Python in DevOps!
In general, in some Cloud or DevOps or SD forums, we hear this common question, being non-coding or development background, can we learn and use Python in DevOps effectively and efficiently?
After, thinking a while on this common question, herewith sharing few thoughts and/or say tips to overcome this fear or in gaining the right confidence:
- Python is a programming language that lets you learn, work more quickly and integrate your systems more effectively. Its simplicity and powerful library, packages (thanks to strong community contribution) makes this programming language utmost powerful and can say, as comparable to the Java platform in many aspects
- DevOps teams learning and practicing Python in the DevOps projects can contribute to immediate gains in productivity and especially, in reducing the “high volume” maintenance tasks hence the costs.
- In general, one doesn’t have to be an expert developer to use Python in DevOps, as long you know some basic Python syntax or programming skills are good enough. Interestingly, Python code is very much like written English lines or in IT terms a pseudocode
A very lightweight roadmap to develop Python skills for DevOps:
- Let’s assume, you are now familiar with Python basics (there are many YouTube videos available), you could start working on automation of small day in-out DevOps tasks like Application Deployment, Servers monitoring, Backups and Application logs reads, copy, backup type of automation, especially this helps two ways, increase team efficiency and helps to get the right level of Python skills for all the heavy-duty DevOps tasks, which is detailed in next section
- Once, comfortable with basics DevOps tasks automation, now you acquired Python programming skills and expertise to try developing automation scripts around heavy DevOps activities like complete automate entire DevOps life cycle, infrastructure deployment, CI/CD automation (very much in line or in parallel with Ansible, Docker, K8s, and recent Terraform scripting).
In my case, I'm using the Cloud platform for my practice, these automation tasks design and implementation becomes much easier than implementing on on-premise platforms.
To conclude, I’m trying to empathize with the fact that, it’s perfectly fine in case you are from a non-code/programming background, however gaining Python expertise gradually and applying it in the DevOps domain as in steps will surely make you professional.
