DevOps is an increasingly popular concept that first emerged in 2009. There is a very high demand for DevOps specialists these days, so those looking for a new path in the IT industry should familiarise themselves with this amazing methodology as soon as possible.
What is DevOps?
Simply put, DevOps is a special software development method that focuses on improving communication and collaboration between developers and operations specialists. Thanks to this method, organisations can quickly produce not only high-quality software but also complex products and services. DevOps in the IT industry is an increasingly popular model of collaboration between areas responsible for the design and operation of services.
Why is the importance of this type of specialists growing?
The methodology mentioned above brings visible benefits very quickly, which is why it is so popular among corporate companies and beyond. It is also worth mentioning that DevOps brings satisfactory results not only to technology companies, which is why the demand for experienced DevOps specialists is very high. The DevOps method enjoys huge interest, especially in the banking and telecommunications sectors. We should not forget about companies operating in the e-commerce sector as well. It is an ideal choice especially for those companies that implement a lot of changes in production environments and want to make these changes in the shortest possible time.
What does a DevOps specialist do?
People who work as DevOps Engineers bridge the gap between all the technical teams that are involved in a product development process. The DevOps Engineer is responsible above all for communication between them and for improving the effectiveness of cooperation. The DevOps Engineer is, of course, also responsible for the end result, and more specifically for the implementation of the new software on which the individual teams have worked. The DevOps specialist takes care of the smooth flow of information and the creation of the project infrastructure. One of his primary tasks is to select the optimal technology and control the project iteration. An experienced DevOps engineer uses advanced tools that enable him to monitor the work of teams and automate individual processes. To a large extent, it is thanks to these applications that it is possible to deliver the highest quality software to customers.
What qualities should a good DevOps engineer have?
A DevOps specialist should have not only programming skills but also knowledge of basic protocols and network services. When it comes to scripting languages, Python, Ruby, and Groovy are the most popular these days. If you are interested in a DevOps position, you should know the basics of web servers (tomcat, jetty, Nginx). For many tasks, it may also be useful to know basic database issues, or the ability to use containers (Docker, Kubernetes).
How to become a DevOps developer?
First of all, it’s worth clearly pointing out that a DevOps engineer, despite appearances, does not have to be a programmer. In fact, people who previously worked only as database administrators can become DevOps engineers. Of course, a general knowledge of software development principles is essential. People who want to become good DevOps should broaden their technical skills in programming, cloud technologies, cybersecurity and operation of the latest operating systems. It’s also worth developing yourself in server administration and software testing. With a solid technical background, it will definitely be easier to find a job. As for the tools themselves, it’s worth getting familiar with software like Maven and Gradle. Do not forget about CI/CD tools as well.
