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Sandhya Rani
Sandhya Rani

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5 Core Skills Every DevSecOps Beginner Should Build

Many beginners jump directly into DevSecOps tools.

They start learning Kubernetes, Docker, or security scanners without building the foundation that makes those tools meaningful.

From my experience, DevSecOps is less about tools and more about core skill development.

Here are five essential skills every beginner should focus on.

1️⃣ Linux Fundamentals

Most cloud workloads and CI/CD systems run on Linux environments.

Understanding:

File systems

Permissions

Basic shell commands

Process management

gives you confidence when working with containers and servers.

2️⃣ Networking Basics

You don’t need to be a network engineer, but you should understand:

IP addressing

DNS

Ports and protocols

Firewalls

Security in DevSecOps heavily depends on understanding how systems communicate.

3️⃣ Basic Scripting

You don’t need advanced software development skills.

But knowing basic:

Bash

Python

Simple automation scripts

helps you automate repetitive tasks and understand pipelines better.

4️⃣ CI/CD Concepts

Before using tools, understand the workflow:

Build

Test

Scan

Deploy

DevSecOps integrates security into these stages.

If you understand the lifecycle, tools become easier.

5️⃣ Security Mindset

More than anything, DevSecOps requires thinking:

What could go wrong?

Where is the vulnerability?

How early can we detect it?

This mindset matters more than memorizing tool commands.

Final Thought

DevSecOps is not just “DevOps + Security tools.”

It is the ability to build, automate, and secure systems together.

If you're just starting, focus on skills first — tools later.

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