DevOps Is Everywhere, But What Even Is It?
I swear, I kept seeing DevOps pop up everywhere—job descriptions, tech conversations, even on LinkedIn posts that made it sound like the holy grail of modern work. But when I actually tried to figure out what DevOps was, all I got was a bunch of buzzwords and no real clarity. Like, is it a job? A skill? A software tool? A secret society?
So, I did what any sensible person would do—I went down a rabbit hole of research to finally make sense of it. And guess what? DevOps is less of a thing and more of a mindset and way of working, kind of like Agile. If Agile changed how teams develop software, DevOps changed how they deploy, maintain, and improve it.
Let’s break it down in a way that actually makes sense.
Why I’m Comparing DevOps to Agile
I’m comparing DevOps to Agile because that’s the world I’ve been living in for the last few years and it’s the only way I can make sense of it. Agile transformed how teams build products, pushing for iteration, collaboration, and continuous improvement. It made rigid, years-long planning obsolete and forced teams to adapt quickly. If you’ve worked in project management, software development or product management, agile is probably second nature by now.
But what happens after those Agile teams build something? That’s where DevOps comes in.
DevOps vs. Agile: The Key Difference
With Agile, we know the whole “let’s work in iterations, adapt quickly, and not waste six months on a complex plan” approach. DevOps follows a similar philosophy, but instead of focusing on how software is built, it’s all about how it gets delivered and maintained.
🔹 Agile = Building Software Faster (Sprints, daily standups, roadmaps, product features)
🔹 DevOps = Delivering and Maintaining Software Faster (Automation, cloud deployment, keeping systems running smoothly). They go hand-in-hand. Agile makes sure teams aren’t stuck in outdated, long-term plans. DevOps makes sure those fast-moving Agile teams can actually release their software without chaos.
So, What Does DevOps Actually Look Like?
Alright, let’s get to it. If I’m explaining DevOps to someone who has zero background in it, I’d put it like this:
👉 Before DevOps: Developers write code, throw it over the wall to IT, and IT scrambles to deploy it while fixing all the inevitable issues.
👉 With DevOps: The whole process is automated, efficient, and doesn’t require a million manual steps. Developers and IT work together instead of separately.
Imagine if, in a kitchen, the chefs cooked the food but never talked to the servers. The food is ready, but no one’s there to deliver it to the customers. That’s traditional development vs. DevOps. DevOps makes sure the whole kitchen-and-service process flows smoothly, with fewer delays and way less stress.
The Meat and Potatoes
🔹 Automation Everything – No more manual deployments. DevOps uses tools that automatically build, test, and deploy software. (Think of it like setting up a self-checkout system instead of needing a cashier for every transaction.)
🔹 Continuous Integration & Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) – Instead of dumping all updates at once every few months, DevOps teams release small, frequent updates—kind of like how your phone gets app updates every other week.
🔹 Infrastructure as Code (IaC) – Instead of manually setting up servers, DevOps uses code to define infrastructure. Imagine being able to copy-paste an entire tech setup like you copy a Canva template.
🔹 Monitoring & Feedback Loops – DevOps teams track how software performs in real-time and fix problems before users even notice. It’s like getting your car’s check engine light before the engine explodes.
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Do You Need to Be a Tech Genius to Get Into DevOps?
Not necessarily. DevOps isn’t just for engineers—it’s a mindset that many roles can benefit from. If you’re coming from a product, strategy, or consulting background, you might not need to write code, but understanding DevOps will help you work better with technical teams.
For example, if you’re a Product Manager, knowing DevOps can help you:
- Deliver features faster because you understand deployment workflows.
- Reduce downtime because you know what happens after development.
- Make smarter tech decisions because you get the how behind software releases.
If you do want to pivot into DevOps, start by learning: ✅ Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)
✅ Basic scripting (Python or Bash)
✅ Automation tools (Docker, Terraform, Jenkins)
But honestly? Even just knowing the principles will put you ahead of a lot of people who still think DevOps is just a job title.
Basically… it’s More About Culture Than Code
If Agile is about collaboration and adaptability, DevOps is about breaking silos and improving delivery. It’s a cultural shift that values automation, efficiency, and teamwork. Whether you’re in product, strategy, or trying to break into a more technical role, understanding DevOps will only make you more valuable.
DevOps Roles
- DevOps Engineer (Entry-Level)
As an entry-level DevOps Engineer, you’ll assist in automating and streamlining operations and processes, building and maintaining tools for deployment, monitoring, and operations, and troubleshooting and resolving issues in development, test, and production environments.- Salary Range: The average annual salary for someone with less than one year of experience as a DevOps engineer is $86,194. Combined with additional pay, the average annual compensation rises to $110,934. Coursera
- Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) – Junior
In this role, you’ll work closely with development teams to ensure the reliability and performance of applications, automate repetitive tasks, and respond to incidents.- Salary Range: Entry-level SRE positions typically start around $70,000 and can go up to $90,000, depending on the company and location.
- Build and Release Engineer
As a Build and Release Engineer, you’ll manage the software build process, ensure that code from multiple developers is integrated smoothly, and handle the deployment of applications.- Salary Range: Entry-level positions in this area generally offer salaries between $65,000 and $85,000 annually.
- Automation Engineer (Entry-Level)
In this role, you’ll focus on automating manual processes, writing scripts to automate tasks, and working to improve system efficiency.- Salary Range: Starting salaries typically range from $60,000 to $80,000.
- Cloud Operations Engineer (Junior)
As a Junior Cloud Operations Engineer, you’ll assist in managing and monitoring cloud infrastructure, ensuring availability, performance, and security.- Salary Range: Entry-level positions usually offer between $70,000 and $90,000 per year.ZipRecruiter+4Salary.com+4Coursera+4
Note: Salaries can vary significantly based on location, company size, and individual qualifications. For instance, entry-level DevOps engineers in major metropolitan areas or at larger tech companies may start with higher salaries compared to those in smaller markets. Asbury Theological Seminary
For the most accurate and up-to-date salary information, I recommend checking reputable job sites like Glassdoor, Indeed, or LinkedIn Jobs for current listings and salary details in your specific area.
Getting into DevOps is likely both exciting and rewarding. With the right role and company, you’ll be well on your way to making a significant impact in the tech industry!
