Top 5 DevOps Certifications in 2023

Introduction

Various industries worldwide rely on badges or licenses to determine an individual's skills, credibility, and reliability in their profession.

A driver's license for your taxi driver. A license for dentists, doctors, and nurses in hospitals. A license for forklift operators.

For these professions, being licensed is the global standard. And this gives you, the one receiving their service, the assurance, and trust that these people have the competency to do their job well.

In the IT industry though, it is a bit different since there is no one license that IT workers can acquire that is similar to the licenses for these professions.

And this is perfectly fine. What IT professionals have though, are certifications.

So In this article, I will tell you why certifications are important for an IT professional and we’ll also go through the top 5 best DevOps certifications you can get in 2022.

To learn more about the top-rated DevOps certifications, watch our video.

Why are IT certifications necessary for IT professionals?

The IT Industry is evolving quickly. And there is always something new around the corner, like new technologies, concepts, and practices.

As an IT professional, keeping up with the latest trends in these areas is a discipline that can get you ahead of the competition.

Obtaining IT certifications is great for two main reasons.

The first one is advancing your skills and proficiency.

Getting certified in specific technologies means that your skills have been validated through some form of tests and exams.

Globally-recognized organizations often curate these exams. And they are challenging enough that only those who are worthy can pass. And passing these exams gives a sense of pride and accomplishment.

The second reason why IT certifications are excellent is, it is a way to progress further in your career.

According to The 10th Annual Jobs Report published in June 2022, hiring managers will most likely consider someone for the job, if they have the IT certifications for the technologies the organization is looking for.

It gives hiring managers an idea about how skillful and competent you are, by quickly glancing at your CV or resume. And this gives you a higher chance of being shortlisted for the role.

So now that we have gained a better understanding of why certifications are important, the next question is, which IT certification should you go for?

There are thousands of great IT technologies out there, some of which have certifications you can get.

We will focus primarily on the best certifications for the field of DevOps.

Best DevOps Certification in 2022

Number 5: Python

Number 5, Python programming language.

Python is one of the best programming languages out there. And It is quite popular in the DevOps community. However, DevOps engineers don’t focus on building applications for end-users.

They use Python to automate certain tasks.

Aside from that, DevOps engineers can also use Python to build internal applications for monitoring and managing the software infrastructure.

The Python Institute offers three levels of Python credentials: Entry-level, Associate, and Professional.

The exams are composed of multiple choice questions.

The entry-level certification is called PCEP or Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer.

PCEP ensures that the individuals who obtained this certificate are knowledgeable in the basic concepts of Python.

The associate level is called PCAP or Certified Associate in Python Programming.

PCAP covers the advanced topics of Python, such as modules and also the OOP (Object-Oriented Programming) concept.

And finally, the professional level is called PCPP or Certified Professional in Python Programming. And it is aimed at software engineers who want to gain a much deeper understanding and mastery of Python.

Getting certified in Python proves your coding ability and skills are up to the global standards set by the Python Institute.

As a DevOps engineer, you should at least aim for PCEP and PCAP so that you can build applications that will help you in your day-to-day tasks.

If you are interested in preparing for the PCEP or PCAP exam, KodeKloud has two amazing courses: one for the PCEP certification, and one for PCAP.

Number 4: Docker

4th on our list is Docker.

Knowledge of container technologies is a must-have for DevOps engineers.

And one of the popular container technologies out there is Docker.

Docker has paved the way in making software in a container the most popular way of deploying applications whether it is on-premise or in the cloud.

Docker offers a certification exam that will allow you to become a Docker Certified Associate.

The Docker Certified Associate (DCA) exam will validate your technical skills in building and securing containers ready for production.

If you’re interested to take on this certification exam, you can check out this fantastic Docker Certified Associate Exam Course.

Number 3: Kubernetes

Number 3 on our list is Kubernetes.

Kubernetes is a container-orchestration tool. It supervises your containers and ensures things go according to plan.

If your container crashes, Kubernetes will make sure to replace it automatically with another exact copy of your containerized application, keeping it operational.

Kubernetes is also one of the primary reasons containerized applications are becoming the preferred way of serving applications. So Kubernetes is often used in DevOps practices.

The CNCF or Cloud Native Computing Foundation offers multiple Kubernetes certifications you can acquire.

The CKAD or the Certified Kubernetes Application Developer exam focuses on the technical skills of building and deploying applications ready for Kubernetes.

Another exam is the CKA or the Certified Kubernetes Administrator. Which focuses on general maintenance and management of entire Kubernetes clusters.

And there is also the CKS or the Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist. It's a more security-focused exam. It validates the knowledge and capabilities of individuals to secure containers from devastating intrusion and cyberattacks.

Please keep in mind that for CKS, it is required that you have an active CKA certificate first before you can take it.

If you’re interested in taking on any of these certifications, KodeKloud has got you covered.

You can follow the Kubernetes learning path here and this series of courses includes preparation courses that will get you ready to pass all three Kubernetes certification exams.

Number 2: Terraform

For our number 2, Terraform.

Infrastructure-as-code or IaC is a concept where you manage the infrastructure using manifest or configuration files.

This is very helpful for DevOps engineers since it allows the infrastructure to be managed easier.

Since the infrastructure is configured by files, these files can easily be uploaded to a git repository to keep track of any changes.

You will also be able to bring up the entire infrastructure in minutes and even spawn different copies of it with a simple command should you need it.

One of the most popular IaC tools is Terraform. And Hashicorp (the team behind Terraform) offers The HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate exam.

This exam will test you on basic concepts, and technical skills with Terraform.

If you’re interested in preparing for the Terraform Associate exam, you can check out this awesome and detailed Terraform course.

Number 1: Linux

And finally our number 1, The Linux Operating System.

Over the years, Linux remained the king of operating systems when it comes to servers. More than 90% of the top 1 million servers run on some distribution of Linux.

Since DevOps engineers spend most of their time working on these servers, it is only fitting that they should have strong Linux-related skills.

There are many kinds of Linux certifications out there suited for different environments and levels of proficiency.

You can start your Linux journey by taking the Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator (LFCS) exam. This certification exam is ideal for those just starting with Linux.

If you’re interested in preparing for the LFCS exam, you can check out the great course here

Now, if you’re working within the ecosystem of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, you can get a certification that will make you a Red Hat Certified System Administrator or RHCSA.

This exam is for those who wish to get their skills validated as administrators in Red Hat Enterprise Linux environments.

If this is something you are interested in, KodeKloud has an amazing course that will help you prepare for the RHCSA exam.

Conclusion

And there you have it.

The top 5 best DevOps certifications you can get for 2022.

I hope this helped you on your certification journey.