In Poland, as well as in the rest of the world, there is a high demand for DevOps specialists, so it is all the more important to learn more about this position. In this article, we are going to tell you what a DevOps specialist is responsible for and what skills a candidate should have if he or she wants to work in this profession.
DevOps – Responsibilities
In a nutshell, a DevOps specialist is responsible for all issues related to the automation of processes in a project. It is his/her task not only to organize the local environment and code repository but also to prepare the infrastructure and CI/CD tools. A DevOps specialist is responsible for a company for issues related to the automation of particular processes. Contrary to appearances, he is a full-fledged member of the project team, and not, as many people think, only a part of the external service team.
What skills does a DevOps specialist need to develop?
In many jobs, a DevOps specialist should first focus on expanding their programming knowledge. Without even basic knowledge of the most popular programming languages, it will be very difficult to understand the processes involved in software development. Practical skills related to the logic of operating systems may also be useful. Beginning professionals should focus not only on process management and virtualization but also on threads and file systems. The DevOps profession also requires very good knowledge of Terminal. Many positions require knowledge of bash, the popular nix-shell. It’s also a good idea to get familiar with basic network monitoring tools, or the system itself. Only in this way, you will be able to take care of the proper software performance.
What additional skills can be useful in this profession?
Nowadays, practically everything works via the Internet, which is why it is worth extending your knowledge of networks. In addition to basic knowledge (HTTPS, SSL, DNS), it’s best to learn about proxy issues and firewall configuration. A good DevOps specialist should also boast knowledge of Web Server, Infrastructure as Code and CI/CD. At the moment, the most popular support tool is of course Jenkins.
What soft skills?
Soft skills are also useful in the DevOps profession. Effective communication skills, openness and empathy are essential. Willingness to expand your knowledge and willingness to help is also very important. A good specialist is also required to have patience, responsibility and typical business thinking. Creativity, big picture thinking and adaptability are also welcome.
What are the main areas of a DevOps specialist?
DevOps is responsible for automating the management processes of distributed systems. One of his most important tasks is version control. Working with a repository is the foundation of the DevOps profession. A very important task is also testing the code taking into account Continuous Integration standards. DevOps is of course most popular in the IT industry. More and more IT and telecommunications companies cannot imagine working without the support of a DevOps specialist. New positions appear not only in large corporate companies but also in relatively small development teams. DevOps introduces an iterative model of work, which works well not only in the IT industry. The main task of a DevOps specialist is of course to increase the quality of the final product, which is delivered directly to the customer. Companies that practice the DevOps culture can significantly shorten the time of launching a new product on the market and significantly improve customer satisfaction. Increased productivity and efficiency is also a huge advantage.