According to Deloitte, the average productivity of a software developer stands at 30-40% globally. There are many reasons for this, the major reason is the lack of DevOps practices.
DevOps is not just a tool, it is a set of practices that can significantly enhance the overall productivity of IT companies. According to a recent survey by Statista, 47% of tech companies are already making use of DevOps practices.
As more and more companies are implementing DevOps practices and automating the deployment process to perform this task, they need a really good DevOps engineer. If you are planning to become a DevOps Engineer, then you have landed at the right place!
Today, we’re going to share a step-by-step guide on how to become a DevOps Engineer. Let’s explore the path to mastering DevOps and achieving proficiency as a DevOps engineer.
We will be covering the following things in this blog:
Check out this Intellipaat video to understand How to Become a DevOps Engineer:
Who Is a DevOps Engineer?
A DevOps engineer is a professional who ensures that the process of developing and releasing software is efficient and smooth.
He is responsible for building, testing, deploying, and releasing error-free software while automating repetitive tasks to save time.
Imagine you have hired workers to build your house (the developers), and a few workers to ensure everything is running smoothly inside after construction (the operations). The DevOps engineer is like a person who ensures that the material and information are delivered easily for the entire process.
What Does a DevOps Engineer Do?
A DevOps engineer gets to work with diverse teams and departments, creating and releasing software and applications. DevOps engineers need to have multitasking capabilities, flexibility, and the ability to handle multiple situations at a time. DevOps roles and responsibilities include:
Documentation: Writing documentation and specifications for the server-side features.
Systems Analysis: Analyzing the technology being used and developing plans and processes for its improvement and expansion with support for urgent analytic needs.
Development: Developing, coding, building, installing, configuring, and maintaining IT solutions.
Project Planning: Participating in project planning meetings to advise on costs vs. benefits, system options, impact, risks, operational requirements, and development forecasts.
Testing: Testing codes, processes, and deployments to streamline and minimize errors.
Deployment: Using configuration management software to deploy updates and fixes automatically into the production environment.
Maintenance and Troubleshooting: Performing routine application maintenance for smooth production and developing maintenance requirements and procedures.
Performance Management: Recommending performance enhancements using gap analysis, finding alternative solutions, and helping with modifications.
Management: Managing a team of DevOps engineers depending on seniority, experience, and skills.
Why Become a DevOps Engineer in 2024?
The DevOps job market is expected to expand by 25% annually between 2024 and 2032, as per Lucidchart. Those numbers also make sense in light of the ongoing use of DevOps techniques.
According to statistics by Gartner, the revenue generated by DevOps engineers has increased from $465.8 million in 2020 to $944 million in 2024, which is nearly twice! This significant growth highlights the rising importance of DevOps in the industry.
Dice Tech salary report 2024, has highlighted DevOps as the 8th highest paying job among all tech jobs, with an average pay of US$124,071. The immense amount of opportunities available, the growth potential, and handsome salaries definitely make DevOps a great career choice.
Given these facts and the increasing demand for DevOps expertise, learning how to become a DevOps engineer could serve as an excellent stepping stone for building a future-proof career.
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DevOps Engineer Job Description
The best way to understand responsibilities or key tech-stacks for any job role is by going through the job descriptions of that role. Here are the DevOps engineer job descriptions of the 5 companies that will help understand what you need to be a DevOps engineer:
- AWS DevOps Engineer, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS): AWS, Ansible, Chef, Puppet, Git, Terraform, Python, Jenkins
Source: TCS Job Description LinkedIn
- DevOps Engineer, IBM: Linux, Orchestrators Automation, Shell/Python/Unix script, Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD tools, Git
Source: IBM Job Description LinkedIn
Source: Nokia Job Description LinkedIn
- DevOps Engineer (IC2) | Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), Oracle: Google Cloud Platform, Java, C/C++, Python, JavaScript or GO
Source: Oracle Job Description LinkedIn
Skills Required to Become a DevOps Engineer
Below are all the key skills and tools you require mastery over to become a proficient DevOps engineer:
| Skills |
Tools |
| Cloud Platform |
AWS, Azure, and GCP |
| Version Control Systems |
Git, SVN |
| Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) Tools |
Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD |
| Configuration Management Tools |
Ansible, Puppet, Chef |
| Containerization and Orchestration Platforms |
Docker, Kubernetes, Docker Swarm |
| Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Tools |
Terraform, AWS CloudFormation, Azure Resource Manager |
| Monitoring and Logging Tools |
Prometheus, Grafana, ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana) |
| Container Registry |
Docker Hub, Amazon Elastic Container Registry (ECR), Google Container Registry (GCR) |
DevOps Engineer Resume must have above skills added so that there would be higher chances of getting hired by the company.
Now that you know the key skill sets to master, you must be wondering where to start? Keep reading further to find the right answer to that query.
How to Become a DevOps Engineer: Step-by-Step RoadMap
For a successful journey to becoming a DevOps engineer, here’s a comprehensive roadmap outlining the steps:
Step 1 – Learn at Least One Programming Language
Proficiency in at least one programming language is important for a DevOps engineer. Although you are not going to write any fancy application code, knowledge of programming languages comes in handy when you need to review and debug your code or are performing automation and streamlining.In terms of languages to learn, some recommended options for DevOps engineers include – Java, JS, Python, Ruby, Node, Go, and C++.
