πΉ Introduction
In the previous blog, we explored what DevOps is, why itβs important, and how top companies use it to release software faster and more reliably.
Now, letβs take it a step furtherβ How do you actually start learning DevOps? π€
With so many tools, technologies, and practices involved, getting started can feel overwhelming. But donβt worry! By following a structured approach, learning DevOps becomes clear and achievable.
π By the end of this blog, youβll have a solid roadmap to navigate your DevOps journey effectively.
π Step 1: Master the Fundamentals
πΉ 1. Learn Linux & Command Line
Most DevOps environments run on Linux, so understanding its fundamentals is essential.
π Key Topics to Focus On:
β Basic Linux commands (ls, cd, mkdir, grep, find, chmod, chown)
β File system & permissions
β Process management (top, ps, kill)
β Networking basics (ping, curl, wget, netstat)
π Hands-on Practice:
Use Ubuntu on WSL to practice commands.
Set up a simple web server using nginx or Apache.
πΉ 2. Learn Git & Version Control
Version control is essential for tracking changes, collaborating, and automating workflows.
π Key Topics to Focus On:
β Git basics (clone, commit, push, pull, merge, rebase)
β Branching strategies (GitFlow, trunk-based development)
β Working with GitHub/GitLab
β Pull requests & code reviews
π Hands-on Practice:
Create a GitHub repository and track code changes using Git.
Collaborate on open-source projects.
πΉ 3. Understand Networking Concepts
A strong grasp of networking helps in troubleshooting, security, and optimizing cloud deployments.
π Key Topics to Focus On:
β
OSI & TCP/IP models
β
DNS, HTTP, HTTPS, SSL/TLS
β
Load balancers & reverse proxies
β
Firewall basics
π Hands-on Practice:
Use cURL & Postman to test APIs.
Set up an NGINX reverse proxy on a local machine.
π Step 2: Learn DevOps Core Practices
πΉ 4. Understand CI/CD Pipelines
CI/CD (Continuous Integration & Continuous Deployment) enables fast and automated software releases.
π Key Topics to Focus On:
β
What is CI/CD?
β
Writing CI/CD pipelines (YAML syntax)
β
Automating builds, tests, and deployments
β
Popular CI/CD tools (Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI/CD)
π Hands-on Practice:
Build a simple CI/CD pipeline using GitHub Actions.
Set up Jenkins on Docker and create an automated job.
πΉ 5. Learn Containers & Docker
Containers provide portability and scalability for applications.
π Key Topics to Focus On:
β Docker architecture & CLI commands
β Writing Dockerfiles & Docker Compose
β Container networking & volumes
π Hands-on Practice:
Create a Dockerized Python/Node.js app.
Deploy it using Docker Compose.
πΉ 6. Learn Kubernetes
Kubernetes is the leading container orchestration tool for managing microservices.
π Key Topics to Focus On:
β Kubernetes architecture (Pods, Nodes, Deployments, Services)
β YAML configuration for Kubernetes objects
β Helm Charts for package management
π Hands-on Practice:
Deploy an app on Minikube.
Explore kubectl commands.
π Step 3: Infrastructure as Code & Automation
πΉ 7. Learn Infrastructure as Code (Terraform & Ansible)
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) allows for consistent and automated provisioning of infrastructure.
π Key Topics to Focus On:
β Terraform: Writing .tf files, deploying AWS/Azure resources
β Ansible: Writing playbooks for automation
π Hands-on Practice:
Write a Terraform script to provision an EC2 instance.
Use Ansible to automate package installations.
π Step 4: Monitoring, Logging & Security
πΉ 8. Learn Monitoring & Logging
Observability is critical for maintaining system performance and troubleshooting issues.
π Key Topics to Focus On:
β Prometheus (metrics collection)
β Grafana (data visualization)
β ELK Stack (log management)
π Hands-on Practice:
Set up Prometheus & Grafana to monitor a Dockerized app.
Deploy ELK Stack for log management.
πΉ 9. Security in DevOps (DevSecOps)
Security should be integrated at every stage of DevOps (Shift Left Approach).
π Key Topics to Focus On:
β Security best practices in CI/CD
β Popular security tools: SonarQube, Trivy, Aqua Security
π Hands-on Practice:
Scan Docker images for vulnerabilities using Trivy.
Implement SonarQube to analyze code security.
βοΈ Step 5: Cloud & Reliability Engineering
πΉ 10. Learn Cloud Computing (AWS, Azure, GCP)
Cloud platforms provide scalability, reliability, and cost optimization for DevOps workflows.
π Key Topics to Focus On:
β AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda, IAM, CloudWatch)
β Azure (VMs, AKS, DevOps Services)
β GCP (Compute Engine, GKE, Cloud Run)
π Hands-on Practice:
Deploy a static website on AWS S3.
Launch a Kubernetes cluster on Azure AKS.
π― Conclusion: Learning with a Structured Flow
Now that weβve outlined the DevOps roadmap, weβll deep dive into each topic one by one in upcoming blogs.
π We will start with Linux, covering:
Command-line basics
File systems
Networking
Process management
Then, weβll gradually move to:
β
Git & Version Control
β
Networking Concepts
β
CI/CD Pipelines
β
Containers & Kubernetes
β
Infrastructure as Code
β
Monitoring & Security
β
Cloud Computing
π This structured flow will help you build strong foundations before advancing to complex DevOps concepts.
π¬ Whatβs the biggest challenge youβve faced while starting DevOps? Letβs discuss in the comments! β¬οΈ
Top comments (0)