Azure DevOps offers one of the fastest-growing technology career paths in 2026. Every company is moving to the cloud, and they want quicker development cycles. They need automation skills and workflows for continuous deployment. In this blog, I would like to share a complete Azure DevOps certification roadmap, beginning with the cost and skills to the career path using learning resources. It will be helpful for both beginners and working professionals looking to switch careers.
Why Azure DevOps Is One of the Fastest Growing Careers in 2026
The use of cloud-based applications and continuous software delivery is rapidly increasing. More companies require faster release cycles and automated deployment. Azure DevOps allows this new way of working. An important fact is that Microsoft Azure has already gained a lot of enterprises as users. That is why the azure devops career path is one of the top choices for IT professionals.
The Rise of DevOps and Cloud Native Development
Teams today seek to use pipelines that build, test, and deploy code all without manual work. Developers want fast feedback. The business wants faster updates. Cloud native development supports scaling and automation. DevOps connects development and operations to make this possible.
Why Azure Leads the DevOps Space
Azure integrates with popular tools. It has Azure Pipelines, GitHub, and many cloud services. Azure DevOps also works well with enterprise systems and hybrid environments, making it one of the most trusted enterprise choices for digital transformation. This makes the microsoft azure certification roadmap valuable for career growth.
Career Scope and Future Outlook
There is a global demand for Azure DevOps professionals. Most of the job portals enlist DevOps within the top skills. Companies are planning to increase the number of cloud engineering teams. The job numbers of Azure DevOps Engineer will be further increased by 2026. New roles will emerge for automation and cloud governance.
What Is Azure DevOps
Azure DevOps is a suite offering free services to perform planning, coding, building, testing, and deployment of software. This supports collaboration throughout the full project life cycle. You will be able to track work, store code, build pipelines, test applications, and handle artifacts. Azure DevOps will fit easily within the cloud ecosystem
Core Components Explained
Azure DevOps includes the following services:
Azure Repos
Azure Repos is a source code management system. It securely stores your project code using Git. Developers control how others contribute and review code during pull requests before it gets deployed. Developer tracking of updated code and maintenance of version history take place in a safe location.
Azure Pipelines
Azure Pipelines is a Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery automation service that helps teams build, test, and deploy applications faster. It supports many languages and platforms and allows one to deploy to any cloud. This will help reduce human effort and also avoid errors during releases.
Azure Boards
Azure Boards is used for project management, including sprint planning, backlog tracking, and bug monitoring. It supports Agile and Scrum methodologies and gives full visibility of progress. Teams can easily arrange tasks and enhance workflow planning.
Azure Test Plans
Azure Test Plans facilitates the performance of manual and automated testing on applications to ensure their quality. It allows stakeholders to store test cases and provide detailed feedback on testing. This helps teams fix issues quickly and deliver better software.
Azure Artifacts
Azure Artifacts provides a secure package management system for npm, Maven, and NuGet. Teams can safely store their reusable libraries in one location and then share them across projects. Connection with pipelines also enables smooth release management.
How Azure DevOps Fits in the Cloud Ecosystem
Azure DevOps is flexible , it can be connected with GitHub, Jenkins, AWS, and GCP. Workloads can be deployed to several environments. Terraform and ARM templates connect infrastructure with pipelines. This flexibility supports any cloud model.
Who Can Learn Azure DevOps
Azure DevOps Roadmap fits both IT and non-IT learners. Beginners will start with cloud fundamentals, developers and system administrators can move into a DevOps role. Any individual interested in cloud technology will be able to learn Azure DevOps in structured steps.
Azure DevOps Certification Roadmap 2026 Step by Step Path
This microsoft azure certification roadmap helps you move from beginner to expert in 9 to 12 months. It is suitable for career changers and working professionals.
Phase 1: Foundations and Azure Basics (0 to 2 months)
The journey starts with AZ 900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals. In this phase, learners understand what cloud computing is and how Azure services work in real projects. During this time, confidence will rise with hands-on labs, basic identity management, and cloud pricing models. This prepares the beginner, who has zero background in systems, to move towards technical skills comfortably.
Phase 2: Core Azure Infrastructure Skills (2 to 4 months)
The next level takes a deeper dive into the AZ 104 Azure Administrator. Learners are further exposed to networking, Azure storage, monitoring, and security controls. They also make use of the Azure Portal to create virtual machines, manage environments, and control access. This level helps learners build a strong technical foundation required to support DevOps tasks.
