Updated for 2025

Your Complete Roadmap to Becoming a Cloud & DevOps Engineer

Master AWS, Azure, Kubernetes, Terraform, and modern DevOps practices. From absolute beginner to cloud architect.

$120k-$205k Average Salary
140k+ Job Openings
15% YoY Growth
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Cloud and DevOps Infrastructure

Your Learning Journey

A structured path from beginner to expert, designed for 2025's cloud-native landscape

Beginner

Foundation (0-3 months)

Build your IT fundamentals: Linux, networking, programming basics, and cloud concepts

  • Linux Command Line
  • Networking Basics
  • Python/Bash Scripting
  • Git & Version Control
Intermediate

Cloud & DevOps Core (3-9 months)

Master cloud platforms, containerization, CI/CD pipelines, and infrastructure as code

  • AWS/Azure Fundamentals
  • Docker & Kubernetes
  • CI/CD Pipelines
  • Terraform & Ansible
Advanced

Expert Level (9-18 months)

Advanced architectures, security, monitoring, and cloud migration strategies

  • Multi-Cloud Architecture
  • DevSecOps & Security
  • Cloud Migration
  • FinOps & Cost Optimization

Detailed Learning Roadmap

Step-by-step guide with skills, tools, and certifications for each stage

Stage 1: Foundation (0-3 Months)

Build essential IT skills and cloud fundamentals

Linux Fundamentals

Master the command line, file systems, permissions, and shell scripting

File System Navigation User Management Process Management Bash Scripting Package Management
Resources:

Networking Basics

Understand TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP/HTTPS, load balancing, and network security

TCP/IP Model DNS & DHCP HTTP/HTTPS Firewalls & VPNs Load Balancing
Resources:

Programming Fundamentals

Learn Python and Bash for automation and scripting

Python Basics Data Structures Bash Scripting APIs & REST JSON/YAML
Resources:

Version Control (Git)

Master Git workflows, branching strategies, and collaboration

Git Basics Branching & Merging GitHub/GitLab Pull Requests Git Workflows
Resources:

Cloud Computing Basics

Understand cloud models, services, and core concepts

IaaS, PaaS, SaaS Public vs Private Cloud Virtualization Cloud Economics Security Basics
Resources:

Recommended Certifications

AWS
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

Foundational AWS knowledge

Learn More →
Azure
Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)

Core Azure concepts

Learn More →
Linux
Linux Foundation Certified IT Associate

Linux fundamentals

Learn More →

Stage 2: Cloud & DevOps Core (3-9 Months)

Master cloud platforms and DevOps tools

AWS Core Services

Master EC2, S3, VPC, IAM, Lambda, RDS, and CloudFormation

EC2 & Auto Scaling S3 & Storage VPC & Networking IAM & Security Lambda & Serverless RDS & Databases
Resources:

Azure Core Services

Learn Virtual Machines, Storage, Networking, Azure DevOps, and AKS

Virtual Machines Azure Storage Virtual Networks Azure AD Azure Functions Azure SQL
Resources:

Docker & Containerization

Build, ship, and run applications in containers

Docker Basics Dockerfile Docker Compose Container Networking Docker Registry
Resources:

Kubernetes (K8s)

Orchestrate containers at scale with Kubernetes

Pods & Deployments Services & Ingress ConfigMaps & Secrets Helm Charts EKS/AKS/GKE
Resources:

CI/CD Pipelines

Automate build, test, and deployment workflows

Jenkins GitHub Actions GitLab CI Azure DevOps AWS CodePipeline
Resources:

Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Manage infrastructure with Terraform and Ansible

Terraform Basics Terraform Modules Ansible Playbooks CloudFormation ARM Templates
Resources:

Recommended Certifications

AWS
AWS Solutions Architect Associate

Design distributed systems on AWS

Learn More →
Azure
Azure Administrator (AZ-104)

Manage Azure resources

Learn More →
K8s
Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)

Kubernetes administration

Learn More →
Terraform
HashiCorp Terraform Associate

Infrastructure as Code

Learn More →

Stage 3: Advanced & Specialization (9-18 Months)

Master advanced architectures, security, and cloud migration

DevSecOps & Security

Integrate security into DevOps workflows

Security Scanning Vulnerability Management Policy as Code Secret Management Compliance Automation
Resources:

Monitoring & Observability

Implement comprehensive monitoring and logging

Prometheus & Grafana ELK Stack CloudWatch/Azure Monitor Distributed Tracing APM Tools
Resources:

GitOps & Advanced CI/CD

Implement GitOps workflows with ArgoCD and FluxCD

ArgoCD FluxCD Progressive Delivery Canary Deployments Blue-Green Deployments
Resources:

Multi-Cloud & Hybrid Cloud

Design and manage multi-cloud architectures

Multi-Cloud Strategy Cloud Agnostic Tools Hybrid Connectivity Data Replication Disaster Recovery
Resources:

FinOps & Cost Optimization

Optimize cloud costs and implement FinOps practices

Cost Analysis Resource Tagging Reserved Instances Spot Instances Cost Allocation
Resources:

Cloud Migration Strategies

Plan and execute cloud migration projects

6 R's of Migration Assessment Tools Migration Planning Data Migration Application Modernization
Resources:

Recommended Certifications

AWS
AWS DevOps Engineer Professional

Advanced DevOps on AWS

Learn More →
Azure
Azure DevOps Engineer Expert (AZ-400)

DevOps practices on Azure

Learn More →
Security
Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)

