roadmap.sh: DevOps

What the roadmap shows

roadmap.sh is a community project with one of the most starred repositories on GitHub. The DevOps roadmap lays out the field as a visual chart, roughly from foundations to specialised tools:

• a programming or scripting language, and operating system and Linux fundamentals
• terminal skills, version control and networking basics (DNS, HTTP, TLS, SSH)
• web servers, proxies and load balancers
• containers, then container orchestration
• infrastructure as code and configuration management
• CI/CD pipelines
• monitoring, logging and observability
• cloud providers and cloud design patterns

Clicking a node opens a short explanation with suggested free resources. With a free account you can mark topics as learning or done. The site also has a beginner version of the roadmap, related roadmaps such as Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, AWS and Terraform, project ideas, and a page of common questions about the role.

The project's scale is a signal of how widely it is used: the developer-roadmap repository has about 368k GitHub stars, and the site reports more than 3.2 million registered users and a Discord community of about 51k, as of September 2026. That popularity also means many hiring managers and interviewers know the chart.

How to use it without getting overwhelmed

The chart is large, and treating it as a checklist is the most common mistake. Use it like this:

• Start at the bottom and go deep. Linux, networking and one scripting language (Bash plus Python or Go) make every tool above them easier. Someone who understands processes, permissions and DNS learns Docker in days.
• Pick one tool per box. Where the roadmap lists several options (Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI), choose one and learn it properly. Recommended picks are usually marked.
• Build, do not collect. After each stage, add it to a single running project: a small web app that you containerise, deploy with a pipeline, provision with Terraform and monitor.
• Use the projects section to check whether you can actually do the work, not just recognise the terms.

A realistic path to junior level is many months, not a few weekends. The roadmap does not state time estimates, so plan your own.

Where it falls short

The roadmap tells you what exists, not how deeply you need to know it for a first job. The linked resources vary in quality, and some nodes are thin. It also cannot give feedback on what you build. Pair it with a structured course for depth, and with a real project that someone reviews.

Pair it with

• The Linux Command Line (a free book) or a Linux course for the foundation stage
• Official Docker and Kubernetes documentation for the container stages
• Terraform: Up and Running for infrastructure as code
• Google's Site Reliability Engineering book once you reach monitoring and on-call

Common questions

Is it really free? Yes. The roadmaps, explanations and progress tracking are free. There is an optional AI tutor and other extras; the core chart needs nothing.

Should I start with DevOps as a fresher? It is possible, but most people get there after some time as a developer or system administrator, because DevOps work assumes you understand how software is built and run. If you are a student, pairing the backend roadmap with the Linux and networking parts of this one is a strong combination.

Do I need to learn every tool shown? No. Employers want depth in one tool per category and an understanding of what the others do.

Which cloud should I pick? Pick the one used by companies you want to join. AWS has the largest job share in many markets, but the concepts carry across.

Best for: students and developers considering DevOps or platform roles who want a map of the field and an order to learn it in.