Hi everyone,
I’ve been a DevOps engineer for about five years now, working on the usual tasks like Kubernetes, CI/CD, AWS, GCP, Terraform, Bash, Go, Helm, ArgoCD, and more. A few years ago, taking a deep dive into Kubernetes really helped me. Becoming comfortable with it opened up a lot of opportunities.
Nowadays, Kubernetes feels like a default skill that everyone in the field should have. This brings us to the topic at hand: What are the new trends to focus on to stay ahead in 2024?
Let’s dive into these observations that will help you pick what you should learn in the coming year.
1. Kubernetes Isn’t Just for DevOps Engineers Anymore
If you thought Kubernetes was only for DevOps engineers, platform engineers, or SREs, think again. The job postings from Q4 2023 revealed that 35% of Kubernetes-related roles were actually for software engineers. Next in popularity were roles for platform engineers (11%) and site reliability engineers (9%), followed by DevOps engineers.
If you’re a developer wanting to learn Kubernetes, this is great news. A good place to start is by getting the CKA (Certified Kubernetes Administrator) certification.
2. Mid and Senior-Level Engineers Are in High Demand for Kubernetes Jobs
Of all the Kubernetes jobs published in Q4 2023, 60% were for senior-level engineers and 21% for mid-level. This shows a clear demand for experienced professionals in the Kubernetes ecosystem.
3. Certifications Aren’t Always Required
Surprisingly, 91% of the job postings didn’t mention certification requirements. If you can demonstrate hands-on Kubernetes experience and perform well in interviews, that’s usually enough. However, for those just starting, certifications offer a structured learning path. 8.9% of jobs required certifications, with AWS, Azure, and Linux Foundation certifications being the most commonly mentioned.
4. Docker Remains a Must-Have Skill
It’s no surprise that Docker is the most frequently mentioned technology for Kubernetes jobs. Postgres, cfssl, and Redis were also popular. If you’re already learning Kubernetes, chances are you’ve worked with Docker.
5. Python is the Most In-Demand Language
In terms of programming languages, Python topped the list for Kubernetes jobs, followed by Java, Go, JavaScript, and SQL. Python and Go are essential for DevOps roles, though the inclusion of software engineers likely explains Java’s high ranking.
6. GitLab is the Top CI/CD Tool
Contrary to what many might think, GitLab is the most popular CI/CD tool, followed by Jenkins, CircleCI, and GitHub Actions. My guess is that GitHub Actions will eventually overtake CircleCI and Jenkins, possibly by the end of this year. If you’re looking to learn a CI/CD tool, GitLab or GitHub Actions should be your priority.
7. GitOps is Not Widely Required
Only 7% of job postings mentioned GitOps experience, with ArgoCD being the most popular tool. It’s best to focus on mastering Kubernetes and CI/CD before diving into GitOps.
8. Terraform is a Core Configuration Management Tool
When it comes to configuration management in Kubernetes jobs, Terraform is the top tool, mentioned in 21% of postings. Ansible followed, though its demand in the Kubernetes space seems lower. In 2024, it will be hard to get your resume shortlisted without Terraform skills.
9. AWS Leads the Cloud Market for Kubernetes Jobs
AWS was the most frequently mentioned cloud platform in Kubernetes-related jobs, with 41.8% of the postings indicating AWS as the cloud of choice. GCP and Azure were also mentioned, but AWS clearly dominates.
10. Prometheus is the Top Monitoring Tool
For monitoring, logging, and observability, Prometheus is the most popular tool, followed by Grafana and Datadog. Prometheus is the best starting point for most monitoring needs, with Datadog more commonly used by larger enterprises.
