DevOps Engineer roadmap

Automate building, testing, deploying and monitoring software.

What employers usually expect

Skill	Level	How to prove it
Linux command line	Must have	Work with files, permissions, processes, services and logs.
Networking basics	Must have	Explain DNS, HTTP, ports and what happens when you open a website.
Scripting (Bash or Python)	Must have	Automate repeated tasks with small scripts.
Git	Must have	Branching, merging and reviewing changes.
Docker	Must have	Build images, run containers and use docker compose.
CI/CD (GitHub Actions or Jenkins)	Must have	A pipeline that tests, builds and deploys on every change.
A cloud platform (AWS, Azure or GCP)	Must have	Launch a server, manage access and understand costs.
Terraform and Kubernetes basics	Strong plus	Describe infrastructure as code and run a simple app on a cluster.

Where college often leaves a gap

Operating systems and networks are usually taught as theory, with little time at a real command line or on a real server.
Containers, pipelines and cloud platforms are rarely part of the course.
Note: DevOps is often not a first job. Many people start in support, system administration, cloud support or as a developer, and move into it. Aim for these first roles if a pure DevOps opening is hard to find.

Courses differ between colleges. Use this as a checklist against your own syllabus, not as a judgement of it.

12-week plan

Assumes about 10 hours a week. Move the checkpoints if you have exams.

Weeks 1 to 4

Linux, networking, scripting and Git

Use Linux daily (a virtual machine is enough): files, permissions, processes, services, logs.
Learn how DNS, HTTP, TCP and ports work, and trace a web request from browser to server.
Write Bash or Python scripts that automate real tasks, such as backups or log checks.

Done when: You can set up a Linux server by hand, explain how a request reaches it, and automate a task with a script.

Weeks 5 to 8

Docker and CI/CD

Containerise a small web app and run it with docker compose.
Build a GitHub Actions pipeline that runs tests, builds an image and pushes it.
Learn to read logs and debug a failing build.

Done when: Every push to your repository is tested and built automatically.

Weeks 9 to 12

Cloud, infrastructure as code and monitoring

Use a free-tier cloud account to deploy your app on a virtual server. Set a billing alert first and delete resources after.
Describe a small environment in Terraform and create and destroy it.
Add basic monitoring and write up your project.

Done when: A deployed app with a pipeline and infrastructure code, plus a clear write-up.

Three projects that prove it

1. Containerise an app

Take a small web app, write a Dockerfile and a compose file with a database, and document how to run it.

Show on your resume: The Dockerfile choices and image size.

2. CI/CD pipeline

On every push: run tests, build an image, and deploy to a free-tier virtual machine.

Show on your resume: A pipeline diagram and a passing run.

3. Infrastructure as code

Use Terraform to create a small server and network, then destroy it, and add a simple monitoring dashboard.

Show on your resume: The code, the plan output and what you learned about cost and security.

Change the dataset, the idea or the features so the project is yours. Interviewers can tell a copied tutorial in two questions.

What interviewers often ask

Linux: file permissions, processes, how you find why a service is down.
What happens when you type a URL into a browser?
Docker image versus container, and why containers are used.
CI versus CD, and what a good pipeline contains.
A troubleshooting scenario: the site is slow, what do you check first?

Common mistakes

Leaving cloud resources running and getting a surprise bill.
Copying commands without understanding them.
Aiming only at a title of DevOps Engineer and ignoring cloud support or junior developer paths.

Good places to start learning

Linux Journey · Docker getting-started guide · GitHub Actions documentation · Terraform tutorials · Your chosen cloud's free-tier training. Check that each is still free and current before you begin.

Other roadmaps

Data Analyst · Frontend Web Developer · Backend Developer · Software Tester / QA Engineer · Machine Learning Engineer

Also see how to read a job description and the interview prep kit.