Phase 3: DevOps Specialization and Automation (4 to 7 months)
Now the focus is on automation skills with AZ 400 Azure DevOps Engineer Expert. Students practice version control using Git, automating the build and release process through pipeline tools, and Infrastructure as Code using Terraform amongst other tools. They shall also learn how to automate testing and track delivery performance. This is the most crucial phase for becoming a DevOps engineer.
Phase 4: Hands On Projects and Real CI CD pipelines (7 to 9 months)
Hands-on projects are the focus during this period. Learners set up complete CI/CD pipelines with staging and production environments, then set automated quality checks. They try deployment rollout strategies and add monitoring dashboards to track system health. These real-world use cases will help the learners be job-ready and confident to face technical interviews.
Phase 5: Continuous Learning and Advanced Tools (9 to 12 months)
This final phase prepares the learner for higher roles with tools like Docker and Kubernetes. They understand how containers work and how large companies deploy scalable applications. They explore DevSecOps concepts applied to application security and come across optional advanced certifications. This phase of training ensures long-term growth, providing a stable future in the world of DevOps.
Azure DevOps Certification Cost Breakdown
Certification Cost Overview
| Certification | India Cost (Approx) | Global Cost (Approx) | What You Pay For | Additional Notes |
| AZ 900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals | ₹4,000 to ₹5,000 | $99 | Basic cloud knowledge and online exam | Best for beginners starting from zero |
| AZ 104 Azure Administrator Associate | ₹6,000 to ₹7,500 | $165 | Infrastructure skills and hands on experience | Helps in securing first cloud job |
| AZ 400 Azure DevOps Engineer Expert | ₹8,000 to ₹10,000 | $165 | DevOps automation and pipelining expertise | Required to become certified DevOps Engineer |
The Azure DevOps Certification Cost changes slightly based on country and currency.
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Exam Structure and Duration
Typically, each of the Azure DevOps-related certification exams takes around 120 minutes. Each of these exams has approximately 40 to 60 questions that include multiple choice questions and case study-based scenarios. The exams test both theoretical understanding and practical problem solving skills; therefore, consistent hands-on practice is very helpful in scoring well in them.
Renewal and Validity
Since Azure technology is continuously changing and improving, Microsoft certifications are only valid for a year. You can easily get renewal by going through a short online assessment from the comfort of your home before the expiry date. Most renewals are free, which makes it very easy to stay updated as a professional without any extra cost.
Skills You Will Build Along the Way
As you progress through the Azure DevOps certification roadmap, you will develop a strong combination of technical knowledge and practical skills on tooling that are required in real DevOps environments.
Technical Skills
- Building CI CD pipelines using Azure Pipelines to automate deployments
- Using Git and GitHub for version control and team collaboration
- Writing YAML scripts to control automation workflows
- Creating and managing infrastructure using ARM templates or Terraform
- Working with Docker containers and orchestration via Kubernetes
- Establishing monitoring, logging, and alerting to maintain application health.
- Learn the basics of Azure security to keep systems safe and compliant.
Soft Skills
- Communicate clearly with developers, testers, and operations teams
- Technical problem solving and troubleshooting of deployment issues
- Working with Agile and Scrum methods for fast delivery cycles
- Writing clean and structured documentation for team understanding
- Adapting to change and maintaining a mindset of continuous learning
Career Path and Salary Insights for Azure DevOps Professionals
Azure DevOps comprises a great and rapidly growing career path, as almost every company is now adopting cloud and automation. The azure devops career path provides professionals with numerous opportunities to upgrade their skills and shift to better job titles for higher compensation. You can build a long-term secure future in this field by gathering the right set of skills in pipelines, Git, automation, and cloud security.
Entry Level Roles (0 to 2 Years)
Most freshers join as DevOps Interns or as a Junior Cloud Engineer at an entry-level position. The job basically involves learning CI-CD pipelines, supporting deployments, and automating simple tasks. The salary range in India is about ₹4 to ₹8 lakhs per year. Such roles help beginners understand the basics of cloud operations while working with senior team members.
Mid Level Roles (2 to 5 Years)
With experience and certifications, professionals move into positions like DevOps Engineer or Cloud Automation Specialist. They are in charge of pipeline improvements, deployment issues troubleshooting, and leading automation work within the team. The salary for azure devops engineer salary roles and other roles in India ranges from ₹10 to ₹18 lakhs per year. This is a high-growth period in the azure devops engineer salary chart because the skills become more valuable.
