Python for DevOps Course

Lesson 1 • Core Python Syntax and Data Types

Cover variables, operators, strings, numbers, booleans, and type conversion. Provides the vocabulary for every script written in later chapters.

Lesson 2 • Control Flow and Loops

Apply conditionals and iteration to automate repetitive decision-making. Directly enables writing logic-driven automation scripts in subsequent chapters.

Lesson 3 • Functions and Modules

Define reusable functions, handle arguments, and import standard library modules. Supports modular script design used in all DevOps automation patterns.

Lesson 4 • Setting Up the Python Environment

Install Python, configure virtual environments, and select an IDE suited for DevOps work. Establishes the baseline toolchain used throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Scheduling and Automating Tasks

Schedule Python scripts as cron jobs and use the schedule library for in-process timing. Connects file and process skills into end-to-end automation pipelines.

Lesson 2 • Environment Variables and Configuration

Read, set, and validate environment variables for runtime configuration. Supports twelve-factor app patterns used in containerised deployments.

Lesson 3 • Path and Directory Operations

Navigate and manipulate the file system using the pathlib and os modules. Enables portable, cross-platform automation scripts.

Lesson 4 • Reading and Writing Files

Open, read, write, and append text and binary files using built-in file I/O. Forms the foundation for config parsing and log processing tasks.

Lesson 1 • JSON Parsing and Generation

Serialise and deserialise JSON using the json module and handle edge cases. JSON is the primary data exchange format in APIs and CI/CD tooling.

Lesson 2 • XML Parsing and Transformation

Extract data from XML documents using ElementTree and lxml. Supports integration with legacy systems and Maven/Ant build outputs.

Lesson 3 • YAML Configuration Files

Load and dump YAML documents using PyYAML and ruamel.yaml. YAML is the dominant format for Kubernetes, Ansible, and CI pipeline configs.

Lesson 4 • TOML and INI Configuration Files

Parse TOML and INI files for tool configuration and project metadata. Covers formats used by pip, pytest, and modern Python packaging tools.

Lesson 1 • Pagination and Rate Limiting

Handle paginated API responses and respect rate limits with retry logic. Prevents script failures when consuming large datasets from external APIs.

Lesson 2 • HTTP Requests with the Requests Library

Send GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE requests and handle responses. Provides the core skill for all API-driven automation in later sections.

Lesson 3 • Authentication and Security

Implement API key, OAuth2, and token-based authentication in scripts. Ensures automation scripts meet security requirements of enterprise APIs.

Lesson 4 • Network Diagnostics and Socket Programming

Check host reachability, open ports, and DNS resolution using Python sockets. Enables automated health checks and network validation scripts.

Lesson 1 • Kubernetes Automation with Python

Deploy and manage Kubernetes workloads using the official Python client. Supports automated rollouts, scaling, and health verification.

Lesson 2 • Configuration Management Integration

Trigger Ansible playbooks and Salt states from Python scripts. Closes the loop between dynamic inventory generation and configuration enforcement.

Lesson 3 • Automating Infrastructure as Code Tools

Invoke Terraform and Pulumi programmatically from Python scripts. Integrates IaC execution into Python-driven orchestration pipelines.

Lesson 4 • Docker Automation with Python

Build images, manage containers, and inspect networks using the Docker SDK for Python. Enables programmatic container lifecycle management in pipelines.

Lesson 1 • Artifact Management Automation

Upload, download, and promote artifacts in registries using Python scripts. Supports versioned artifact workflows in multi-stage pipelines.

Lesson 2 • Automating Build and Test Steps

Invoke build tools, run test suites, and parse test results from Python. Enables dynamic test orchestration beyond static pipeline YAML.

Lesson 3 • CI/CD Concepts and Python Integration Points

Map CI/CD pipeline stages to Python automation opportunities. Establishes the mental model for where Python scripts plug into build systems.

Lesson 4 • Deployment Automation Scripts

Script blue-green, canary, and rolling deployments using platform APIs. Reduces human error in release execution by encoding deployment logic in Python.

Lesson 1 • Alerting Automation

Query monitoring APIs and trigger alerts based on threshold logic in Python. Replaces manual dashboard watching with proactive automated alerting.

Lesson 2 • Metrics Collection and Exposition

Instrument Python scripts with Prometheus client metrics and expose them via HTTP. Feeds custom metrics into existing monitoring stacks.

Lesson 3 • Log Parsing and Analysis

Extract patterns, errors, and metrics from raw log files using regex and parsing libraries. Enables automated anomaly detection and report generation.

Lesson 4 • Structured Logging in Python

Emit structured JSON logs and configure log levels, handlers, and formatters. Structured logs are machine-parseable by log aggregation platforms.

Lesson 1 • Audit Logging and Compliance Reporting

Collect audit trails from cloud and platform APIs and generate compliance reports. Supports evidence collection for security audits and regulatory reviews.

Lesson 2 • Secret Detection and Management

Scan codebases for exposed secrets and integrate with vault solutions via Python. Prevents credential leakage in repositories and pipeline artifacts.

Lesson 3 • Automated Security Testing in Pipelines

Integrate static analysis and DAST tools into CI pipelines via Python scripts. Shifts security left by blocking insecure code before deployment.

Lesson 4 • Infrastructure Compliance Checks

Validate cloud resource configurations against security policies using Python. Enforces least-privilege and encryption standards across environments.