How to Become a DevOps Engineer?

Your Complete Guide to a Career in Infrastructure, Automation, and Cloud

A DevOps Engineer is a specialist who is geared towards automating processes, integrating continuous delivery pipelines, and ensuring the reliability and stability of systems. They treat infrastructure as code, observe performance, and work across functions to expedite software releases.

Global Average Salary: $80,000 – $100,000+
India Average Salary: ₹6,00,000 – ₹20,00,000+

Disclaimer: Salaries vary depending on experience, location, company, and industry.

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What Does a DevOps Engineer Do?

Role Definition

A DevOps Engineer is a specialist who is geared towards automating processes, integrating continuous delivery pipelines, and ensuring the reliability and stability of systems. They treat infrastructure as code, observe performance, and work across functions to expedite software releases.

Their work ensures the simplification of deployments, faster recovery, and scalability of systems. They must be an expert in using tools such as Docker, Jenkins, and Kubernetes, as well as possess exceptional skills in cloud platforms, scripting, and system security.

Typical Responsibilities

  • Automating Processes: Automation of the software development and deployment processes in order to make them more streamlined and eliminate repetitive tasks.
  • Monitoring Performance: Tracking performance and uptime of systems to help applications perform well and proactively troubleshoot any performance problems.
  • Maintaining CI/CD Pipelines: Maintenance of CI/CD pipelines to maintain effective and consistent code deployments.
  • Collaboration: Collaborating with development and operations teams to encourage communication and accelerate problem-solving.
  • Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Maintaining infrastructure as code to define and manage infrastructure in a scalable, version-controlled way.
  • Security and Compliance: Ensuring system security and compliance to meet organizational and regulatory compliance standards.

Common Industries & Environments

DevOps engineers are essential across various sectors that rely on robust and agile software delivery:

  • Technology: The backbone of software development and cloud-native innovation, ensuring fast, reliable, and continuous integration and deployment.
  • Finance: Supporting secure, compliant, and scalable infrastructure for real-time processing, fraud detection, and financial applications.
  • Healthcare: Facilitating the management of complex infrastructures with sensitive patient data, ensuring HIPAA/GDPR compliance and high availability.
  • E-commerce: Enabling high uptime, smooth user experience, and rapid deployment of updates for dynamic, high-traffic online platforms.
  • Telecommunications: Ensuring stability, scalability, and automation in managing large-scale, distributed systems and real-time data networks.

Key Skills Required for This Career

Technical Skills

CI/CD Tools
Experience with Jenkins, GitLab CI, CircleCI for automating integration and delivery workflows.
Containerization
Proficient in Docker and Kubernetes to create, deploy, and manage containerized applications.
Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
Skilled in tools like Terraform and Ansible to provision and manage infrastructure programmatically.
Cloud Platforms
Hands-on experience with cloud service providers such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.
Scripting & Configuration
Working knowledge of Python, Bash, and YAML for automation and system configuration.
Monitoring & Logging
Familiarity with Prometheus, Grafana, and ELK stack for performance monitoring, alerting, and log analysis.

Soft Skills

Problem-Solving
Ability to troubleshoot complex systems and resolve issues quickly and efficiently.
Collaboration & Communication
Effective teamwork and clear communication across cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
Adaptability
Comfortable with fast-changing environments and evolving technologies.
Time Management
Efficient in prioritizing tasks, managing multiple projects, and meeting deadlines.
Analytical Thinking
Capable of breaking down problems, analyzing data, and making informed decisions.

Courses to Get These Skills

Offers hands-on training in Jenkins, a popular CI/CD tool used to automate code integration, testing, and deployment.
Learn to containerize applications, ensuring consistent environments across development, testing, and production.
Build a strong foundation in Python, essential for scripting, automation, and developing DevOps tools.
Gain fundamental knowledge of cloud computing platforms, crucial for deploying and managing scalable infrastructure.
Discover how to orchestrate containerized applications, enabling efficient deployment and scaling in production environments.
Demonstrates how to build and manage continuous integration and delivery pipelines using AWS tools, a key DevOps skill for fast and reliable deployments.
Learn the essentials of Git, the version control system indispensable for tracking changes and collaborating on code in DevOps.

Gaining Practical Experience

Follow these practical steps to build the skills and experience needed to succeed as a DevOps Engineer.

Step 1: Build CI/CD Pipelines for Personal Projects

Practice creating end-to-end CI/CD pipelines using tools like Jenkins or GitHub Actions to automate code testing and deployment in your own applications.

Step 2: Contribute to Open-Source DevOps Projects

Join and contribute to public repositories on GitHub that involve infrastructure automation or deployment workflows to gain hands-on experience and visibility.

Step 3: Secure Internships or Freelance Roles

Take up internship or freelance opportunities to work on real-world DevOps tasks, such as server provisioning, monitoring, or pipeline setup.

Step 4: Simulate Cloud Infrastructure Environments

Utilize free or trial cloud accounts to design, deploy, and manage simulated infrastructure setups, gaining practical experience with services like AWS, Azure, or GCP.

Your Educational & Learning Path

A strong foundation in programming, system administration, cloud technologies, and automation is essential for a career in DevOps.

Formal Education & Foundational Skills

A Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, IT, or related fields offers a solid foundation, though many DevOps professionals succeed without one. Start by learning basic programming (e.g., Python) and system administration to understand how software and infrastructure work together.

Online Courses & Bootcamps

Great Learning’s online courses and boot camps are ideal for working professionals and beginners alike. Their programs offer specialized learning on automation tools, cloud platforms, and DevOps practices.

Free Course

Learn DevOps from basics in this free online training. This course is taught hands-on from experts, covering containerization, Docker, Jenkins, and continuous monitoring. Perfect for beginners to understand core DevOps concepts.

PG and other Courses

A comprehensive, industry-aligned program that builds advanced cloud and DevOps skills through hands-on projects and mentorship, making you job-ready.

Self-Study & Practice

Self-study and hands-on practice are critical for mastering DevOps tools and concepts. Engage with these exercises to build expertise:

  • Commit to continuous, hands-on experimentation: Regularly build home-lab CI/CD pipelines with GitHub, Jenkins, Docker, and Kubernetes to turn theory into muscle memory.
  • Explore documentation of cloud platforms and tools: Make reading the latest Terraform, Docker, and cloud-provider documentation part of your weekly routine.
  • Level-up with coding challenge sites: Tackle DevOps-focused tasks on HackerRank, LeetCode, or Replit to practice scripting and automation.
  • Prepare for interviews: Review curated DevOps interview questions and do mock assessments to validate your understanding before facing recruiters.

Further Resources to Aid Your Journey

Access these resources to refine your DevOps skills and collaborate with the community.

Blogs & Articles

Stay updated with the latest techniques, tools, and best practices in the DevOps space.

Online Communities

Engage with active online communities to apply skills, stay updated, and learn from real-world use cases.

Relevant Tools & Platforms

Hands-on experience with these tools is essential for any aspiring DevOps Engineer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I become a DevOps Engineer without a degree?

Yes, many succeed through certifications, self-study, and hands-on experience—especially with GreatLearning’s practical courses.

How long does it take to become a DevOps Engineer?

With consistent effort, you can be job-ready in 6–12 months through focused learning with GreatLearning.

Is coding mandatory for DevOps?

While not as intensive as development roles, scripting knowledge is crucial. GreatLearning offers Python and shell scripting modules to get you started.

Is DevOps a good career path?

Absolutely. DevOps roles are in high demand, with excellent salaries and growth potential, particularly in cloud-first companies.

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