Where to Start Learning DevOps

Where to start learning DevOps?

Many people ask themselves this question, and although the paths can differ, I'll share my view of the optimal starting point.

Fundamentals don't change for decades, which is exactly why you should start with them. There's no point in studying a new "promising" tool if you don't know what it's built on — besides, hyped-up things tend to fail to live up to expectations and fizzle out.

Among the fundamentals I'd include:

1️⃣ Operating system basics, in particular Linux, as the only viable option for DevOps. This also covers file systems and the set of popular utilities for managing the system and troubleshooting. Working in the terminal is a must.

2️⃣ Computer networks. In their implementation they are platform-independent (fundamentally), but being able to apply them to a specific OS or piece of hardware can be useful.

3️⃣ Virtualization and containerization. You need to be able to tell them apart and know their use cases.

4️⃣ Automation basics and programming. Being able to write a program or script in one language will help you a lot in mastering another. After all, the principle itself is what matters.

👉 This is, in essence, the foundation from which you'll be able to move on and study the narrower and better-paid tools like your Kubernetes, CI/CD, and Terraform.