Python for DevOps: Python Scripting Tutorial for Beginner

The one common question that DevOps aspiring engineers ask is, do we need Python for DevOps? In this blog, I will explain to you why Python is essential in the DevOps world.

Now, Information Technology is not like it used to be before. Most of the sysadmin tasks are automated using tools & scripting languages, including configuration management tools like chef, puppet, Ansible, etc., and other scripting languages like shell scripting, Python, Ruby, etc.

Unlike before, now different teams have started working together, and there is more & more automation from the application development to deployment. The lives of developers became so easy after tools like Vagrant, Docker, and Kubernetes were used to reduce the time to set up and test development environments.

Cloud computing has greatly altered the way servers are provisioned. Your time is greatly saved as you don’t need to wait days to get a server provisioned for your app deployment. With only a few clicks, you will have your server ready for deployment.

And this process gets easier by writing automation scripts for server provisioning & configuration. One such example I have in my mind is the AWS python boto library. Using Boto SDK, you can automate AWS server provisioning.

How Python Is Useful For DevOps?

Those days are gone when DevOps engineers had to work with only CI/CD tools. Nowadays, companies want customized tooling & utilities to fit their CI/CD requirements. For example, a Python script parses JSON to test a functionality in the CI/CD process.

It has caused a change in the way infrastructure operations are carried out, & CI/CD is now expected to create unique utilities and modules to enhance automation, release, & monitoring.

Now, no business desires to oversee releases and pipelines. However, you need some programming experience to create your own utilities, & Python programming language should be the choice in DevOps for this kind of work. Given that most contemporary DevOps tooling is created in Golang, one can argue that Golang is likewise making progress.

DevOps engineers must collaborate with Machine Learning engineers, data engineers, and data scientists on an increasing number of MLOPS projects. All of these teams share a language in common, which is Python. You will be in charge of creating quick utility & ML pipeline scripts as a DevOps engineer.

Thus, programming is becoming a must for DevOps professionals, & Python is a fantastic language for doing it. Additionally, in this DevOps engineers handbook, I will give you a clear explanation of the necessity for programming with Python.

Why Python For DevOps is Important?

Python is so important for DevOps for the following reasons:

1. Python is one of the best scripting languages. Python libraries are widely available, allowing you to create scripts that can interact with system internals, operate with files & strings, control networks, and more.
2. When you master the Python language, you can create well-organized automation programs. Moreover, Python is now pre-installed on every Linux system.
3. Python is frequently used by DevOps teams to create unique tools, web apps for unique data visualization, and other things. The key benefit is that it’s simple to learn and that creating apps just takes a few days as opposed to several months.
4. Only Python code is used to write tools like Ansible. To complete your automation roles, you can create your own Ansible modules. Additionally, it’s not just restricted to Ansible; many Python-based technologies allow you to build custom scripts to enhance your interaction with them.
5. Most importantly, you would be required to complete programming or scripting challenges as part of the first round of DevOps interviews. The most effective option to pass those interview rounds is Python programming language.

So, I think these are enough reasons why you should learn Python to automate manual tasks.

What Are The Python Courses To Skill Up in DevOps?

I advise you to read a book or take a guided online course to learn the basics of Python if you are brand-new to the language.

Here I recommend courses for complete beginners to learn Python.

1. Learn Python 3 from Scratch
2. Introduction to Python
3. Udemy Python Courses

Python for DevOps Tutorial for Beginners

When you start learning the fundamentals of Python, the first step is to get started with scripting. Here, instead of discussing Python for application development, I will discuss Python for automation.

I will also cover a collection of articles in this knowledge base that will provide the essential basic tutorials you need to get started with Python programming.

Here is the list:

1. How to run a Python Script
2. Python Basics and Flow Control
3. Python Functions
4. Lists, Dictionaries, and Structuring Data
5. String manipulation and Regular expressions
6. Working with Files
7. Python Exception handling
8. Debugging python scripts
9. Working with Linux system configuration.
10. Monitoring alerts using python
11. System health checks using python
12. Managing cron using Python.
13. Using Python Modules

What Is Python Libraries for DevOps?

There are many kinds of Python libraries available that you can use for automation in Python. The key Python DevOps libraries to look at are:

1. OS Module
2. Subprocess
3. JSON
4. urlib3
5. HTTP

What Are The Python Scripts To Automate DevOps Tasks?

You must do practical Python automation projects if you want to understand the language for DevOps automation.

Here are the uses of Python scripting:

1. How to parse a JSON file using Python
2. Python script to make an HTTP API call with the bearer token.
3. Python script to execute SQL statements on PostgreSQL.
4. Create an EC2 instance using Python boto.
5. Parse an IP address using Python
6. Segregate IP addresses from a CIDR range using Python Script.
7. Write a Python script to get Linux system details like CPU, memory, disk space, and process details.
8. Execute a shell script from a Python script.
9. Install Nginx in Linux using Python script.
10. Replace a string in an application configuration file (For example, nginx.conf)
11. Python Script to retrieve AWS EMR mast IP address
12. Create a Python script to list all Kubernetes pods in a namespace.

And the list goes on.

How To Learn Python By Building Web Apps?

The best way for DevOps engineers to learn Python is by building web applications.

So how to get started?

To get started, you can go for a simple Python micro-framework like Flask to understand how web applications work.

You will learn about the front end (UI), back end (middleware/database connectivity, etc.), & certain development aspects while creating a web-based application that will help you on your path to becoming a DevOps engineer! 

At first, it could seem difficult to deal with, but when you complete the tutorial, you’ll feel more comfortable creating apps.

Here are some of the resources to get started:

1. Python Flask tutorial: Build your first Flask application.
2. Flask: Develop Web Applications in Python
3. Learn the Flask Python Web Development Framework by Building an Ecommerce Platform

Final Thoughts On Python for DevOps

In this article, I have explained why a DevOps engineer must use Python for DevOps. The best for you is to approach to begin your DevOps journey is to study application development.

If you are familiar with the fundamentals of Python then you can begin by learning the application workflow with a framework like Python Flask.

Check out our thorough certified Kubernetes administrator exam guide if you’re a DevOps engineer interested in Kubernetes certification.

Get the Python for DevOps certification at a great discount using the Linux Foundation coupon code.

Frequently Asked Questions