A DevOps engineer is an IT professional who has an in-depth understanding of the software development lifecycle. They need to understand why the organization had to move from one model to the other, the shortcomings of the previous model, the benefits of the new model, and so on. A DevOps engineer also must know how to use various automation tools for developing continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.

There are various stages in a CI/CD pipeline. The first stage is the planning stage, which includes writing an algorithm for your product. The next stage is the building stage, where the algorithm is transformed into a product that can be used. The product is then tested in the testing stage where all bugs are found and corrected. The product finally goes to the deployment stage, where it’s introduced to the end-users. Once the product is deployed, it needs to be monitored continuously, which is a new concept recently introduced into the DevOps lifecycle.

DevOps engineers focus more on the monitoring stage compared to the previous stages. It's essential to monitor the product continuously to catch new bugs, fix them, and push the corrected version back to the client. This is done to ensure customer satisfaction once the product is deployed into the real world. DevOps engineers collaborate with the development and operation teams to deliver high-quality products in as short a time as possible.

Most companies have started adopting DevOps practices making DevOps jobs one of the most sought after roles in the IT sector today. Let’s discuss the most essential skills required by candidates who are looking for DevOps jobs:

1. Programming Language and Linux Fundamentals

Engineers that work in DevOps have a distinct set of coding duties. Instead of specializing in a single scripting language, a DevOps engineer should be fluent in several. Python, Golang, Ruby, JavaScript, Perl, Java, Bash, and other languages are among them. These are the languages that are most appropriate for automating tasks. To replace manual operations, good coding abilities are required; even the tiniest fault might result in major problems later on. A DevOps engineer should be at ease authoring and debugging bugs in these languages, as well as in OS environments.

Additionally, skills in handling a Linux operating system are very crucial for a DevOps Engineer. Most companies prefer hosting their applications on Linux. Also most configuration management tools like Puppet, Chef, and Ansible have their master nodes running on Linux. So DevOps skill set would be Linux and Linux based scripting (such as Python).

2. Various DevOps Tools And Technologies

DevOps practices are executed in various stages, and each stage has tools that can facilitate that stage.

Version Control Tools:

Version control is a technique for keeping track of code changes. It helps software teams operate faster and smarter as development environments have increased. If something goes wrong, we can compare multiple versions of the code and go back to any prior version we desire. They’re extremely beneficial to DevOps teams, since they aid in reducing development time and increasing deployment success. Software tools exist to assist software teams in managing source code changes over time. The most popular tool is Git, which can manage large projects efficiently. It also allows multiple developers to work together with ease.

Configuration Management Tools:

When a configuration platform is used to automate, monitor, design, and manage otherwise manual configuration procedures, this is known as configuration management. In DevOps systems, using Configuration Management is a must. Determining the status of each system is a crucial component of configuration management. Organizations may assure consistency across connected systems and boost productivity by coordinating these operations with a platform. As a result, firms may scale more easily without having to hire extra IT management personnel. Some popular tools are Chef and Puppet.

Application Performance Monitoring Tools:

Application performance monitoring is a critical component of DevOps, enabling developers and stakeholders in operations projects to monitor and assess the backend of applications in real time. It enables companies to track if their IT environment fulfils performance criteria, uncover flaws and possible issues, and create faultless user experiences by closely monitoring IT resources. AppDynamics and Prometheus are two popular tools used for application performance management.

Server Monitoring Tools:

The process of gaining visibility into the activities on your servers, whether physical or virtual, is known as server monitoring. It’s sometimes referred to as resource or infrastructure monitoring. Servers are devices that store and process data that is made available on demand to other devices, applications, or users. It shows you how much RAM is being used, how much CPU is being used, and how much disc space is left. For cloud-based settings, it is useful for collecting data from virtual server systems. Some popular server monitoring tools are Splunk and Sensu.

Continuous Integration and Deployment Automation Tools:

Continuous integration (CI) is a DevOps best practice in which developers integrate code changes into a central repository where automated builds and tests are executed. After the build step, Continuous delivery (CD) extends continuous integration by automatically deploying all code changes to the testing and production environments. Jenkins is a popular tool used for CI/CD automation.

Container Platforms:

Containers are an important part of many DevOps workflows. They are lightweight, may be used in a variety of environments, and are simple to move from one team to another. They contribute to cross-organizational collaboration in this way. Now, containerization is the process of putting a software component, along with its environment, dependencies, and configuration, into the container. This allows an application to be deployed reliably in any computer environment, whether on-premises or in the cloud. Commonly used containers are Docker and Kubernetes.

Test Automation Tools:

The method of automatically examining and validating a software product, such as a web application, to ensure that it fulfils set quality standards for code style, functionality (business logic), and user experience is known as test automation. It reduces the amount of time that humans are involved in the testing process. It necessitates the use of automation tools and frameworks to create test scripts that verify an application’s functionality. Popular test automation tools include Selenium and Katalon Studio.

3. Cloud Computing Skills

Cloud computing expertise is beneficial in almost every aspect of a successful DevOps operation. It allows for cooperation without the time-consuming process of emailing files back and forth between team members. It also allows teams to communicate from anywhere in the world without having to drive to the office every time something has to be changed.

You could say that cloud and DevOps are inextricably linked. The efficiency of one is directly influenced by the efficiency of the other. While the DevOps technique drives a process, the cloud facilitates it by providing the essential infrastructure for testing, deploying, and releasing code.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the most popular cloud provider in the industry today. Many companies keep their infrastructure on this cloud because it provides higher scalability, greater flexibility, and better security. It's comparatively more cost-effective than other cloud providers. Other cloud providers include Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform.

4. Communication and Collaboration Skills

The DevOps methodology is based on constant feedback loops. It will be impossible to build a DevOps pipeline that truly delivers value to end users without effective team communication. The main cultural feature of DevOps, which brings together Development and Operations teams, is collaboration. Effective communications allows teams to make rapid changes to an application while maintaining a stable and robust environment.

If you are new to the DevOps world, the list of DevOps skill sets might seem long to you. But, these are the primary DevOps engineer skills companies are looking for, and learning these can get you a sound edge.

The DevOps market will be worth USD 14.9 billion by 2026, a good sign that demand will remain consistently high. A DevOps engineer salary may vary based on the number of years of experience and certifications you have. DevOps jobs on an average pay $105,107 per year in the United States (as of December 2021).