Introduction.
In the fast-paced world of modern IT, DevOps has become more than just a buzzword it’s a critical set of practices that enable companies to deliver software faster, more reliably, and with greater agility. As demand for DevOps professionals continues to rise, so does the popularity of DevOps certifications as a way to validate skills and accelerate career growth. But with so many certifications available each focused on different tools, cloud platforms, or methodologies one common question keeps popping up: “Which DevOps certification should I choose based on where I am in my career?”
This isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. Choosing the right DevOps certification depends heavily on your current experience level, your familiarity with tools and cloud services, and your long-term career goals. What’s perfect for someone just getting started could be completely irrelevant or even overwhelming for someone with years of experience in systems engineering or software development. Likewise, jumping into an advanced certification too early can lead to frustration and burnout, while picking something too basic might not challenge or advance your career. The key is to align your certification path with your actual skill level and to treat certifications as strategic steps in a broader learning journey, not as shortcuts.
For beginners, certifications can provide a structured way to break into DevOps teaching core concepts like automation, continuous integration, and cloud basics while boosting confidence and credibility. For intermediate professionals, certifications are a way to deepen your knowledge in specific areas like infrastructure as code, Kubernetes, or CI/CD pipelines and demonstrate practical competence to employers. And for advanced engineers, certifications can help refine your expertise, signal leadership capabilities, and position you for high-impact roles like Site Reliability Engineer (SRE), Platform Engineer, or DevOps Architect.
The landscape is broad. You’ll find certifications from major cloud providers like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, along with tool-specific credentials from platforms like HashiCorp (Terraform, Vault), Linux Foundation (Kubernetes), and GitLab. Each of these has different entry points, learning paths, and expectations. Some focus on hands-on skills, while others emphasize architecture, strategy, and team collaboration. The challenge isn’t a lack of options it’s knowing where to begin and what makes sense for your specific background.
In this blog, we’ll break down how to choose the right DevOps certification based on your current experience level—beginner, intermediate, or advanced. You’ll learn which certifications are realistic and relevant for your skill set, how they align with real-world DevOps roles, and what kind of commitment (time, cost, difficulty) each one involves. Whether you’re starting from scratch, transitioning from another IT discipline, or already deep in the DevOps world and looking to specialize, this guide will help you make smarter decisions about where to invest your time and energy.
Let’s clear the fog around DevOps certifications so you can move forward with confidence, not confusion.
Beginner Level: Just Starting Out
If you’re new to DevOps or tech in general, you want a certification that builds foundational knowledge without overwhelming complexity. At this stage, you should focus on understanding basic DevOps concepts, cloud fundamentals, and introductory tools.
Best Certifications for Beginners:
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Introduces cloud concepts used in DevOps - Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)
Easy intro to Microsoft cloud services and DevOps tools - Google Associate Cloud Engineer (ACE)
Hands-on intro to GCP with practical, beginner-friendly labs - Terraform Associate by HashiCorp
Learn Infrastructure as Code in a simplified, cloud-agnostic way - (Upcoming) Kubernetes & Cloud Native Associate (CKA-NA)
A beginner-level entry point to Kubernetes (expected in 2025)
What to Look for:
- No strict prerequisites
- Hands-on labs or sandboxes
- Affordable exam and prep materials
- Clear explanations of DevOps fundamentals (CI/CD, automation, collaboration)
Intermediate Level: Building Skills and Experience
If you have 1–3 years of experience in IT, sysadmin, or software development and some hands-on exposure to cloud platforms or automation tools, you’re ready for more specialized certifications. This is where you start to dive deeper into tooling and real-world DevOps practices.
Best Certifications for Intermediate Level:
- AWS Certified Developer – Associate
Focus on building and deploying cloud applications - Azure Administrator (AZ-104) or Developer Associate (AZ-204)
Practical experience with Azure tools and automation - Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)
Master container orchestration in production environments - GitLab Certified Associate
Great for DevOps engineers using GitLab CI/CD pipelines - Jenkins Engineer Certification
Ideal for mastering CI/CD pipeline automation
What to Look for:
- Tool-specific certifications
- Real-world deployment and infrastructure scenarios
- Certifications that align with your current job responsibilities or next role
- Vendor-specific deep dives (AWS, Azure, GCP, etc.)
Advanced Level: Becoming a DevOps Specialist
At this stage, you’re likely already in a DevOps, SRE, or platform engineering role. You’ve worked with infrastructure as code, CI/CD, monitoring, containers, and perhaps security. Your goal now is to specialize, lead, or expand your DevOps scope across enterprise environments.
Best Certifications for Advanced Professionals:
- AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional
Advanced automation, monitoring, and deployment strategies - Microsoft Certified: Azure DevOps Engineer Expert (AZ-400)
End-to-end DevOps design and implementation - Google Professional DevOps Engineer
Advanced GCP automation, monitoring, and SRE concepts - Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS)
Security-focused Kubernetes certification - HashiCorp Vault Associate or Consul Associate
Focused on secrets management and service networking
🔧 What to Look for:
- Deep integration of tools across cloud platforms
- DevSecOps, observability, and scaling strategies
- Team and project leadership alignment
- Certifications tied to enterprise-grade implementations
How to Choose the Right One for You
Here’s a simple framework to help you decide:
| Question | Ask Yourself |
|---|---|
| What’s my current experience level? | Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced? |
| What tools am I currently using or want to use? | AWS, Azure, Kubernetes, Terraform? |
| What type of role am I aiming for? | Cloud engineer, DevOps engineer, SRE, Platform engineer? |
| What certifications are listed in job descriptions I want to apply for? | Tailor your certs to the market demand. |
Final Thoughts
Certifications aren’t the end goal they’re a structured, focused way to build and validate skills that are highly relevant in the real world. By choosing a certification that matches your current experience level, you can avoid burnout, gain confidence, and keep moving forward in your DevOps journey.
Don’t worry about chasing every cert. Focus on the next best step for where you are now and build from there.