# Cloud & DevOps ☁️

> Making sure apps run reliably for millions of people — the engineers who keep the
> internet "always on" behind the scenes.

[← Back to all career paths](README.md)

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## What is it?

When you use WhatsApp or M-Pesa, the app isn't running on one computer — it runs on huge
groups of computers in **data centres** around the world. That's the **cloud**.

- **Cloud engineers** set up and manage these powerful online computers (servers).
- **DevOps engineers** build the "pipelines" that get new code out to users quickly and safely,
  and make sure everything keeps running when millions of people use it at once.

> ☁️ "The cloud" is just *someone else's computers* that you rent instead of buying. It's how
> a small team can run an app used by the whole world.

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## What would I actually do?

- Set up servers in the cloud (Amazon, Google, or Microsoft)
- Automate boring tasks so they happen with one click instead of by hand
- Make sure an app stays online even when lots of people use it
- Watch dashboards and get alerts when something breaks — then fix it fast
- Keep systems secure and costs under control

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## Is this me? ✅

You might love cloud & DevOps if you:

- Like **organising systems** and making messy things run smoothly
- Enjoy automating repetitive work
- Are calm under pressure and like solving "why is this broken?" fast
- Like being the reliable person who keeps everything working

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## Skills to build (in order)

1. **How the internet works** — servers, websites, and how they connect
2. **The Linux operating system** — most cloud servers run on Linux
3. **The command line** — controlling a computer with typed commands
4. **A cloud platform** — **AWS**, **Google Cloud**, or **Microsoft Azure** (all have free tiers)
5. **Git & GitHub** — version control and automation
6. **Automation tools** (later) — Docker, and CI/CD pipelines

> 🐢 This field builds on the basics — comfort with the command line and Linux goes a long way.

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## Free resources

- **[AWS Educate](https://aws.amazon.com/education/awseducate/)** — free cloud learning for students
- **[Google Cloud Skills Boost](https://www.cloudskillsboost.google/)** — free intro labs
- **[Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/training/)** — free Azure and cloud courses
- **[freeCodeCamp Linux & DevOps videos](https://www.youtube.com/@freecodecamp)**
- **[Linux Journey](https://linuxjourney.com/)** — learn Linux step by step, free
- **[KodeKloud (free labs)](https://kodekloud.com/free-labs/)** — practise DevOps in the browser

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## Starter projects 🚀

1. **Host your own website for free** — put a simple web page online using **GitHub Pages**.
2. **Learn 10 Linux commands** — practise moving around files and folders.
3. **Automate a task** — write a small script that renames or sorts files for you.
4. **Set up a free cloud account** — explore the AWS or Google Cloud free tier dashboard.
5. **Draw the journey** — sketch how a message travels from your phone to a server and back.

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## Your first steps (do these this week)

- [ ] Put a web page online with **[GitHub Pages](https://pages.github.com/)** — free and live on the internet!
- [ ] Try [Linux Journey](https://linuxjourney.com/) and learn `ls`, `cd`, `mkdir`
- [ ] Create a free [GitHub](https://github.com/) account
- [ ] Watch one "What is the cloud?" beginner video
- [ ] Explore the free tier of one cloud platform
- [ ] Write down one app you use daily and imagine what keeps it running

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## Roles this can grow into

Cloud Engineer • DevOps Engineer • Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) •
Platform Engineer • Cloud Architect • Systems Administrator

> 💡 Cloud skills are in **very high demand** and often very well paid. Because everything is
> online, you can learn and prove these skills from anywhere — including from home.