What Is DevOps?
DevOps is a way of working that brings development, operations and the rest of the business together around a shared culture, automation, measurement and sharing, so teams can deliver software changes faster, more often and more reliably.
This guide explains the DevOps principles, practices and culture, the roles involved, how DevOps relates to Agile, Scrum and ITSM, and how to validate your knowledge with the CertiProf DevOps Essentials Professional Certification (DEPC®).
DevOps explained: more than tools
DevOps is not a tool, a product or a single job title. It is a change in mindset and process: instead of developers handing finished code to a separate operations team, everyone involved in delivering a product works together, from the business and product management to development, testing, security and operations.
The idea grew out of Agile software development in the late 2000s, when teams that could build software in short iterations still struggled to release it. DevOps closes that gap with collaboration, automation and fast feedback across the whole software development life cycle.
What teams aim for when they adopt DevOps:
- Shorter time from an idea to working software in production
- Smaller, more frequent releases that are easier to test and roll back
- Fewer handoffs and less friction between development and operations
- Faster detection of problems through monitoring and feedback
- Shared ownership of quality, stability and the customer experience
- A culture of learning and continuous improvement
The DevOps principles: CAMS
A common way to summarize DevOps is the acronym CAMS:
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Culture
People and collaboration come first: shared goals, trust and responsibility between development, operations and the business.
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Automation
Automate repetitive work such as builds, tests, deployments and infrastructure setup so changes are fast and repeatable.
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Measurement
Measure flow, quality and the health of systems to make decisions on data instead of assumptions.
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Sharing
Share knowledge, tools, successes and failures openly so the whole organization learns and improves.
CAMS was coined by John Willis and Damon Edwards and is part of the DEPC® learning objectives.
DevOps practices across the software life cycle
DevOps connects every stage of delivery into one continuous flow with fast feedback:
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Plan
Define and prioritize the work with the business, often with Agile methods such as Scrum.
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Code and version
Developers work in small batches and keep every change in version control, such as Git.
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Continuous integration
Each change is merged often and checked with automated builds and tests.
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Continuous delivery
Software is always kept in a releasable state, so it can be deployed at any time.
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Deploy and operate
Configuration management and cloud platforms make environments consistent and repeatable.
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Monitor and learn
Monitoring gives fast feedback from production that feeds the next plan.
DevOps culture, roles and frameworks
DevOps works with the frameworks your organization already uses. The DEPC® also draws on the Scrum Guide, the Agile Manifesto and the Agile Alliance glossary:
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DevOps, Agile and Scrum
- How DevOps extends Agile software development
- Where DevOps fits with Scrum teams
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DevOps and ITSM (ITIL)
- How DevOps works with IT service management
- Balancing speed with stable operations
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Roles and responsibilities
- Product manager, developers, operations and business
- Collaboration across the value stream
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Adoption and culture
- Organizational challenges of change
- Incremental DevOps adoption, checklist and self-assessment
Tools the DEPC® covers at overview level (no hands-on labs):
- Git
- Cloud platforms
- Docker
- Jenkins
- Chef
- Puppet
DEPC® vs. DFPC™ vs. DAPC™: the DevOps path
CertiProf offers three DevOps certifications. All three are 40-question online exams with no formal prerequisites. See them all in IT, DevOps and service management.
| DEPC® | DFPC™ | DAPC™ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | DevOps Essentials Professional Certification | DevOps Foundation Professional Certification | DevOps Advanced Professional Certification |
| Level | Introduction: the starting point of the CertiProf DevOps path | Foundation: goes deeper into practices, tools and culture | Advanced: for professionals with DevOps experience |
| Focus | DevOps principles (CAMS), collaboration between development and operations, continuous delivery | Automation, continuous integration, deployment and monitoring | Advanced automation, CI/CD, infrastructure as code and operations |
| Best for | Newcomers to DevOps, including non-technical professionals | IT professionals who already know the basics | People who lead DevOps practices; DFPC™ or equivalent recommended |
| Exam languages | English, Spanish, Portuguese | English, Spanish | English, Spanish |
DevOps career outlook
DevOps skills are useful in many roles, from developer and system administrator to QA analyst, release manager and DevOps engineer:
Average base salary of a DevOps engineer in the United States in 2026, with a typical range of USD 78,000 to 165,000. Employment of software developers, QA analysts and testers is projected to grow 10% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average.
