I had worked with Linux before. I had used cloud services, deployed applications, and followed DevOps workflows. Still, three simple questions asked by my instructor, Sir Pravin Mishra, made me pause and rethink how deeply Linux sits at the center of everything we do in DevOps.
He didn’t start with commands or configuration files. He started with questions that sounded simple, but stayed with me long after the class.
The Three Questions
- Which operating system is used the most by cloud servers?
- Which operating system is used to run containers?
- Which operating system do automation tools like Ansible and Terraform depend on?
As we reflected on them, a pattern became obvious. Different tools, different platforms, same foundation. Linux.
Why These Questions Matter
DevOps often looks like a collection of tools: cloud platforms, CI/CD pipelines, containers, automation scripts. But underneath all of that is an operating system that quietly holds everything together.
Most cloud servers run on Linux because it is stable, flexible, and designed for server environments. Containers rely on Linux kernel features. Automation tools are built with Linux environments in mind. Even when you interact mostly through dashboards or managed services, Linux is still doing the real work underneath.
These questions helped me see DevOps less as a toolset and more as an ecosystem built on a common base.
How This Showed Up in Practice
I recently deployed a React application and a ready-made portfolio site. After deployment, I carried out post-production DevOps checks to make sure everything was running as expected.
During this process, I worked directly with the terminal on an Ubuntu-based AWS instance. Managing processes, configuring the environment, and verifying that everything was running correctly all happened through Linux.
The servers hosting my applications were Linux-based. The build processes, web servers, and runtime environments all depended on Linux. This time, it wasn’t just something happening in the background. I was interacting with it directly.
It wasn’t a new concept, but it became a much clearer and more practical realization.
A Subtle Shift in Perspective
I don’t see Linux as just another skill on a checklist anymore. I see it as the common language spoken by cloud infrastructure, containers, and automation tools.
Every deployment reinforces this idea. You can use different platforms and services, but understanding Linux helps you reason better about what’s happening when things work, and when they don’t.
Looking Ahead
I’ll keep exploring Linux, not just to run commands, but to see the bigger picture. Every deployment reinforces the lesson from those three questions: understanding the foundation can change the way you see Linux, DevOps, and the tools we rely on.
Top comments (2)
This is awesome!
Linux is a vast sea.
Exactly Linux is vast and covers much of the DevOps space