DevOps roadmap

DevOps roadmap from beginner to production-ready engineer

Follow this ordered roadmap to learn DevOps in the right sequence. Complete one step, then move to the next.

Phases

10

Structured learning blocks

Mode

Practice-first

Commands, projects, operations

Goal

Production ready

End-to-end DevOps capability

Jump to phase

How to use this roadmap

1. Study each step in sequence.

2. Practice commands and mini-projects.

3. Move ahead only after confidence.

Step 1

Linux and CLI Fundamentals

Linux command-line confidence is the base for all DevOps workflows.

Phase 1 / 10

What to learn

- Filesystem navigation, permissions, users, groups, and process management

- Package installation, service management, and logs

- Daily shell workflow for debugging and operations

Key tools

LinuxBash
Open this step in tool libraryComplete this phase before moving to next

Step 2

Networking and Web Basics

Understanding network flow helps debug production issues quickly.

Phase 2 / 10

What to learn

- IP, DNS, ports, TLS/HTTPS basics, and request/response flow

- Connectivity checks and packet/path troubleshooting

- Practical command usage for network diagnosis

Key tools

NetworkingCloud Platforms (AWS & Azure)
Open this step in tool libraryComplete this phase before moving to next

Step 3

Master Version Control

Everything in DevOps depends on Git-based collaboration.

Phase 3 / 10

What to learn

- Branching strategy, pull requests, and code reviews

- Git history cleanup (rebase/cherry-pick), conflict resolution

- Repository standards and release tagging

Key tools

Git & GitHub
Open this step in tool libraryComplete this phase before moving to next

Step 4

CI Pipeline Fundamentals

Reliable CI catches issues before deployment.

Phase 4 / 10

What to learn

- Build/test pipeline structure and fast feedback loops

- Artifacts, cache strategy, and secrets management

- Pipeline debugging and failure analysis

Key tools

GitHub ActionsJenkinsGitLab CI
Open this step in tool libraryComplete this phase before moving to next

Step 5

CD and Release Automation

CI/CD automates build, test, and deploy workflows.

Phase 5 / 10

What to learn

- Release promotion across dev/stage/prod environments

- Approvals, rollback design, and deployment safety checks

- GitOps/CD platform integration patterns

Key tools

Bitbucket PipelinesCircleCIArgo CD
Open this step in tool libraryComplete this phase before moving to next

Step 6

Containerization Deep Dive

Containerized apps are core to modern DevOps delivery.

Phase 6 / 10

What to learn

- Dockerfile design, image optimization, and registry operations

- Runtime, networking, and troubleshooting containers

- Multi-service local environments with Compose/Swarm

Key tools

DockerDocker SwarmPodman
Open this step in tool libraryComplete this phase before moving to next

Step 7

Kubernetes and Platform Orchestration

Kubernetes is central for scalable modern application delivery.

Phase 7 / 10

What to learn

- Pods, deployments, services, and ingress fundamentals

- Release strategy with Helm and environment config

- Cluster operations and troubleshooting workflow

Key tools

KubernetesHelmOpenShift
Open this step in tool libraryComplete this phase before moving to next

Step 8

Infrastructure as Code

Reliable infra should be versioned, repeatable, and auditable.

Phase 8 / 10

What to learn

- Provisioning with Terraform/CloudFormation/Pulumi

- Configuration management and idempotent automation with Ansible

- State handling, modules, and reusable infra patterns

Key tools

TerraformAnsibleCloudFormationPulumiPacker
Open this step in tool libraryComplete this phase before moving to next

Step 9

Cloud Platforms and Operations

Production DevOps requires practical cloud architecture and operations.

Phase 9 / 10

What to learn

- Core service mapping across AWS, Azure, and GCP

- Identity, networking, and cost-aware deployment design

- Operational runbooks for cloud-based workloads

Key tools

AWSAzureGCPDigitalOceanOracle Cloud (OCI)
Open this step in tool libraryComplete this phase before moving to next

Step 10

Observability, Reliability, and Security

Production systems need visibility, uptime, and secure operations.

Phase 10 / 10

What to learn

- Metrics, logs, tracing, SLO/SLA/error-budget concepts

- Alerting, incident handling, RCA, and postmortem workflow

- Security checks in pipelines and runtime hardening

Key tools

PrometheusGrafanaELKOpenTelemetryLokiNew Relic
Open this step in tool libraryComplete this phase before moving to next

After this roadmap

Build one end-to-end project: source control, CI/CD, containerization, Kubernetes deployment, monitoring, and alerting. This proves practical DevOps capability for jobs and interviews.

Blog

Roadmap companion blogs

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