetes and cloud certifications significantly boost salaries. SRE roles typically pay 10-20% more. Companies in fintech and big tech offer the highest compensation. Remote DevOps roles are abundant and well-paid.

Project Ideas

Build these to strengthen your portfolio

Dockerize an App

Beginner

Containerize a web application

DockerDockerfileDocker Compose

CI/CD Pipeline

Beginner

Build automated deployment pipeline

GitHub ActionsTestingDeployment

Kubernetes Cluster

Intermediate

Deploy app to K8s cluster

KubernetesHelmkubectl

Infrastructure with Terraform

Intermediate

Provision cloud infrastructure

TerraformAWSIaC

Monitoring Stack

Advanced

Set up Prometheus and Grafana

PrometheusGrafanaAlerting

GitOps with ArgoCD

Advanced

Implement GitOps workflow

ArgoCDKubernetesGit

Frequently Asked Questions

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