Senior Roles (5 Years and Above)
With advanced knowledge in automation, professionals work as Azure DevOps Architects or Cloud Consultants. They design big cloud infrastructure systems, plan DevOps strategy, and handle complex security and monitoring. In India, salaries range from ₹20 to ₹35 lakhs per annum, depending on skills and experience. These experts lead companies in their journey of digital transformation.
Global Outlook
Azure DevOps professionals will have great demand all over the world due to automation and the cloud being an integrated part of everything. Skilled engineers with Azure and Kubernetes experience can get remote jobs or opportunities in the USA, UK, Canada, and Europe. The average salary in the United States is about $110,000 to $140,000 per year based on recent industry data. Many international companies prefer certified engineers who follow the azure devops certification roadmap.
Learning Resources – Where to Study
By mixing and matching official materials, video courses, and hands-on labs, learning Azure DevOps becomes easier. These platforms will help you build both theoretical knowledge and real practical experience needed for the certification journey.
Free Platforms
Microsoft Learn is the best starting point because it gives you structured learning paths in free sandbox environments where you can practice directly in Azure with no subscription needed. Other YouTube channels, like those by John Savill and Adam Marczak, clearly explain concepts and use real demonstrations that will help beginners learn faster. CloudSkills.io has community content to help you at no cost.
Paid Courses
Whereas in Coursera, Microsoft- approved certificate courses encompass assignments, hands-on lab instructions, and peer-to-peer support for more disciplined learning. Udemy features affordable video courses with real project demonstrations, practice tests, and step-by-step hands-on guidance to build confidence for exams. Guided programs are available on platforms like EdX and Simplilearn, offering instructor support to learners who want more structured coaching.
Practice Tools
The free Azure trial provides temporary cloud credits to deploy and test real services while learners practice for exams. GitHub Actions is helpful for learning automation and pipelines, which many DevOps teams use in conjunction with Azure DevOps tools. Terraform Cloud and other IaC labs explain provisioning and infrastructure automation and the management of cloud resources in an easy way.
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FAQs Common Questions
Do I need a technical background for Azure DevOps
No. You could start with AZ 900, which explains the cloud in a simple manner that is very easy to comprehend. Even though your background is nontechnical, regular study and hands-on labs will give you more confidence. Many professionals switch to DevOps without any past IT experience.
How long does it take to complete all certifications
Most learners take nine to twelve months to complete the entire Azure DevOps certification roadmap. You can speed up if you study one to two hours daily and practice in the Azure Portal regularly. The more hands-on you work, the faster you understand real DevOps tasks.
Which Azure certification should I start with
The best starting point will be AZ 900 because it gives you cloud fundamentals with no pressure. After that, you can move to AZ 104 to learn infrastructure and complete AZ 400 for automation and CI CD pipelines. This order makes your learning smooth and complete.
What is the total cost of becoming an Azure DevOps Engineer
In India, the total cost of all main certifications is around ₹20,000 to ₹25,000, and globally it is around 350 dollars. These costs cover the exam fees only, so training courses or practice labs may be extra. Microsoft also offers free renewal after one year which saves money in the long run.
Are these certifications valid globally
Yes, Microsoft certification is recognized by companies worldwide and thereby helps in qualifying for international job opportunities. The kind of skills one learns is standard across industries, and hence one can work remotely or even relocate for global roles.
Conclusion.
The Azure devops certification roadmap gives complete direction to start and grow your career in cloud and DevOps. You learn Azure fundamentals, administration, and automation skills using pipelines and real deployments. It helps you become confident and job ready in one year of consistent learning.
Who This Roadmap Is For
This roadmap is for beginners who want to enter the cloud industry with no experience. It also supports developers looking to move into DevOps roles, system administrators looking to upgrade their automation skills, and working professionals from any background looking to switch careers into a high-growth field.
Why This Works
This course is structured in a step-by-step manner so that you don’t feel lost. Each stage builds new skills that are needed in real companies. You also earn global certifications that prove your capability. Hands-on labs and projects make your knowledge practical, hence you can answer interview questions with real examples
Explore Azure DevOps Courses or Speak to a Mentor
Many learning resources are available to begin your preparations. You may search for various Azure DevOps courses to compare the study options and practice tools. If you want personalized help, then reach out with a DevOps mentor to help you through this. The first step in the Azure DevOps certification road map paves the way toward a strong and rewarding future in technology.