What Are DevOps Engineer Skills?

Written by Coursera Staff • Updated on

Learn the DevOps engineer skills necessary for a successful career, how they apply to daily operations, and salary and educational info for this job path.

[Featured Image] A devops engineer student is on a computer working on coding.

DevOps combines the words "development" and "operations." A DevOps engineer is the bridge between software development and IT operations, which means that in this field, you'll have a variety of roles and responsibilities. The position requires technical and interpersonal skills so you can liaise between multiple departments. This article reviews the DevOps skills needed for a rewarding and successful career as a DevOps engineer.

What is a DevOps engineer, and what do they do?

DevOps helps improve the efficiency of siloed teams by integrating them into a more cohesive partnership. This integration usually leads to improved efficiency and speed within an organisation. Some of what you will do as a DevOps engineer include:

  • Build and maintain development infrastructure

  • Improve development and release processes

  • Test code and analyse results

  • Protect against cybersecurity threats

  • Develop software updates and fixes

  • Maintain hardware and software

  • Develop processes to improve an organisation’s technology

DevOps engineer skills

DevOps engineer skills must include coordinating the workflow between team members to complete a project efficiently and within budget. To be a successful DevOps engineer, you will need not only excellent technical skills but interpersonal skills as well. You’ll work with many personalities at various levels of your organisation. 

Take a look at the technical and workplace skills that will help you succeed in DevOps:

1. Programming and scripting

Programming and scripting are critical components of a DevOps engineer’s role. Some of the most used languages include:

  • Python

  • Java

  • JavaScript

  • Ruby

  • Shell 

2. Automation

A DevOps engineer should also understand automation. Automation involves the entire process of technology development. It also involves minimising the need for human control and letting technology perform the task. Some areas of automation to be familiar with are:

  • Testing

  • Performance monitoring 

  • Low-code and no-code software development 

  • Full-stack automation

3. System administration

As a DevOps engineer, you might not always work directly with system administration, but it's important to know about it, as it’s a skill used to make automation decisions. The system administrator builds, tests, and debugs servers, which intersects with the role of the DevOps engineer. Some key skills to have are:

  • Cloud computing

  • Software management

  • Scripting 

4. Security

Security skills are essential for anyone working in IT. Threat investigation, vulnerability assessment, and change management are among the top security skills a DevOps engineer needs. Other skills and tools to know include: 

  • Kerberos

  • Code analysis

  • Helix

5. Proactive/continous monitoring 

Proactive monitoring is typically the responsibility of the DevOps engineer. Nagios and Splunk are two programs used by DevOps engineers to monitor, search, and analyse big data for important information. Some types of monitoring include:

  • Network monitoring 

  • Application monitoring

  • Infrastructure monitoring 

  • Last-mile monitoring

  • Cost monitoring 

6. Continuous integration

Continuous integration (CI) increases the development speed without compromising the code quality. This allows you to change from multiple developers into one software project. The DevOps engineer uses CI routinely throughout their work. Some systems used in CI are:

  • Bamboo

  • Jenkins

  • GitLab

7. Version management 

To track changes to software code, you'll need version management skills. A DevOps engineer needs to understand how to use version management software, such as:

  • Jenkins

  • Maven

  • Git

  • Bamboo 

8. Operating systems

A DevOps engineer needs knowledge of common operating systems such as Windows, macOS,  iOS, and Android and how each functions.

Some functions of operating systems to know include:

  • Memory management

  • Security management

  • Resource allocation

  • File management

  • Network management

DevOps engineers should also be familiar with Linux since it’s one of the more popular operating systems, and you’ll likely come across it quite a bit. 

9. Interpersonal and other human skills

Becoming a DevOps engineer requires high interpersonal skills. You'll work with other team members from the development and operations departments. Communication and collaboration are essential skills for successfully integrating the two teams. 

Other human skills needed for DevOps engineering include:

  • Decision-making: Making quick decisions is one of the most important DevOps engineer skills. The ability to quickly accept and reject suggestions from peers is essential to development speed and completing projects.

  • Integrity: As development and operations teams are consolidated, building trust and honesty is important to the workplace culture. Openness and transparency are essential skills for a DevOps engineer to promote confidence amongst their peers. 

  • Empathy: As departments collaborate, there may be misunderstandings, so it’s important to empathise with teammates and listen to their concerns. DevOps requires relationship building, teamwork, and understanding what others may be going through in their personal and professional lives.   

Salary and job outlook

According to Payscale [1], the average base salary for a DevOps engineer in India is ₹9,36,326 annually. A DevOps engineer with one to four years of experience can earn an average annual wage of ₹7,07,072, and five to nine years of experience pay an average of ₹13,84,994. An engineer with 10 to 19 years of experience earns an average salary of ₹22,09,456 annually. 

According to TechSci Research, the DevOps market in India is expected to grow roughly 20.1 percent per year from 2024 to 2029 [2]. As demand increases, the need for DevOps professionals will likely rise exponentially throughout the country.

How to gain DevOps engineer skills 

Several career paths are available for DevOps engineering. You can earn certifications to enhance your knowledge, resume, and degree options. If you’re keen on a career as a DevOps engineer, explore the following choices.  

  • Degrees: You can complete a bachelor’s degree in computer science and technology (BTech), specialising in DevOps and cloud computing. If you hold a bachelor’s degree, you can complete a master's degree in computer science and technology (MTech). To qualify for admission to a degree programme, you must have passed your Class 12th examinations from a recognised government board, typically with 50 percent marks in physics and mathematics. However, the exact requirements will depend on your specific programme.

  • Certifications: CompTIA offers certifications in security, cloud computing, and Linux, and Amazon offers the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer—Professional certification. All of these certifications can enhance your DevOps engineer skills.

 

  • Bootcamps: Another option is to access DevOps bootcamps in person or online. They typically run for eight weeks to 18 months. You may take bootcamps specific to DevOps, such as coding and SQL. 

Next steps 

The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science offered by the Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, can help you prepare for a career as a DevOps engineer. You can complete the course online in three to six years if you commit to 25 weekly hours. 

If you already have a bachelor’s degree, consider an Online Master's in Computer Science on Coursera. You can usually complete a degree in 18 to 36 months.

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Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani

Article sources

1

Payscale. "DevOps Engineer Salary in India, https://www.payscale.com/research/IN/Job=Development_Operations_(DevOps)_Engineer/Salary." Accessed 11 December 2024. 

Updated on
Written by:
Coursera Staff

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