When most people hear DevOps, the first thing that comes to mind is coding, automation scripts, pipelines, and deployments.
But here’s the truth that many newcomers — and even some experienced engineers — often overlook:
👉 DevOps is primarily about thinking, not coding.
Yes, DevOps involves scripting. Yes, it involves tools. But the real power of DevOps lies in your ability to solve problems, design systems, and think strategically.
In this article, I’ll break down why the thinking aspect of DevOps matters far more than people realize — and why it’s the biggest skill companies are really paying for.
Why DevOps Is Not Just About Writing Code
When I started my DevOps journey, I believed the core of the job was simple:
- Build pipelines
- Automate deployments
- Write scripts
- Ship applications
But with time, experience, and countless real-world projects, I learned the ultimate truth:
Coding is just the tool…
Thinking is the actual job.
Anyone can write YAML.
Anyone can run Terraform.
Anyone can containerize an app.
But not everyone can make the right decisions.
Example: Deploying an App Is Easy, Choosing How to Deploy Is the Real Work
Let’s say a startup hires you to deploy their application.
On the surface, it looks straightforward:
“Just deploy it to the cloud.”
But behind that simple request lies real DevOps thinking:
- Should you deploy to Azure, AWS, or GCP?
- Is serverless more cost-efficient than Kubernetes?
- Should you containerize it or use PaaS?
- What is the expected traffic, load, and scalability need?
- How do you balance cost vs performance vs security?
- How do you design a system that’s stable but also affordable for a startup?
The deployment itself can take minutes.
But the architecture decisions can take hours or days.
Because the consequences of a wrong decision are huge:
- Overspending
- Poor performance
- Downtime
- Security risks
- Unnecessary complexity
This is why DevOps is 90% thinking, 10% coding.
Why Hourly Pay Doesn’t Always Reflect DevOps Value
Sometimes I get paid per hour for consulting.
But here’s the funniest part:
I can finish a task in less than an hour — not because the job is “easy,” but because my thinking process and experience make me fast.
Clients pay for:
- My years of understanding
- My ability to analyze and choose the best solution
- My judgment
- My architecture decisions
- My problem-solving
- My ability to prevent future disasters
The code and implementation?
That’s just the final step.
The Skill That Separates Great DevOps Engineers From the Rest
Great DevOps engineers do not just automate — they design, reason, and predict.
They think like:
- Architects
- System designers
- Strategists
- Problem-solvers
- Cost optimizers
- Security advisors
Tools change.
Frameworks evolve.
Cloud services get updated every month.
But the one skill that remains constant?
👉 Your ability to think.
Lesson: It’s Always the Thought That Matters
Whether in DevOps, business, or life:
Execution matters…
But the thought behind the execution is what drives real success.
The best DevOps engineers are those who can:
- Evaluate
- Analyze
- Prioritize
- Decide
- Architect
- Simplify
- And think long-term
If you want to grow in DevOps, spend less time memorizing commands and more time understanding:
- Why systems work the way they do
- Why certain architectures are better
- Why cost matters
- Why scalability matters
- Why reliability matters
That’s where true mastery lives.