Why spending hours on a filename error was actually worth it.
Today was one of those days where the learning curve felt more like a brick wall, but breaking through it was incredibly satisfying. As I dive deeper into DevOps, I’m realizing that theory and practice are two very different beasts.
Back to Basics: The OSI Model I started the day revisiting the fundamentals. I spent time really digging into the
OSI Model. It’s easy to overlook these theoretical concepts when you just want to build things, but understanding how data moves from the physical layer up to the application layer is crucial when things break (which they inevitably did later in the day).
The Docker Struggle After the theory, I switched gears to containerization. My goal was simple: write a Dockerfile, create a .dockerignore file, and get the app running.
It sounds straightforward, but the execution was messy. I spent a good chunk of time troubleshooting build errors. I learned the hard way that a well-structured .dockerignore isn't just a "nice to have"—it's essential for keeping your context clean and your builds fast.
The “It Was a Typo” Moment The biggest headache of the day wasn’t a complex architectural issue. It was a naming convention.
I couldn’t get my code to run inside the container. I tried everything. Eventually, I realized it was a simple filename mismatch in the actual code imports versus the file system. It’s humbling how a single capitalization or spelling error can halt an entire project.
The AI Crutch? Here is the honest part: I solved these bugs, but I didn’t do it alone. I leaned heavily on AI to help me debug the specific error messages.
While I feel confident that I understand the solution now, I can’t help but feel a little “imposter syndrome.” Would I have found that solution without the AI pointing it out? Maybe, but it would have taken three times as long. I’m trying to shift my mindset: AI is a tool like any other. The goal isn’t to memorize every error code, but to understand the logic behind the fix.
Today was a win, even if I had a little help crossing the finish line.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dasari-jayanth-b32ab9367/
Top comments (0)