Devops
294 bites tagged Devops — interview questions with model answers, and 60-second explainers.
Cloud Native Buildpacks: No More Dockerfiles
Cloud Native Buildpacks turn source code into container images without a Dockerfile. This lets platform teams enforce security and best practices, while app developers just push code. The footgun is assuming they're simple; they're a full build system.
.ebextensions: Infrastructure as Code for Elastic Beanstalk
.ebextensions are config files for customizing the AWS resources in your Elastic Beanstalk environment. Use them to install packages, run commands on instances, or provision related AWS resources.
Immutable Deployments: Treat Servers Like Cattle, Not Pets
Treat servers like cattle, not pets. Instead of modifying live servers, you deploy updates by replacing entire server fleets with new, pre-baked images. This eliminates configuration drift and simplifies rollbacks.
Promoting Code with Pipeline Stages
Think of pipeline stages as quality gates. Code must pass one gate, like 'build', before being promoted to the next, like 'deploy to staging'. This is core to CI/CD, moving code safely from dev to production. The footgun is making later stages less strict.
Rolling Updates: Deploying Code Without Downtime
A rolling update deploys new code by gradually replacing old application instances with new ones, ensuring zero downtime. It's the default for stateless services in orchestrators like Kubernetes.
AWS CodeDeploy: Automated, Safe Application Updates
AWS CodeDeploy automates pushing your application to servers, Lambda, or ECS. It handles complex updates across many targets, letting you release new features rapidly while minimizing downtime.
AWS CodeBuild: Managed Builds Without the Servers
Think of AWS CodeBuild as an on-demand build server you don't manage. It's used in CI/CD to compile code, run tests, and create artifacts. The main footgun is thinking it's a full CI/CD platform; it's just the 'build' step, needing an orchestrator.
AWS CodePipeline: Your CI/CD Orchestrator
AWS CodePipeline is an orchestrator for your software release workflow, connecting source, build, and deploy stages. It's used to automate continuous delivery, triggering actions on every code change. The footgun: it only *manages* the pipeline.
The Twelve-Factor App: A Blueprint for Portable Cloud Apps
The Twelve-Factor App is a blueprint for building portable, resilient cloud apps. It's used for microservices or apps on platforms like Kubernetes, ensuring they can be easily deployed and scaled. The footgun is treating it as dogma, not a guide.
User Data Scripts: Day-One Instance Configuration
User data scripts are your instance's "Day One" instructions, automatically running commands like package installs on first boot. Use it to set up a web server or install agents without manual SSH.
Machine Images: The Blueprint for Your Servers
A machine image is a server blueprint, packaging an OS and software into a template for launching identical virtual machines. It's used for auto-scaling and creating consistent environments.
Multi-cloud: Spreading Bets Across Cloud Providers
Multi-cloud is a strategy for using services from two or more cloud providers to avoid vendor lock-in. It's used to cherry-pick best-in-class services or improve resilience. The footgun is underestimating the complexity of managing disparate APIs and security.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Renting the Data Center
IaaS is like renting raw computing hardware—servers, storage, and networking—without owning the physical data center. It's used for workloads needing maximum control, but the footgun is you're still responsible for managing the OS and all software.
Private Cloud: Cloud Computing on Your Terms
A private cloud offers cloud benefits like self-service and scalability on dedicated hardware. It's used for sensitive data or regulatory compliance. The footgun: it's not just a data center; it requires a full cloud software stack for automation.
Cloud Computing: Renting Someone Else's Computer
Cloud computing is like renting a car instead of buying one. You get access to powerful computers and services over the internet, paying only for what you use, without the upfront cost of owning hardware. The footgun: "cheap to start" isn't "cheap at scale."
Secret Sprawl: When Credentials Multiply Unchecked
Secret sprawl is when credentials like API keys multiply without control, getting lost in code, config files, and CI/CD pipelines. It's common in automated cloud systems where non-human identities proliferate.
Software Scaffolding: Building Projects from Templates
Scaffolding is like a prefabricated house foundation; it automates creating a standardized project structure from a template. Use it to bootstrap new services with consistent CI/CD, security, and observability from day one.
Docker Image Tagging: A Strategy for Reliable Deployments
Think of Docker tags as pointers, not permanent labels. Multiple tags like `v1.2.3` and `production` can point to the same image SHA, enabling reliable CI/CD and rollbacks. The footgun is relying on mutable tags like `latest` in production.
Score: Define Your Workload Once, Run Anywhere
Score is a universal remote for your workload configs, letting you define what your app needs once in a `score.yaml` file. It translates this spec into files for Docker Compose or Kubernetes, preventing config drift.
Platform API: The Contract for Your Developer Platform
The Platform API is the central contract for your internal developer platform, abstracting complex tooling into simple, self-service actions. It's what a developer portal or CLI calls to provision a database or scaffold a new service without knowing the…
Team Topologies: Organizing for a Fast Flow of Value
Team Topologies is an organizational design framework for accelerating value. As teams scale or adopt new tech, complexity often slows them down. This model structures teams to maintain a fast flow of delivery and innovation.
Software Catalog: Your Org's Engineering Map
A software catalog is a searchable map of your software ecosystem, tracking ownership and metadata for every service, library, and pipeline. It helps growing orgs discover services and find owners.
Golden Paths: The Paved Road for Developers
A golden path is the company-supported 'paved road' for building and shipping software, offering pre-configured tools. It reduces developer cognitive load and enforces standards for CI/CD and security.
Internal Developer Platform: Your Org's 'Easy Button'
An Internal Developer Platform (IDP) is your company's internal 'PaaS,' offering a self-service 'easy button' for common developer tasks. It lets teams ship faster by abstracting away infrastructure complexity.
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