Sources: Payscale, DevOps Engineer salary, based on 1,497 salary profiles (updated October 4, 2026); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 data. Pay varies by country, experience and company.
How to get started in DevOps
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Learn the Agile basics
Read the Agile Manifesto and the Scrum Guide, or validate the fundamentals with the free Scrum Foundation (SFPC™) certification.
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Understand the DevOps principles
Study CAMS (culture, automation, measurement and sharing) and how DevOps differs from traditional approaches.
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Get familiar with the pipeline and tools
Learn what continuous integration, continuous delivery, configuration management and monitoring do, and the role of tools such as Git, Docker and Jenkins.
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Get certified
Validate your knowledge with the CertiProf DevOps Essentials Professional Certification (DEPC®) online exam.
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Keep growing on the DevOps path
Continue with DevOps Foundation (DFPC™) and then DevOps Advanced (DAPC™).
Who takes the DEPC®
- Anyone who wants to become a DevOps professional
- Software developers
- System administrators
- Operations teams
- Testers and QA professionals
- IT professionals
- Project professionals
- Service managers
- Non-technical professionals new to DevOps
Get your DevOps Essentials certification
CertiProf DevOps Essentials Professional Certification (DEPC®)
Validates your understanding of DevOps core concepts: its history and purpose, the CAMS principles, continuous integration and delivery, roles, culture and the main tools.
- Format
- Multiple choice
- Questions
- 40
- Passing score
- 32 of 40 (80%)
- Duration
- 60 minutes
- Delivery
- Online
- Languages
- English, Spanish, Portuguese
- Validity
- 3 years
- Prerequisites
- None
- 2 exam attempts
- Voucher by email right after purchase
- Voucher valid 6 months
- Digital badge issued by BadgeClaimed (Open Badges 3.0)
Already have a voucher? Start your exam in:
DEPC® success stories
¡Me alegra contaros que he obtenido un nuevo certificado: Devops Essentials Professional Certificate (DEPC) de CertiProf! #devops #certiprof
Original in Spanish · See post on LinkedIn
Mi nueva certificación: DevOps Essentials Professional Certificate DEPC de CertiProf!
Original in Spanish · See post on LinkedIn
Passed the DevOps Essentials DEPC® exam offered by CertiProf. 🙌
Original in English · See post on LinkedIn
Companies with DEPC®-certified professionals
Frequently asked questions
What is DevOps?
DevOps is a way of working that brings development, operations and the rest of the business together around a shared culture, automation, measurement and sharing. Its goal is to deliver software changes faster, more often and more reliably.
What does CAMS stand for in DevOps?
CAMS stands for Culture, Automation, Measurement and Sharing. It is a common way to summarize the DevOps principles and is part of the learning objectives of the DevOps Essentials Professional Certification (DEPC®).
Is DevOps a tool or a job title?
Neither, at its core. DevOps is a culture and a set of practices. Tools such as Git, Docker or Jenkins support it, and many companies hire DevOps engineers, but adopting DevOps means changing how the whole organization works together.
What is the difference between DevOps and Agile?
Agile focuses on building software in short iterations with close customer feedback. DevOps extends those ideas to releasing and operating software, so working code reaches users quickly and safely. Most DevOps teams use Agile methods such as Scrum.
Do I need technical experience to take the DEPC® exam?
No. The DevOps Essentials Professional Certification (DEPC®) has no formal prerequisites and does not require prior technical experience. It is an introduction to DevOps, so it also suits non-technical professionals.
What is the DEPC® exam like?
It is an online exam with 40 multiple-choice questions and a 60-minute time limit. You need 32 correct answers (80%) to pass. It is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese, and the certification is valid for 3 years.
Should I take DEPC® or DFPC™ first?
If you are new to DevOps, start with the DevOps Essentials (DEPC®), the entry point of the CertiProf DevOps path. If you already understand the basics, go to DevOps Foundation (DFPC™), and later to DevOps Advanced (DAPC™).
What happens if I don’t pass the DEPC® exam?
The DEPC® voucher includes 2 exam attempts, so you can use the second attempt. The voucher is valid for 6 months from purchase; any further attempt needs a new voucher.
Is the DevOps Essentials certification worth it?
It is worth it if you want a first verifiable DevOps credential and a common language with your team. It gives you a structured overview of DevOps principles, practices and tools, a digital badge you can share with employers and a base for DFPC™ and DAPC™.
Ready to start your DevOps path?
Take the DEPC® exam online, any day, in English, Spanish or Portuguese.