Looking for the best DevOps interview questions to ask your next candidate? We’ve got you covered.

DevOps is a multi-faceted approach to collaboration between the development and operations teams. In order to streamline product delivery, DevOps teams work together closely to ensure that code changes are implemented quickly and efficiently.

The DevOps movement has gained a lot of traction in recent years, as more and more companies adopt Agile and DevOps methodologies. As a result, there is a growing demand for DevOps engineers.

Hiring a DevOps engineer can be a challenge, as the skillset is relatively new and still evolving. To help you find the best candidates, we’ve compiled a list of 80 DevOps interview questions.

Best DevOps Interview Questions

Before we dig into the best DevOps interview questions, let’s take a look at what qualities you should look for in a DevOps engineer.

DevOps Engineer Skills

When interviewing DevOps engineers, you should look for candidates with a strong understanding of both development and operations. DevOps Engineer job descriptions often mention the following skills:

• Strong technical skills: DevOps engineers need to be able to understand and work with code. They should also be familiar with various tools and technologies used in the software development cycle.
• Communication and collaboration: DevOps engineers need to be able to communicate effectively with both developers and ops teams. They should also be able to work well in a team environment.
• Problem-solving: DevOps engineers need to be able to identify and solve problems quickly. They should also have a strong understanding of incident management and be able to troubleshoot issues.
• Implementation: DevOps engineers need to be able to implement changes quickly and efficiently. They should also have experience with continuous delivery/integration tools and automation technologies.

Now that you know what to look for in a DevOps engineer, let’s take a look at the best DevOps interview questions.

DevOps Interview Questions

Now that we’ve gone over what to look for in a DevOps engineer, let’s take a look at some of the best DevOps interview questions.

General DevOps Interview Questions

1. What is DevOps?

DevOps is a multi-faceted approach to collaboration between the development and operations team. In order to streamline product delivery, DevOps teams work together closely to ensure that code changes are implemented quickly and efficiently.

2. What are the benefits of DevOps?

Some of the benefits of DevOps include reduced time to market, increased efficiency, and improved communication and collaboration between development and operations teams.

3. What are some of the challenges of DevOps?

Some of the challenges of DevOps include the need for a high degree of technical expertise and the lack of standardization across tools and processes.

4. How would you describe the DevOps culture?

The DevOps culture is one of collaboration and communication. DevOps teams work closely together to ensure that code changes are implemented quickly and efficiently.

5. What is continuous delivery?

Continuous delivery is a process whereby code changes are automatically deployed to production environments. This allows for faster and more efficient product delivery.

6. What is continuous integration?

Continuous integration is the practice of merging code changes into a shared codebase. This allows for faster and more efficient development.

7. What is a DevOps toolchain?

A DevOps toolchain is a set of tools used to automate the software development and delivery process. Some common tools used in a DevOps toolchain include continuous integration/delivery tools, configuration management tools, and monitoring tools.

8. What is automation?

Automation is the process of using tools and scripts to automate various tasks in the software development and delivery process. Automation can help to improve efficiency and reduce errors.

9. What is configuration management?

Configuration management is the process of tracking and managing changes to software configurations. Configuration management tools can help to automate the process and reduce errors.

10. What is monitoring?

Monitoring is the process of tracking system performance and activity. Monitoring tools can help DevOps teams to identify issues and solve problems quickly.

11. What is a change management process?

A change management process is a set of steps followed when making changes to software configurations. Change management processes can help to ensure that changes are made safely and efficiently.

12. What is the need for DevOps?

DevOps is necessary in order to streamline the software development and delivery process. DevOps teams work closely together to ensure that code changes are implemented quickly and efficiently.

13. What are the stages of the DevOps lifecycle?

The DevOps lifecycle consists of the following stages: planning, coding, building, testing, deploying, and monitoring.

14. What is the difference between DevOps and Agile?

DevOps is a multi-faceted approach to collaboration between the development and operations team. In order to streamline product delivery, DevOps teams work together closely to ensure that code changes are implemented quickly and efficiently. Agile is a software development methodology that focuses on the delivery of high-quality software products through short, iterative development cycles.

15. What is the difference between DevOps and continuous delivery?

DevOps is a multi-faceted approach to collaboration between the development and operations team. In order to streamline product delivery, DevOps teams work together closely to ensure that code changes are implemented quickly and efficiently. Continuous delivery is a process whereby code changes are automatically deployed to production environments. This allows for faster and more efficient product delivery.

Version Control System Interview Questions

16. What is a version control system?

A version control system is a software tool that helps to track and manage changes to software code. Version control systems can help to improve the efficiency of the software development process by allowing developers to track and revert changes if necessary.

