Top DevOps Tools That Every DevOps Engineer Need to Know
Tags: devops, kubernetes, programming, aws
Published: 2023-06-13 11:41:33


In today's fast-paced software development world, it's becoming increasingly important to have a development process that is efficient, reliable, and scalable. That's where DevOps comes in. DevOps is a methodology that combines software development and IT operations to create a streamlined and automated development process. To achieve this, there are several tools that DevOps teams use to automate processes, manage infrastructure, and monitor applications. In this article, we will discuss the top DevOps tools that are widely used in the industry.

**I. Version Control Systems**
Version control systems lay the foundation for efficient collaboration, code management, and tracking changes. Git, the most widely adopted distributed version control system, provides a robust and flexible platform for developers to manage their codebase effectively. With features like branching, merging, and pull requests, teams can seamlessly collaborate, ensuring code harmony and version control.


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/wtsasjolui7de4nv2jfj.png)

**II. Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) Tools**
CI/CD tools are the backbone of DevOps, automating the build, test, and deployment processes. Let's explore some of the top CI/CD tools:

**1. Jenkins**
An open-source automation server that enables teams to establish a robust CI/CD pipeline by automating repetitive tasks, facilitating continuous integration, and enabling continuous deployment. Learn more about Jenkins [here](https://www.jenkins.io/).

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/b5lavm6okrgt3h0g48an.png)

**2. GitLab CI/CD**
A complete DevOps platform with built-in CI/CD capabilities, providing a seamless integration experience. It offers a powerful pipeline configuration, version control integration, and extensive automation features. Explore GitLab CI/CD [here](https://about.gitlab.com/stages-devops-lifecycle/continuous-integration/).


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/5ismcqnbfeh10zcq0sgj.png)

**3. CircleCI**
A cloud-based CI/CD platform that enables fast and reliable builds, tests, and deployments. It offers a straightforward configuration setup and supports a wide range of programming languages and frameworks. Discover CircleCI [here](https://circleci.com/).

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/bdu3b5eeit58jlk4rvus.jpg)

**4. Travis CI**
A popular hosted CI/CD platform that integrates well with GitHub repositories. It provides a simple and intuitive setup, allowing teams to automate their testing and deployment processes. Learn more about Travis CI [here](https://www.travis-ci.com/).

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/0rxqewcf9idkvhtjeyn3.png)

**III. Configuration Management Tools**
Configuration management tools enable teams to manage and automate infrastructure, ensuring consistency and scalability. Let's dive into some notable tools:

**1. Ansible**
An open-source automation tool that simplifies configuration management and application deployment through declarative, agentless automation. It supports a wide range of platforms and has an extensive collection of pre-built automation modules. Explore Ansible [here](https://www.ansible.com/).

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/pr9obvaqnz1r77otiu2c.png)

**2. Chef**
A powerful configuration management tool that automates infrastructure management and application deployment. It allows teams to define infrastructure as code and offers a robust set of resources for managing complex environments. Discover Chef [here](https://www.chef.io/).

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/anhzyxcq1pgwdbw95myl.png)

**3. Puppet**
A widely used infrastructure-as-code tool that automates the provisioning, configuration, and management of servers. It provides a declarative language for defining infrastructure and offers a rich set of modules for managing diverse environments. Learn more about Puppet [here](https://puppet.com/).

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/3o49tv8dn36bk5rdnkk2.png)

**IV. Containerization and Orchestration Tools**
Containerization has revolutionized software deployment, and Docker stands out as a leading player in this domain. Docker enables teams to package applications and dependencies into portable containers, ensuring consistency across different environments.

**1. Docker**
A leading containerization platform that allows you to build, deploy, and manage applications in isolated containers. It provides a lightweight and efficient way to package software, making it easier to deploy and scale applications. Get started with Docker [here](https://www.docker.com/).

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/d5yll91t1whf4xjrs5dq.png)

**2. Kubernetes**
An open-source container orchestration platform that automates the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. It provides robust container management features, self-healing capabilities, and seamless scaling for modern microservices architectures. Learn more about Kubernetes [here](https://kubernetes.io/).

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/6xe4eeyvt35j8fqnj6qu.png)

**V. Monitoring and Logging Tools**
Effective monitoring and logging are critical for maintaining system health and identifying issues promptly. Let's explore some essential tools:

**1. Prometheus**
An open-source monitoring system that collects metrics from various targets and stores them for analysis and alerting. It offers a powerful query language, extensive integrations, and a flexible alerting system. Explore Prometheus [here](https://prometheus.io/).

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/yhsxlt3huuc1xuorryqx.png)

**2. ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana)**
A powerful combination of open-source tools for log management and analysis. Elasticsearch indexes and stores log data, Logstash processes and enriches logs, and Kibana provides a user-friendly interface for visualizing log data. Learn more about the ELK Stack [here](https://www.elastic.co/elastic-stack/).


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/azaszq0hjt2mwbzvrdy5.png)

> NOTE:💡 For effective monitoring, besides logging, you could also incorporate observability and distributed tracing methods into your workflow.

**VI. Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Tools (Infrastructure Provisioning)**
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools have become essential for managing and automating infrastructure deployments. These powerful tools enable teams to define and provision infrastructure resources using code, simplifying scalability, replication, and management. In this guide, we'll explore some popular IaC tools that empower teams to streamline infrastructure management within their DevOps workflows.

**1. Terraform**
[Terraform](https://www.terraform.io/) is an open-source tool by HashiCorp that allows you to define and provision infrastructure using its own language called HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) or JSON. With support for multiple cloud providers, Terraform simplifies the process of provisioning and managing infrastructure resources effectively.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/2icf835u7hkxwpq4es92.png)

**2. AWS CloudFormation**
[AWS CloudFormation](https://aws.amazon.com/cloudformation/) is Amazon Web Services' (AWS) native IaC tool. It enables you to define infrastructure resources using YAML or JSON templates, ensuring automation and consistent deployments in the AWS environment.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/c3qk5k9vvfueyfcm78n3.png)

**3. Azure Resource Manager (ARM) Templates**
[Microsoft Azure's Azure Resource Manager](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-resource-manager/templates/) (ARM) Templates allow you to define infrastructure resources using JSON or YAML. ARM Templates provide a declarative approach to provisioning and managing Azure resources, ensuring consistency across deployments.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/4d2rupdo8xxrbn19gd4t.jpg)

**3. Google Cloud Deployment Manager**
[Google Cloud Deployment Manager](https://cloud.google.com/deployment-manager) is Google Cloud Platform's (GCP) IaC tool. It lets you define infrastructure resources and dependencies using YAML or Python, making it easier to automate and maintain consistent deployments on GCP.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/fcbbwewc7dssgf03eyj2.png)

**4. [Pulumi](https://www.pulumi.com/)**
Pulumi is an open-source IaC platform that supports multiple cloud providers. It allows you to define infrastructure resources using popular programming languages like JavaScript, Python, and Go. Pulumi provides flexibility and extensibility by leveraging familiar programming paradigms.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/bf6v0my3c1wchjqel3r5.png)

### Conclusion
As you embark on your DevOps journey, leveraging the right tools is crucial to drive efficiency, collaboration, and successful software delivery.

The top DevOps tools highlighted in this guide are just a glimpse of the vast landscape of tools available. Explore, experiment, and find the perfect combination that aligns with your team's needs and goals.

Remember to connect with me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/wasike_bravin) and [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bravin-wasike-976755198/) for more insightful articles, discussions, and updates on DevOps practices, technical writing, and industry best practices. Let's unleash the power of DevOps together!