Is It Still Worth Learning DevOps in 2023
DevOpsIn 2023, in a fast-moving world, one might wonder if learning DevOps is still valuable. While nobody can predict the exact state of the tech industry in 10 years, here are some thoughts about the future of DevOps from my perspective as a DevOps enthusiast.
Kubernetes, Docker #
Between 2015 and 2020, Kubernetes experienced a remarkable rise in popularity. Although Kubernetes is still widely used, there have been some changes around it. First, the Kubernetes layer has been hidden in certain cases, such as Kubernetes autopilot in GCP or Cloud Run, where dropping a container allows the cloud provider to handle everything. This approach hides some of the complexities of Kubernetes from the consumer. Secondly, the interest in micro-services has somewhat declined, with some tech industries returning to either a monolithic architecture or something closer to a service-based architecture. Nevertheless, Kubernetes and foundational technologies like Docker are here to stay.
It's important to emphasize that learning Docker and Kubernetes is still highly beneficial. Docker is ubiquitous, found everywhere from small open-source projects on GitHub to large tech companies. It's essential knowledge, as Linux and minimalist OS like Alpine remain very useful.
Cloud Providers #
Regarding Cloud Providers, some enterprises faced challenges with excessive bills and sought more predictable solutions. Hiring in this domain can still be difficult depending on your location. Some companies have opted to hand over cloud management to specialized industries, but this can be expensive and challenging to find. Nonetheless, enterprises still have a significant demand for cloud services, and many are in the process of migrating their applications to the cloud.
This means that gaining knowledge about Cloud Providers remains a valuable pursuit. If you start your learning journey on Cloud providers in 2023, you're not too late.
AI (Artificial Intelligence) #
AI is a relevant topic for DevOps, but it hasn't completely taken over the job yet. While AI can assist in tasks like writing YAML files for tools like Terraform or Kubernetes configurations, it has not fully replaced the need for human involvement in the entire CI/CD process. Although AI can help with Cloud Providers' certification exams and has numerous applications in DevOps, human expertise is still essential.
GitLab, CI/CD #
The subject of CI/CD is related to AI, as there are some auto-devops tools available. However, having a good understanding of CI/CD is still crucial and remains relevant in 2023.
Conclusion #
If you are considering embarking on your DevOps learning journey but are unsure if it's worth the effort, rest assured that it is indeed a valuable investment that requires dedication. Learning DevOps is possible and worthwhile, even in 2023.