Key Skills You Will Want to Learn as An Engineer

DevOps specifically because it revolves around automation, collaboration, and mastering tools that ensure smooth integration and delivery of software.  Which is one of the major pushes for most companies. Having the ability to scale and be available faster.

Here’s a breakdown of the essential skills most top Enterprises hire for:

** This is a living document, therefore as I continue to tackle each topic, there will be a link to help you dive deep into the topic separately.**

1. Programming & Scripting

• Languages: Python, Ruby, Bash, Go, or JavaScript.
• Purpose: Automating tasks, building pipelines, and integrating tools.

2. Version Control Systems

• Tools: Git, GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket.
• Purpose: Managing code repositories and enabling collaboration between developers.

3. CI/CD Pipelines

• Tools: Jenkins, CircleCI, TravisCI, GitLab CI/CD, Azure DevOps.
• Purpose: Automating code integration, testing, and deployment to production environments.

4. Containerization & Orchestration

• Tools: Docker, Kubernetes.
• Purpose: Ensuring consistent application environments and scaling services efficiently.

5. Cloud Computing

• Platforms: AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Purpose: Building, deploying, and managing applications in cloud environments.

6. Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

• Tools: Terraform, Ansible, CloudFormation, Puppet, Chef.
• Purpose: Automating infrastructure provisioning and management.

7. Monitoring & Logging

• Tools: Prometheus, Grafana, ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana), Splunk.
• Purpose: Tracking application performance, identifying issues, and ensuring uptime.

8. Networking Basics

• Key Concepts: DNS, load balancing, firewalls, VPNs, HTTP/HTTPS, and TCP/IP.
• Purpose: Troubleshooting and optimizing networked systems.

9. Operating Systems

• Focus on: Linux (Ubuntu, CentOS, Red Hat) and Windows.
• Purpose: Managing and optimizing server environments.

10. Collaboration & Communication

• Key Practices: Agile, Scrum, Kanban methodologies.
• Purpose: Working with development, operations, and QA teams effectively.

11. Security Knowledge

• Practices: Implementing DevSecOps principles, securing CI/CD pipelines, and automating compliance checks.
• Tools: OWASP ZAP, HashiCorp Vault, Snyk.

12. Soft Skills

• Problem-solving and analytical thinking.
• Team collaboration and adaptability in dynamic environments.
• A continuous learning mindset to keep up with evolving tools and practices.