I recently started a job as a full stack web developer, but I've found that my role has shifted significantly. With only about a year of experience, I'm now spending 90% of my time on DevOps tasks like setting up containers, writing configurations, deploying to VMs, and handling migrations. I'm essentially the only one responsible for implementing an open-source tool on a large campus where the IT team is quite small, consisting of only 3-4 other PHP developers.
While the work environment is low-stress and I want to do my best, I'm feeling lost when it comes to my growth in DevOps. Unlike programming, where skill progression seems straightforward, DevOps feels more fragmented with various tools and practices that don't necessarily connect. Currently, I'm trying to establish a CI/CD pipeline using local GitHub Actions (due to some LAN restrictions) and also reading a book on Linux. What steps should I take next? Is there a clear roadmap I should follow?
6 Answers
Check out this DevOps roadmap: https://roadmap.sh/devops. It covers a lot of the necessary skills and tools. Having a basic understanding of the concepts from this roadmap can really help you in interviews and on the job.
Getting your hands dirty as a developer while simultaneously learning about Linux and networking is essential. Those foundational skills will be super beneficial in the DevOps space.
It sounds like practical experience can really help. I used to be an IT admin, and I had a supportive CTO who pushed for a DevOps mindset across all teams. That really accelerated my learning by applying DevOps principles directly.
I’d advise starting with a solid understanding of Linux and then moving on to networking basics, firewalls, and tools like Ansible. Understanding infrastructure as code (IaC) is key, so practice managing infrastructure manually first to get a grasp on how everything works under the hood.
Honestly, DevOps isn't typically a junior role. It's similar to asking how juniors can become architects; that level of responsibility usually requires significant experience.
Using an AI tool as your ‘imaginary coworker’ can be quite handy. You could pose scenarios to it and ask for advice on best practices to get insights from a broader perspective.
This roadmap is really impressive! It seems to include everything a beginner should know, making it a great guide to start working in DevOps.