Cloud security expertise

Learn More →
K8s
Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS)

K8s security

Learn More →

Learning Resources

Curated collection of free and paid resources for every stage

Free Online Courses

AWS Skill Builder

Free AWS training with hands-on labs

Visit →

Microsoft Learn

Free Azure training and certifications

Visit →

Linux Academy (A Cloud Guru)

Cloud and DevOps courses

Visit →

KodeKloud

Hands-on DevOps labs

Visit →

YouTube Channels

TechWorld with Nana

DevOps tutorials and projects

Visit →

freeCodeCamp

Full-length tech courses

Visit →

Abhishek Veeramalla

DevOps career guidance

Visit →

AWS Online Tech Talks

Official AWS tutorials

Visit →

Documentation & Guides

AWS Documentation

Official AWS service docs

Visit →

Azure Documentation

Official Azure service docs

Visit →

Kubernetes Documentation

Official K8s docs

Visit →

DevOps Roadmap

Interactive learning path

Visit →

Paid Platforms

Udemy

Affordable courses on all topics

Visit →

Pluralsight

Tech skills platform

Visit →

Linux Academy

Cloud training platform

Visit →

Whizlabs

Certification practice tests

Visit →

Hands-On Projects

Build real-world projects to strengthen your portfolio

Beginner

Static Website Hosting

Deploy a static website using S3 and CloudFront with custom domain and SSL

AWS S3 CloudFront Route 53 ACM
Skills: Cloud storage, CDN, DNS, SSL/TLS
Beginner

Linux Web Server Setup

Configure a Linux server with Nginx, SSL, and basic security hardening

Linux Nginx Let's Encrypt UFW
Skills: Linux administration, web servers, security
Intermediate

Containerized Microservices

Build and deploy a multi-container application using Docker Compose

Docker Docker Compose Nginx PostgreSQL
Skills: Containerization, networking, orchestration
Intermediate

CI/CD Pipeline with Jenkins

Create automated build, test, and deployment pipeline for a web application

Jenkins Git Docker AWS EC2
Skills: CI/CD, automation, testing, deployment
Intermediate

Kubernetes Cluster Deployment

Deploy a production-ready Kubernetes cluster with monitoring and logging

Kubernetes Helm Prometheus Grafana
Skills: K8s orchestration, monitoring, observability
Intermediate

Infrastructure as Code with Terraform

Provision AWS infrastructure using Terraform with modules and state management

Terraform AWS VPC EC2
Skills: IaC, cloud provisioning, state management
Advanced

Multi-Cloud Disaster Recovery

Implement disaster recovery solution across AWS and Azure with automated failover

AWS Azure Terraform Route 53
Skills: Multi-cloud, DR planning, automation
Advanced

GitOps with ArgoCD

Implement GitOps workflow with ArgoCD for Kubernetes deployments

ArgoCD Kubernetes Helm Git
Skills: GitOps, continuous deployment, K8s
Advanced

Cloud Migration Project

Migrate on-premises application to cloud with zero downtime

AWS DMS CloudEndure Terraform Docker
Skills: Migration planning, data transfer, modernization

GitHub Repositories for Practice

Awesome DevOps

Curated list of DevOps resources and tools

View on GitHub →

DevOps Exercises

Practice questions and scenarios

View on GitHub →

Kubernetes Examples

Real-world K8s configurations

View on GitHub →

Terraform AWS Examples

AWS infrastructure templates

View on GitHub →

Career Preparation

Get ready for interviews and land your dream DevOps role

Resume Tips

  • Highlight hands-on projects and real-world experience
  • List certifications prominently (AWS, Azure, K8s)
  • Include specific tools and technologies used
  • Quantify achievements (reduced deployment time by 50%)
  • Add GitHub profile with active repositories
  • Mention CI/CD pipelines and automation projects

Common Interview Questions

What is the difference between Docker and Kubernetes?

Docker is a containerization platform that packages applications and dependencies into containers. Kubernetes is a container orchestration platform that manages, scales, and deploys containerized applications across clusters.

Explain CI/CD pipeline and its stages

CI/CD pipeline automates software delivery. Stages include: Source (code commit), Build (compile code), Test (automated testing), Deploy (to staging/production), and Monitor (track performance).

What is Infrastructure as Code (IaC)?

IaC is managing infrastructure through code rather than manual processes. Tools like Terraform and CloudFormation allow version control, automation, and consistency in infrastructure provisioning.

How do you handle secrets in DevOps?

Use secret management tools like AWS Secrets Manager, Azure Key Vault, HashiCorp Vault, or Kubernetes Secrets. Never hardcode secrets in code or version control.

Explain blue-green deployment strategy

Blue-green deployment maintains two identical production environments. Blue is live, green is idle. Deploy to green, test, then switch traffic. Allows instant rollback if issues occur.

Job Search Strategy

  • Build a strong LinkedIn profile with keywords
  • Contribute to open-source DevOps projects
  • Network with DevOps professionals and communities
  • Create technical blog posts and tutorials
  • Attend DevOps meetups and conferences
  • Practice on platforms like HackerRank and LeetCode

Salary Expectations (2025)

Junior DevOps Engineer $70k - $95k
Mid-Level DevOps Engineer $95k - $140k
Senior DevOps Engineer $140k - $180k
DevOps Architect $170k - $205k

Additional Career Resources

LinkedIn Jobs Indeed Jobs Stack Overflow Jobs Glassdoor