17. What are some common version control systems?

Some common version control systems include Git, Mercurial, and Subversion.

18. What is a distributed version control system?

A distributed version control system is a type of version control system that allows each developer to have a local copy of the codebase. This allows developers to work independently and make changes without affecting the central codebase.

19. What is Git?

Git is a popular distributed version control system. Git is open-source and has a wide range of features.

20. What are the benefits of using Git?

Some benefits of using Git include the ability to work offline, the ability to roll back changes, and the ability to work with multiple branches simultaneously.

Continuous Integration Interview Questions

21. What is continuous integration?

Continuous integration is a process whereby code changes are automatically built and tested. This allows for faster feedback and identification of errors.

22. What are the benefits of using continuous integration?

Some benefits of using continuous integration include faster feedback, early detection of errors, and easier collaboration.

23. What is Jenkins?

Jenkins is a popular open-source tool for automating the continuous integration process.

24. What are the benefits of using Jenkins?

Some benefits of using Jenkins include the ability to easily configure builds, the ability to integrate with a wide range of tools, and the ability to automatically run tests.

25. How will you secure Jenkins?

There are a number of ways to secure Jenkins, including the use of security plugins, setting up user accounts and permissions, Limit physical access to Jenkins data or folders, and using SSL.

26. What is Jenkins Pipeline and CI/CD Pipeline?

Jenkins Pipeline is a tool for automating the continuous integration process. CI/CD Pipeline is a process whereby code changes are automatically built, tested, and deployed.

Configuration Management & Tooling Interview Questions

27. What is configuration management?

Configuration management is the process of tracking and managing changes to software configurations. Configuration management tools can help to automate the process and improve the efficiency of the software development process.

28. What are some common configuration management tools?

Some common configuration management tools include Puppet, Chef, and Ansible.

29. What is Puppet?

Puppet is a configuration management tool used by system administrators to manage server infrastructure. It is open source and has a wide range of features.

30. What are the benefits of using Puppet?

Some benefits of using Puppet include the ability to automate tasks, the ability to manage a large number of servers, and the ability to integrate with other tools.

31. What is Chef?

Chef is a widely-used configuration management tool that boasts an impressive range of features.

32. What are the benefits of using Chef?

Some benefits of using Chef include the ability to automate tasks, the ability to manage a large number of servers, and the ability to integrate with other tools.

33. What is Ansible?

Ansible is a popular, open-source configuration management tool that has a wide range of features.

34. What are the benefits of using Ansible?

Some benefits of using Ansible include the ability to automate tasks, the ability to manage a large number of servers, and the ability to integrate with other tools.

35. How will you secure Ansible?

There are a number of ways to secure Ansible, including setting up user accounts and permissions, using SSL, and using a firewall.

36. What is Docker?

Docker is a popular open-source tool for packaging and deploying applications in containers.

37. What are the benefits of using Docker?

Some benefits of using Docker include the ability to package applications in a portable format, the ability to run applications on multiple platforms, and the ability to isolate applications from each other.

38. What is a Docker container?

A Docker container is a self-contained unit of software that includes all the necessary files and dependencies for running an application.

39. What is a Docker image?

A Docker image is a template used to create a Docker container.

40. How do you create a Docker image?

You can create a Docker image using the “docker build” command.

41. How do you create a Docker container?

You can create a Docker container using the “docker run” command.

42. What is the difference between a Docker image and a Docker container?

A Docker image is a template used to create a Docker container. A Docker container is a self-contained unit of software that includes all the necessary files and dependencies for running an application.

43. How do you delete a Docker container?

You can delete a Docker container using the “docker rm” command.

44. How do you delete a Docker image?

You can delete a Docker image using the “docker rmi” command.

45. What is Kubernetes?

Kubernetes is a popular open-source tool for managing containerized applications.

46. What are the benefits of using Kubernetes?

Some benefits of using Kubernetes include the ability to scale applications horizontally, the ability to automate deployments and rollbacks, and the ability to manage a large number of containers.

47. What is a Kubernetes pod?

A Kubernetes pod is a group of one or more containers that are deployed together on a single host.

48. What is a Kubernetes service?

A Kubernetes service is an abstraction that enables you to access a group of pods as if they were a single entity.

49. How do you create a Kubernetes pod?

You can create a Kubernetes pod using the “kubectl run” command.

50. How do you create a Kubernetes service?

You can create a Kubernetes service using the “kubectl create service” command.

