DevOps jobs

Is DevOps Stressful? Myths vs. Reality

DevOps—the role that bridges the gap between developers and operations, automates everything, and keeps the world’s most complex systems running 24/7 without a hitch. Sounds cool, right?

But if you’ve been lurking in tech forums, you’ve probably seen people saying:

🚨 “DevOps is a nightmare! You’ll be on call at 2 AM.”

🚨 “So much responsibility! Everything breaks, and you’re the one fixing it.”

🚨 “Too many tools! Too much to learn! It’s overwhelming.”

Let’s be honest—DevOps isn’t for the faint-hearted. It’s fast-paced, requires constant learning, and yes, there will be challenges. But what no one talks about is how incredibly rewarding this career is. If done right, DevOps can be the best decision you ever make.So, let’s break the myths and show you why DevOps is not just a job, but an adventure worth taking.

1. “The Stress of On-Call” vs. “The Thrill of Solving Real Problems”

MYTH: "You’ll never sleep because you’ll always be on-call."

TRUTH: Yes, incidents happen. No, you won’t always be the one fixing them.Yes, if a production system goes down at midnight, DevOps engineers might get paged. But the whole point of DevOps is to prevent these things from happening in the first place.

✅ Automation minimizes human errors.
✅ Observability & Monitoring tools predict failures before they happen.
✅ Distributed on-call rotations ensure that one person isn’t burned out.

And when something does go wrong, DevOps isn’t just about putting out fires. It’s about digging into the issue, understanding what went wrong, and making sure it never happens again.

💡 Takeaway: If you love solving real-world problems, DevOps gives you the power to build a system so good that it practically runs itself.

2. “The Pressure of Responsibility” vs. “The Power to Own and Build”

MYTH: "DevOps gets all the blame when things go wrong."

TRUTH: DevOps engineers don’t just fix things—they design the systems to make sure they don’t fail in the first place.

In most jobs, you do what you’re told. But in DevOps? You architect, automate, and innovate.

You create self-healing infrastructure.
You build pipelines that deploy applications faster than ever.
You design security systems that stop attacks before they happen.

Instead of waiting for orders, DevOps engineers take charge. And that’s why companies are willing to pay big bucks for DevOps talent.

💡 Takeaway: If you want control over how things work, DevOps is one of the few roles that lets you build, fix, and improve—without waiting for permission.

3. “Too Many Tools, Too Much to Learn” vs. “A Never-Boring, High-Growth Career”

MYTH: "DevOps is overwhelming! There are 100+ tools to learn."

TRUTH: You don’t need to know every tool. You just need the right foundations.

Look, tech changes all the time. The tools used in 2015 aren’t the same as today’s. And guess what? In 5 years, Kubernetes might not even be the hot thing anymore.What really matters is:

✅ Understanding principles → Not just knowing Terraform, but understanding Infrastructure as Code (IaC).
✅ Knowing the problem → Not just using Docker, but knowing why we need containers.
✅ Being adaptable → The best DevOps engineers don’t memorize tools. They solve problems, no matter the tech stack.

And the best part? Because DevOps evolves so fast, you’ll never be stuck in a boring, repetitive job.

💡 Takeaway: DevOps isn’t about “learning 100 tools.” It’s about becoming an expert in automation, reliability, and scalability.

4. “The Work is Tough” vs. “The Pay and Career Growth are Insane”

MYTH: "DevOps is too much work for too little reward."

TRUTH: DevOps engineers are among the highest-paid professionals in tech. Here’s the reality:

The average salary for a DevOps engineer in the US? $130K+
Senior DevOps roles? Easily $180K–$250K.
Freelancing in DevOps? Top-tier freelancers charge $100–$200 per hour.

Why? Because companies need people who can make their infrastructure bulletproof.And it’s not just the money—DevOps opens doors.

✅ Want to become a Tech Lead or CTO? DevOps experience makes you a strong candidate.
✅ Want to freelance? Companies will pay you top dollar to optimize their infrastructure.
✅ Want job security? Every major company needs DevOps.

💡 Takeaway: DevOps doesn’t just pay well—it sets you up for a high-growth career in the future of tech.

So, Should You Quit Your Current Job and Move to DevOps?

Here’s the deal:

DevOps isn’t just a job. It’s a career built for problem-solvers, tech enthusiasts, and people who love automation.

👉 If you love fixing things, automating workflows, and making systems work better—DevOps is for you.
👉 If you want a high-paying career with unlimited growth potential—DevOps is for you.
👉 If you want a fast-moving job where no two days are the same—DevOps is for you.

Yes, there’s stress. But that’s because what you do actually matters.

Ready to Start? Here’s How to Get Into DevOps in 6 Months

1️⃣ Learn Linux & Cloud Basics → Cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or GCP.
2️⃣ Understand Infrastructure as Code (IaC) → Terraform, CloudFormation.
3️⃣ Master CI/CD Pipelines → Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI/CD.
4️⃣ Get Comfortable with Containers → Docker, Kubernetes.
5️⃣ Learn Monitoring & Security → Prometheus, Grafana, SIEM tools.
6️⃣ Build a Portfolio → Create real-world projects and showcase them.

Here’s How to Get Into DevOps in 6 Months with KodeKloud

🚀 1️⃣ Learn Linux & Cloud Basics → Get hands-on with Linux and cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or GCP.

🚀 2️⃣ Understand Infrastructure as Code (IaC) → Learn Terraform and CloudFormation to automate cloud infrastructure.

🚀 3️⃣ Master CI/CD Pipelines → Get familiar with Jenkins, GitHub Actions, and GitLab CI/CD.

🚀 4️⃣ Get Comfortable with Containers → Master Docker and Kubernetes—the backbone of modern DevOps.

🚀 5️⃣ Learn Monitoring & Security → Set up observability with Prometheus, Grafana, and SIEM tools.

🚀 6️⃣ Build a Portfolio → Work on real-world projects and showcase your skills.

Start working on real-world-like tasks with the KodeKloud Engineer Program.

The DevOps Journey is Yours to Take

DevOps isn’t just another tech job—it’s a mindset, a skillset, and a career that puts you in the driver’s seat of modern infrastructure. Yes, it’s challenging. Yes, it demands continuous learning. But in return, it gives you the power to build, automate, and innovate at a scale few other roles can match.

If you’re ready to step into a future where every challenge is an opportunity, where your skills are in high demand, and where you control the systems that keep the digital world running—then DevOps is waiting for you.

So, are you in?

Nimesha Jinarajadasa

Feb 18, 2025 • 7 min read