the-devops-path · v1.0 · Beginner → Advanced
Become a DevOps engineer,
one pipeline stage at a time.
A complete, written course — every topic is a full lesson you read right here, not a pile of links. Deeper resources come after each one. Work through the stages in order, tick off what you learn, and watch your build go green.
the path · 16 stages · 4 tracks
What to learn, and what comes after what
Work top to bottom. Each stage lists the stages it builds on — those prerequisites are real, not decorative.
Track 1 · Foundations
Start here. Every tool later runs on Linux, talks over a network, is automated by scripts, and lives in Git. Skipping this track is why people get stuck at Kubernetes.
Foundations & the DevOps mindset
What DevOps actually is before you touch a tool
Linux & operating systems
The OS every server, container and pipeline runs on
after: Foundations
Networking & protocols
Nothing works until packets reach the right place
after: Linux
Programming & scripting
Automation is just code you write for machines to run
after: Linux
Git & version control
The system of record for code and, soon, infrastructure
after: Foundations
Track 2 · Core DevOps
The daily job: build and test automatically, ship in containers, run them on Kubernetes, deliver safely, and operate a cloud.
Build, test & Continuous Integration
Every commit is built, tested and proven — automatically
after: Git + Programming
Containers & Docker
Package once, run the same everywhere
after: Linux + Programming
Kubernetes & orchestration
Run containers at scale, self-healing and declarative
after: Containers + Networking
Continuous Delivery, GitOps & releases
Ship to production safely, and roll back in seconds
after: Build, + Kubernetes
Cloud platforms
Where the infrastructure actually lives
after: Networking + Linux
Track 3 · Advanced
What turns a junior into a senior: codified infrastructure, real observability, security, reliability, and platforms other teams build on.
Infrastructure as Code
Provision infrastructure the way you write software
after: Cloud + Programming
Observability & monitoring
You can't operate what you can't see
after: Kubernetes + Cloud
Security & DevSecOps
Shift security left — automate it, don't bolt it on
after: Cloud + Build,
Reliability & SRE
Failure is inevitable — recovery is engineering
after: Observability
Platform engineering & scale
Build the paved road other teams drive on
after: Kubernetes + Infrastructure + Observability
Track 4 · Career
Turn the skills into an offer: a capstone portfolio, interview technique, and the certifications that actually pay off.