Step 2 – Learn Linux
Linux is almost everywhere. It powers servers, operating systems, software, and even our mobile phones. The majority of businesses prefer running their applications over Linux itself.
According to the Linux Foundation case study, 90% of workloads run on Linux. So learning this operating system is critical for DevOps professionals since they have to configure servers, and deploy applications using the Linux commands.
Here are the core Linux concepts you need to master in order to become an efficient DevOps engineer:
- File and directory management
- Data manipulation and visualization
- System management
- Networking
- Package management
- Compression and Archiving
Step 3 – Understand Networking and Security Protocols
In the DevOps methodology, there isn’t a separate networking team. Instead, the network infrastructure is integrated into the Infrastructure as a Code (IaC) mechanism.
As a DevOps engineer, you are responsible for managing the networking infrastructure and security. Here is a detailed list of topics you need to cover under networking:
Step 4 – Learn Docker
As a DevOps engineer, knowledge of software configuration and deployment is a must. DevOps engineer is responsible for the smooth working of software and software deployment. To do that, you must know Kubernetes, containers, and container orchestration.
You can start learning Docker with some basic concepts, which include Docker Image, Docker Container, Docker File, and Docker Hub.
The official Docker website offers a ton of free resources, such as guides and webinars, which makes it one of the premier destinations for learning Docker. Additionally, you have the option to join Docker’s official community, where you can engage with experienced professionals and enhance your skills through interaction and collaboration.
The heart of DevOps’s transformative approach to software development and deployment lies in Cloud Service Integration. Three main cloud giants stand out which are AWS, Azure, and GCP.
Here is a detailed overview of each cloud service available for DevOps:
| DevOps Tools/Service |
Azure |
GCP |
AWS |
| Infrastructure provisioning |
Azure Resource Manager (ARM) |
Google Cloud Deployment Manager |
AWS CloudFormation |
| Configuration Management |
Azure Automation and Azure Configuration Management |
Google Cloud Deployment Manager, and GCConfigManagement |
AWS Systems Manager and AWS OpsWorks |
| Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) |
Azure DevOps and Azure Pipelines |
Cloud Build and Cloud Source Repositories |
AWS CodePipeline, AWS CodeBuild, and AWS CodeCommit |
| Container Orchestration |
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) |
Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) |
Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) |
| Container Registry |
Azure Container Registry |
Google Container Registry |
Amazon Elastic Container Registry (ECR) |
| Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) |
Azure Resource Manager (ARM) Templates |
Google Cloud Deployment Manager Templates |
AWS CloudFormation |
| Security and Compliance |
Azure Security Center and Azure Policy |
Google Cloud Security Command Center |
AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM), AWS Config, and AWS Security Hub |
Step 6 – Understand CI/CD Pipelines
In DevOps, CI/CD is the backbone of continuous and efficient software delivery. CI (Continuous Integration) means merging the updated code into a shared repository with already running code. CD (Continuous Delivery) involves automating the complete process of packaging deployment and testing the software.
To become a DevOps engineer and gain expertise in CI/CD here are some areas to focus on:
Understand the CI/CD Pipelines Concepts
- Version control system
- Build automation
- Automated testing
- Continuous deployment
- Security and compliance
The above 6 steps will help you gain the fundamental notion of DevOps. However, if you want to pace up these steps, we would recommend you to go through our Free DevOps Course for Beginners.
DevOps tools play an important role in maintaining and automating the software development process. Once you completely understand the cloud platforms and their resources, you can start using tools like Terraform and Ansible to automate the software creation process.
The market offers a wide range of DevOps tools for different categories of tasks. Here is a comprehensive list of DevOps tools that are critical for DevOps:
Step 8 – Create Projects
Practical knowledge holds greater significance than theoretical knowledge when it comes to applying what you have learned. Below are a few project examples that can enhance your resume and increase your chances of securing a DevOps engineering role:
- CD pipeline implementation on AWS
- Deploying applications using Kubernetes
- Creating a web server using Docker
Step 9 – Start Applying for Jobs
After studying all these things mentioned above and creating a resume, you can start applying and preparing for DevOps engineering interviews.
There are many platforms that can help you get the job, such as LinkedIn, Naukri.com, Indeed, and many more. You can create your profile on any of these platforms and start applying for DevOps engineering roles.
DevOps Career Path
Becoming a DevOps engineer is just the tip of the iceberg. The career summit ahead is much more substantial. Here’s how a career progression for a DevOps engineer looks like:
Starting your career as a DevOps engineer is the first step. Then, you’ll move on to developing cloud skills, which may include getting basic cloud certifications from AWS, Azure, or GCP. In the age we are in right now, Cloud Computing has become an essential tool for businesses.
Hence, as a cloud engineer, you can further expand your horizons in career trajectory. With cloud engineering skills, you will rise in the compensation range of ₹11 lakhs to ₹13 lakhs in India, and US$125,000 to US$150,000 per annum in the USA.
