Entry Level DevOps Engineer Interview Preparation Guide - FAANG Standard
This guide is based on general FAANG interview practices and may not reflect specific company procedures.
The Entry Level DevOps Engineer interview at FAANG companies consists of 7 rounds designed to assess technical fundamentals, problem-solving ability, practical DevOps knowledge, basic system design thinking, and cultural fit. The process emphasizes learning potential, foundational understanding of containerization and CI/CD, and collaboration skills. Expect a mix of technical assessments (coding/scripting, infrastructure challenges), conceptual questions, and behavioral discussions.
Interview Rounds
Recruiter Screening
What to Expect
This is your first interaction with the company. The recruiter will assess your background, verify you meet basic qualifications, discuss your motivation for DevOps, and gauge cultural fit and communication skills. They'll also explain the interview process and timeline. This is a conversation-based round focused on understanding your career trajectory and enthusiasm for the role.
Tips & Advice
Be genuine and enthusiastic about DevOps. Clearly articulate why you're interested in infrastructure and automation. Highlight any relevant coursework, projects, or learning you've done. Ask thoughtful questions about the team and role to show genuine interest. Keep answers concise and conversational. This round is more about personality and communication than technical depth.
Focus Topics
Relevant Background & Experience
Discuss any relevant education, projects, internships, certifications, or self-study. Focus on containerization, CI/CD tools, cloud platforms, or infrastructure automation you've explored.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Communication & Learning Ability
Demonstrate clear communication, ability to explain concepts simply, willingness to learn, and growth mindset. Share examples of how you've quickly learned new technologies.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Career Motivation & DevOps Interest
Clearly articulate why you're interested in DevOps, what attracts you to infrastructure and automation, and any relevant learning or project experience. Be authentic and show curiosity about the field.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Technical Phone Screen
What to Expect
This technical assessment is conducted over video or phone with a senior engineer or technical screener. You'll be asked to solve problems and answer questions on Linux fundamentals, shell scripting basics (bash), basic Python scripting, version control (Git), and fundamental DevOps concepts. This round filters for technical minimum competency and problem-solving approach. Expect live coding or scripting in a shared editor.
Tips & Advice
Test your environment setup before the call (terminal, text editor, internet connection). Communicate your thinking aloud while solving problems. Ask clarifying questions before diving into code. For scripting challenges, write clear, readable code. Don't memorize solutions—focus on understanding concepts and being able to work through problems. Practice basic Linux commands and bash scripting on your local machine. Be honest if you don't know something, but show how you'd figure it out.
Focus Topics
Python for DevOps Basics
Basic Python knowledge: syntax, data structures (lists, dictionaries), file I/O, string manipulation, functions, and basic libraries. Ability to write simple utility scripts, not complex applications.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
DevOps Fundamentals & Philosophy
Understanding of core DevOps concepts: what is DevOps, why it matters, differences from traditional operations, automation versus manual processes, continuous integration basics, and continuous deployment basics.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Problem-Solving Approach
Ability to understand requirements, break down problems, think through edge cases, communicate your approach, handle when you don't know something, and iterate on solutions.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Bash/Shell Scripting Basics
Ability to write simple bash scripts: variables, loops (for, while), conditionals (if/else), functions, working with strings and arrays, reading files, basic error handling, and executing commands.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Git & Version Control
Understanding of Git basics: repositories, commits, branches, merging, pulling and pushing to remote repositories, understanding of distributed version control concepts, and merge conflict resolution.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Linux/Unix Fundamentals
Solid understanding of core Linux concepts: file systems, file permissions (chmod, chown), basic shell navigation, process management (ps, kill, top), environment variables, and common CLI tools (grep, sed, awk, find, etc.).
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Technical Round 1 - Containerization & Infrastructure
What to Expect
This technical round focuses on containerization (Docker), basic Kubernetes concepts, and infrastructure fundamentals. You'll answer conceptual questions, solve container-related problems, and possibly complete a small hands-on Docker or infrastructure challenge. The interviewer will assess your understanding of containerization benefits, container basics, image building, orchestration fundamentals, and your ability to think through infrastructure problems.
Tips & Advice
Ensure you have hands-on Docker experience—build and run containers locally before the interview. Understand Dockerfile syntax and best practices. Be able to explain why containerization is important in modern DevOps. Know basic Kubernetes concepts (Pods, Services, Deployments) but don't go too deep into advanced features. Practice troubleshooting common container issues. Be prepared to live-code a Dockerfile or solve a container configuration problem.
