Companies’ widespread adoption of DevOps is leading to increased competition, requiring their rivals to adopt similar or better practices. This drive for DevOps expertise is driving the demand for professionals in the field. The interest in DevOps among corporations is likely to continue in the coming years, leading to high demand for related jobs despite a decrease in average salaries. As a result, employers need to be aware of the DevOps Developer Skills to look when hiring.

What is a DevOps Developer? What does a DevOps Developer do?

DevOps is a practice that merges development and operations with the goal of enhancing communication and boosting productivity and efficiency within an organization. Since its introduction, DevOps has garnered significant attention and is widely recognized as a valuable tool for businesses. 

A DevOps Developer is a specialist in the DevOps methodology, which aims to unify development and operations efforts to improve the efficiency of software development while upholding high-quality standards. This professional has a comprehensive knowledge of both Development and Operations processes. They will be comfortable in working seamlessly within both environments. Additionally, they are proficient in utilizing automation tools and techniques to streamline the software development process.

Top DevOps Developer Skills To Look For

To excel in a DevOps Developer role, it’s crucial for the candidate to be familiar with the most in-demand skills in the field. Despite popular belief, being a successful DevOps Developer is not just about automating processes, but rather a challenging role that demands a combination of technical proficiency and business acumen. In this article, you’ll discover the top skills necessary for a DevOps Developer, ensuring you stay current with the latest industry trends and remain competitive in your job search.

Linux & Scripting Skills

A DevOps Developer should have knowledge of Linux fundamentals, and master skills such as file management, text processing, system administration, process management, and networking. However, this only covers one aspect of system engineering. To fully excel in the field, the candidate should also have a grasp on operating Linux servers, setting up monitoring systems, and working with web and DNS servers. Familiarity with load balancers like Apache and Nginx, as well as networking concepts like IP gateways and TCP/IP, is crucial.

It is advisable to look for an expert in system administration and operations before choosing a DevOps Developer.

Scripting skills are highly sought after in the DevOps industry. Being proficient in at least one scripting language, such as Shell or Python, is a must. Python proficiency is particularly important as it helps with automating builds and testing frameworks and applications. A basic understanding of programming can greatly enhance a DevOps Developer’s efficiency. Without a programming background, one may focus more on operations rather than DevOps.

Proficiency with Relevant DevOps Tools

The success of DevOps depends entirely on the tools utilized at each stage of its implementation. The sheer number of tools available for DevOps can be overwhelming, but the importance of these tools in achieving DevOps success is worth exploring.

DevOps Developers must be proficient in using the following tool types:

  • Version control systems
  • Continuous integration servers
  • Configuration management tools
  • Deployment automation solutions
  • Containerization technologies
  • Infrastructure orchestration platforms
  • Monitoring and analytics tools
  • Testing and cloud quality tools
  • Network protocols.

Security and Automation Skills

The speed of deployment that DevOps facilitates often leads to an increased risk rate, making traditional security measures that are applied at the end or as a separate process inadequate. DevSecOps offers a solution by integrating security into the software development life cycle from the outset. Thus, possessing the necessary DevOps skills is essential for a successful career in DevOps.

Being a DevOps Developer requires a strong proficiency in automation, which is the central aspect of DevOps processes. Your candidate should have the ability to automate the entire DevOps pipeline, including CI/CD cycles, infrastructure and configurations, application performance monitoring, and more. This skill set is fundamental to knowledge of DevOps tools, coding, and scripting.

Cloud Skills

Cloud and DevOps are interconnected, with the effectiveness of one impacting the other. The move to the cloud has become necessary for the smooth functioning of continuous monitoring, facilitated by the DevOps methodology. The cloud provides the necessary platform for testing, deployment, and code releases.

The cloud supports DevOps automation through CI/CD tools and also facilitates resource monitoring.

For a DevOps Developer, it is crucial to have knowledge of common cloud providers and their resources. This includes familiarity with various cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, and GCP, as well as cloud computing skills for deploying upgrades and fixes.

Additionally, it is important to understand how to integrate DevOps with the cloud, which is one of the most desirable technology combinations in the world today. This should be considered an additional skill to look for when hiring DevOps Developers.

Testing Skills

Testing is essential for the success of a DevOps operation. The DevOps automation pipeline requires tests that your developer has to execute without fail. This is critical for the success of continuous testing, where automated tests are performed. This makes the process quicker and ensuring high-quality delivery to the end user.

Having a good understanding of tools such as Chef, Puppet, etc. is necessary for a good DevOps Developer. Utilizing Docker containers to package an application with all its required components, such as libraries and dependencies, helps simplify the process for the operations team.

Additionally, it’s important that they know how to integrate Jenkins with automation testing tools like Selenium, which is Continuous Delivery. This skill is one of the most critical skills for a DevOps Developer.

Wrapping Up!

To stay ahead in the constantly evolving DevOps space, it is crucial to stay updated on the latest practices and technologies. This applies not only to DevOps Developers but also to those looking to hire them. Having a clear understanding of what to look for in a candidate is key to hiring the right DevOps engineer.