After gaining 4-5 years of experience, you can learn the skill of cloud DevOps. As a cloud DevOps engineer, you can earn between ₹14 lakhs and ₹16 lakhs in India and US$148,000 and US$170,00 per annum in the USA. Your next stepping stone for more financial benefits will be getting into the job-role of site reliability engineer (SRE). As an SRE, you can earn between ₹18 lakhs and ₹21 lakhs in India, whereas in the USA, you can earn between US$160,000 and US$185,000.
After you gauge around 15 years of work experience, you can transition into the role of cloud and DevOps architect, which would increase your earning potential from ₹26 lakhs to ₹32 lakhs in India. In the case of the United States, you can expect between US$190,00 and US$250,000.
From DevOps engineer to cloud and DevOps architect, this is the ideal career path for professionals working in the IT industry. If you do things right, you can definitely make this positive trajectory happen.
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DevOps Engineer Jobs
Getting a high-paying job is the motto of doing all the studies and hard work. The demand for DevOps is increasing day by day in the industry. If we look at the LinkedIn job board, there are 160000+ DevOps jobs available worldwide.
Source: DevOps Jobs Available Worldwide LinkedIn
Furthermore, there are 26,000+ jobs available right now in India. If you consider other job boards, then this number can be much higher, and definitely, with time, this number will increase.
Source: DevOps Jobs Available in India Linkedin
Now, let’s say you have all the skills and qualifications required to become a DevOps engineer, but you don’t have any prior experience, so getting a job in the field of DevOps can be a little difficult.
DevOps Engineer Salary (India & USA)
After doing all this hard work, what matters in the end is how much you are getting paid. Let’s explore the salary for a DevOps engineer in the market:
DevOps Engineer Salary in India
The payroll in the field of DevOps is very high compared to any other engineering field in India. A fresher can expect a minimum of ₹5.5 lakhs per annum, and it can go up to ₹18 lakhs per annum. If you have around 10 years of experience, you can anticipate a salary range of ₹31.8 lakhs to ₹40 lakhs per annum.
DevOps Engineer Salary in the USA
In the USA, the average salary for a DevOps engineer ranges from $110,000 to $164,599 per year. Freshers typically start around $110,000, while those with experience can expect $160,000 or more annually.
How to Get a Job as a DevOps Engineer With No Experience
Here are some of the tips to get a DevOps job:
Take Part in Coding Bootcamp
By taking part in a coding bootcamp, you can learn skills to get an entry-level role in a short amount of time.
Create Projects
To get a job in the tech domain, projects play an important role. Having 3-5 projects to showcase in your resume can help you get the job. You can include web development projects as well as projects that are related to software development
Apply for Entry-Level Jobs
It’s difficult to directly get into a DevOps role, so you can start by applying for related jobs. This job will help you gain experience and will teach you the required skills to become a DevOps engineer.
Get a Professional Certificate
The major question you might come across in the beginning is where should I learn DevOps from? Well, the answer is a professional certification. These certifications can act as a proof that you have mastered DevOps concepts. Having a certification can be a plus point to your resume, and you might get preference over other candidates. Here are the top 3 certifications you can opt for to become a DevOps Engineer
- AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional Certification
- DevOps Institute Certifications
- Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert – Certifications
Apply for the DevOps Engineering Role
After having enough experience and qualifications, you can start applying for DevOps engineering roles, as we all know, DevOps is always in high demand, so you will have plenty of opportunities in the tech industry.
DevOps Projects
DevOps projects can vary widely based on the organization’s specific needs, goals, and technological landscape. Here are a few examples:
- Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) Pipeline Setup
- Architecture setup using Infrastructure as a Code
- Hosting and Scaling web application using Docker and Kubernetes
- Automated installations to servers with Ansible
- Log Aggregation and Monitoring System with ELK Stack
- Microservices Architecture Implementation
- GitOps Workflow Implementation
Check out this Intellipaat video to find out ‘What is DevOps?’:
Preparing for a Career in DevOps
We understand that to become a trained professional, you need professional help. Therefore, we have got you covered with our course, which is designed and developed by industry-experienced professionals. As this certification adds value to your resume and acts as a solid authentication of your skills in your DevOps Engineer interview.
FAQs
Is DevOps still in demand in 2024?
Jobs are expected to rise above 15% between 2021 and 2031. DevOps is a rapidly growing field in technology to streamline software development and IT operations.
Will AI replace DevOps?
AI is not a replacement for DevOps; nevertheless, it can assist with certain software development tasks.
Does DevOps need coding?
While having familiarity with coding is beneficial, you don’t necessarily need to be an expert in coding.
Is it possible to implement DevOps in startups or small businesses?
Yes, it is possible to implement DevOps in startups or small businesses.
What tools and technologies are commonly used in DevOps practices?
Commonly used tools and technologies in DevOps practices include:
Git, Jenkins,Maven, GitHub, CI/CD, Ansible, Puppet, Chef, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, AWS CloudFormation, Azure Resource Manager, ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana), Slack, Microsoft Teams, AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, Selenium, JUnit, Docker Hub, Amazon Elastic Container Registry (ECR), and, Google Container Registry (GCR).