51. What is the difference between a Kubernetes pod and a Kubernetes service?

A Kubernetes pod is a group of one or more containers that are deployed together on a single host. A Kubernetes service is an abstraction that enables you to access a group of pods as if they were a single entity.

52. How do you delete a Kubernetes pod?

You can delete a Kubernetes pod using the “kubectl delete” command.

53. How do you delete a Kubernetes service?

You can delete a Kubernetes service using the “kubectl delete service” command.

Continuous Monitoring Interview Questions

54. What is continuous monitoring?

Continuous monitoring is the process of periodically assessing the security of a system.

55. What are the benefits of continuous monitoring?

Some benefits of continuous monitoring include the ability to identify security vulnerabilities early, the ability to respond quickly to security incidents, and the ability to reduce the overall risk of a system.

56. What are some common continuous monitoring tools?

Some common continuous monitoring tools include security information and event management (SIEM) systems, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS), and vulnerability scanners.

57. What is a SIEM system?

A security information and event management (SIEM) system is a software platform that collects, analyzes, and stores data from a variety of security devices.

58. What is an IDPS?

An intrusion detection and prevention system (IDPS) is a network security tool that monitors suspicious activity and blocks malicious traffic.

59. What is a vulnerability scanner?

A vulnerability scanner is a tool that assesses systems for known vulnerabilities.

60. How often should you perform continuous monitoring?

There is no definitive answer to this question, as it depends on the specific system and organization. However, most experts recommend performing continuous monitoring at least once a week.

Application Security Interview Questions

61. What is application security?

Application security is the practice of protecting applications from malicious attacks.

62. What are the most common types of application attacks?

The most common types of application attacks includeSQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and session hijacking.

63. What is SQL injection?

SQL injection is a type of attack that allows an attacker to execute malicious SQL code against a database.

64. What is XSS?

Cross-site scripting (XSS) is a type of attack that allows an attacker to inject malicious code into a web page.

65. What is session hijacking?

Session hijacking is a type of attack that allows an attacker to take over a user’s session.

66. How can you prevent SQL injection attacks?

SQL injection attacks can be prevented by using parameterized queries and input validation.

67. How can you prevent XSS attacks?

XSS attacks can be prevented by using a web application firewall (WAF) and input validation.

68. How can you prevent session hijacking attacks?

Session hijacking attacks can be prevented by using HTTPS and session tokens.

69. What is a web application firewall (WAF)?

A web application firewall (WAF) is a type of security tool that filters and blocks traffic to and from a web application.

70. What is input validation?

Input validation is the process of verifying that user input is valid.

Operational Security Interview Questions

71. What is operational security?

Operational security is the practice of protecting systems and data from unauthorized access.

72. What are the most common types of operational security attacks?

The most common types of operational security attacks include denial of service (DoS) attacks, server-side request forgery (SSRF) attacks, and privilege escalation attacks.

73. What is a DoS attack?

A denial of service (DoS) attack is a type of attack that prevents users from accessing a system.

74. What is an SSRF attack?

A server-side request forgery (SSRF) attack is a type of attack that allows an attacker to send malicious requests to a server.

75. What is privilege escalation?

Privilege escalation is a type of attack that allows an attacker to gain elevated access to a system.

76. How can you prevent DoS attacks?

DoS attacks can be prevented by using a web application firewall (WAF) and rate limiting.

77. How can you prevent SSRF attacks?

SSRF attacks can be prevented by using a web application firewall (WAF) and input validation.

78. How can you prevent privilege escalation attacks?

Privilege escalation attacks can be prevented by using the least privilege and access control lists (ACLs).

79. What is a web application firewall (WAF)?

A web application firewall (WAF) is a type of security tool that filters and blocks traffic to and from a web application.

80. What is rate limiting?

Rate limiting is a type of security measure that limits the number of requests that can be made to a system.

81. What is the least privilege?

Least privilege is a security principle that requires users to have the minimum level of access necessary to perform their job.

82. What are access control lists (ACLs)?

Access control lists (ACLs) are a type of security measure that controls who can access what resources.

Final Thoughts

Hiring a DevOps engineer is a big decision. There are many DevOps interview questions that you can ask to help you find the best candidate for the job. The above questions are just a few of the most common DevOps interview questions that you may encounter.

When interviewing candidates, be sure to ask about their experience with automation, monitoring, and troubleshooting. It’s also important to ask about their experience with various DevOps tools, such as Puppet, Chef, and Ansible.

Finally, be sure to ask questions that will help you understand the candidate’s thought process and problem-solving skills. DevOps is a complex field, and you want to be sure that the candidate you hire is up for the challenge.