Advice Needed: Transitioning from Senior Software Engineer to Cloud/DevOps

I would say it's a great move! I transitioned from Systems Engineering to DevOps, and my pay practically doubled. It feels less hectic too, which is a bonus. Focusing on essential tools like Terraform and earning AWS certifications will definitely work in your favor. Don't forget to leverage your backend experience; it's valuable!

I made the same shift about three years back and just landed my first external SRE position at similar pay! It's advantageous to see if you can start doing DevOps tasks in your current role. As for learning paths, I recommend checking out roadmap.sh/devops which can guide you through necessary skills and certs. Keep your coding skills intact as they're a significant asset that many candidates lack, particularly at the mid-level.

I switched from being a full-stack developer to DevOps about a year ago. I took an internal opportunity at my company after getting curious about Docker. My experience with Kubernetes and managing both cloud and on-prem infrastructure made a huge difference in my career trajectory. I landed a role as a principal SRE after some ups and downs but it definitely helped to have those skills on my resume. I think the transition can be tricky, but it's really doable if you're proactive about learning the relevant tools and practices.

Transferring to Cloud/DevOps can be a solid choice considering the current market. While it's sometimes less stressful than typical developer roles, you often need to bolster your Linux and networking skills while getting more familiar with Kubernetes. AWS certs can really boost your credibility, but nothing beats actual experience. Setting up a home lab could help you play around with cloud services and CI/CD tools. Just keep in mind the job market's competitive nature.

Just a heads up: while a development background is great, many underestimate what's needed to excel in DevOps. It's quite crowded in this space. If you already have proficient knowledge of the tools and automation processes, that will give you an edge, but be sure to be prepared for continuous learning on the job.