Source: digital.ai
When I first began my DevOps journey, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of tools, platforms, and practices that everyone seemed to be using. From Jenkins pipelines to Kubernetes clusters, Terraform scripts, Docker containers, monitoring stacks, and cloud services, the DevOps ecosystem felt like a massive maze with no clear path. Every tutorial promised mastery, but I quickly realized that without a structured plan, I was just hopping between tools randomly.
That’s when I came across the DevOps Periodic Table by Digital.ai. At first, I thought it was just a visual chart for reference, but as I studied it, I realized it was much more: a map in the chaos. Each category represented a core area of DevOps, and within each block were the most widely used tools and practices. Suddenly, I didn’t have to memorize endless lists; I could understand the ecosystem in chunks.
The DevOps Periodic Table gave me a map in the chaos. Instead of learning tools randomly, I had a structured path.
Looking back, this table wasn’t just helpful; it was essential. It allowed me to approach my learning in phases, focus on the fundamentals first, and gradually build a deeper understanding. Today, I’m sharing my experience because I believe it can help beginners avoid the confusion and frustration I went through.
DevOps can be intimidating for beginners. One of the biggest challenges is the sheer number of tools and workflows. Without a structured approach, it’s easy to feel lost, jump between tools, or waste time learning something that isn’t immediately relevant. The DevOps Periodic Table solves this by providing clarity and structure.
Here’s how it helped me in my early days:
Instead of random tutorials or YouTube videos, I now had a plan. I knew which areas would give me the most impact in my early career, which helped me focus my energy effectively.
The real value came when I applied the table to structure my learning. I decided to pick one tool per category and build hands-on projects around them. This approach helped me gain practical experience rather than just theoretical knowledge.
Here’s the step-by-step approach I used:
By following this approach, each tool built on the previous one. My projects became more complex gradually, and I always knew the purpose of what I was learning. The table acted as a roadmap, showing me not just what to learn but in what sequence.
Let me go deeper into some of the key categories I focused on, which may help beginners plan their learning more effectively:
Git, GitHub, and GitLab are the foundation of any DevOps workflow. I spent time understanding:
Once you’re confident with Git, integrating it with CI/CD pipelines becomes straightforward.
Jenkins was my first CI/CD tool. I learned to:
Later, GitHub Actions and GitLab CI showed me alternative ways to implement automation directly in repositories.
Terraform and Ansible were my main IaC tools. I learned:
This category taught me how automation at scale is achieved and why IaC is critical for reproducibility and reliability.
Docker allowed me to package applications consistently, and Kubernetes took container management to the next level. With Helm, I learned to deploy complex apps efficiently. My key takeaways:
Prometheus and Grafana introduced me to the world of observability. Early on, I learned:
Slack, Jira, and Confluence were tools I used to understand team workflows. DevOps isn’t just technical—it’s collaborative. I realized early that good communication, documentation, and workflow management are essential skills for any DevOps engineer.
By following the DevOps Periodic Table, I avoided several beginner pitfalls:
Having a visual roadmap made me focus on what really mattered and gave me confidence to build projects progressively.
Q: Do I need to learn every tool?
A: No. Pick one per category and focus on mastering it before moving to the next.
Q: Which tools should I start with?
A: Git for SCM, Jenkins or GitHub Actions for CI/CD, Docker for containers, Terraform for IaC, and Kubernetes for orchestration. These tools form the backbone of any early DevOps skillset.
Q: Will the table become outdated?
A: While specific tools may change, the categories remain the same. Learning concepts is more important than memorizing every tool.
Q: How do I practice effectively?
A: Build small projects that integrate multiple categories: for example, containerize an app with Docker, deploy it with Jenkins, provision infrastructure with Terraform, and monitor it using Prometheus/Grafana.
Looking back, the DevOps Periodic Table was my compass in the early days. It turned chaos into structure and gave me a clear roadmap to follow. By learning one tool at a time, building small projects, and understanding the relationship between categories, I was able to build confidence and real skills. Today, I share this experience so beginners can save time, avoid frustration, and focus on building a strong foundation in DevOps.
If you’re at the start of your DevOps journey, I highly recommend using this table as your guide. It will help you plan your learning, stay organized, and steadily progress into becoming a competent DevOps engineer.
— See you, Volkrin