Focus Topics
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Basics
Understanding of IaC philosophy: defining infrastructure as code versus manual setup, benefits of IaC, basic exposure to tools like Terraform or CloudFormation, and why this matters for DevOps.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Networking Fundamentals for Containers
Understanding of how containers network together: container networking models, port mapping, service discovery, basic DNS concepts, and how networking differs between local containers and orchestrated systems.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Cloud Basics - AWS Fundamentals
Basic AWS concepts relevant to DevOps: EC2 instances, S3 storage, IAM for access control, basic networking (VPCs, security groups), and understanding how cloud services differ from on-premises infrastructure.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Container Orchestration Basics - Kubernetes
Basic Kubernetes concepts: Pods as the smallest deployable unit, Services for networking, Deployments for managing replicas, ConfigMaps and Secrets for configuration, basic kubectl commands, and understanding of why orchestration is needed.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Docker Fundamentals & Image Creation
Understanding of Docker concepts: containers versus images, Dockerfile syntax, building images, Docker registry, image layers, best practices (minimizing image size, security), and basic image management.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Technical Round 2 - CI/CD Pipelines & Deployment
What to Expect
This technical round focuses on Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) concepts, pipeline design, and deployment strategies. You'll discuss CI/CD pipeline architecture, work with tools like Jenkins or GitHub Actions, understand deployment strategies (rolling, blue-green, canary), and solve problems related to automation workflows. The interviewer assesses your understanding of how code moves from development to production and ability to design basic automation workflows.
Tips & Advice
Understand the complete CI/CD pipeline flow: code commit, build, test, deploy. Be able to explain different deployment strategies and their trade-offs. Have hands-on experience setting up a simple CI/CD pipeline with Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or GitLab CI. Understand concepts like build artifacts, test automation, and deployment stages. Be ready to discuss how to make pipelines more efficient and reliable. Practice explaining deployment failures and how you'd troubleshoot them.
Focus Topics
Version Control & Code Flow
Understanding code branching strategies for CI/CD: trunk-based development versus feature branches, merge strategies, code review processes, and how these affect pipeline flow.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Build Automation & Artifact Management
Understanding build processes: compiling code, running tests, creating artifacts (Docker images, binaries), versioning artifacts, storing artifacts in repositories, and managing dependencies.
Practice Interview
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Monitoring & Observability in Deployment
Basic understanding of monitoring deployments: health checks, logs aggregation, metrics collection, alerting, and detecting issues post-deployment. Understanding how to detect and respond to failed deployments.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Deployment Strategies
Understanding different deployment approaches: blue-green deployment (two environments with instant cutover), canary releases (gradual rollout to small user group), rolling updates (incremental instance updates), and recreate deployment. Knowing trade-offs of each strategy.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Jenkins & CI/CD Tools
Practical understanding of Jenkins: pipeline syntax, stages, agents, scripted versus declarative pipelines, integration with Git and deployment tools, basic troubleshooting, and understanding how Jenkins fits in the broader CI/CD ecosystem.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
CI/CD Pipeline Architecture
Understanding complete CI/CD flow: source control integration, build stage, test stage, artifact creation, deployment stages, rollback capabilities, and monitoring. Ability to design a basic pipeline and explain each stage.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
System Design Round - Lightweight Infrastructure
What to Expect
This round assesses basic system design thinking appropriate for entry-level candidates. Rather than complex distributed systems, you'll design simple infrastructure setups: deploying a basic application to the cloud with containerization, designing a simple monitoring solution, or planning an infrastructure upgrade. The interviewer wants to see how you think about scaling, reliability, automation, and infrastructure decisions at a foundational level. Discussion is collaborative—the interviewer helps guide your thinking.
Tips & Advice
For entry-level, system design is lighter than senior levels—focus on basic concepts, not advanced optimization. Ask clarifying questions about requirements. Think out loud about trade-offs (cost versus reliability, complexity versus simplicity). Draw diagrams or describe architecture clearly. Don't memorize solutions—show your reasoning. Discuss automation needs and operational concerns. The interviewer expects foundational thinking, not expert-level design. It's okay to make simplifying assumptions as long as you state them.
Focus Topics
Monitoring & Observability Design
Designing basic monitoring: what metrics to collect, log aggregation approach, alerting strategy, dashboards for visibility, and how monitoring helps with operations.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Basic Scaling Concepts
Understanding vertical scaling (bigger servers) versus horizontal scaling (more servers), when to apply each, load balancing basics, stateless design for scaling, and recognizing scaling bottlenecks.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Containerization & Orchestration Trade-offs
Understanding when to use containers versus VMs, single container versus orchestrated setup, complexity versus benefits analysis, and when each approach is appropriate for different scales.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
High Availability & Redundancy Basics
Understanding concepts like multi-AZ deployments, failover mechanisms, replication, backup strategies, and how to keep systems running during failures at a basic level.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Basic Cloud Architecture Design
Ability to design simple cloud applications: single server setup versus load-balanced setup, stateless versus stateful considerations, database placement, security groups and firewalls basics, and understanding of when to add components for reliability.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Behavioral Round - Values & Collaboration
What to Expect
This round focuses on behavioral assessment aligned with FAANG company leadership principles and values. Using Amazon's leadership principles as a framework (though applicable across FAANG), the interviewer will explore: customer and user focus, learning and curiosity, frugality and efficiency, bias for action, earning trust through integrity, and collaboration. They'll ask about past experiences, how you handle challenges, teamwork, and cultural alignment. This is not about DevOps technical knowledge—it's about work style and values.
Tips & Advice
Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for answers. Prepare specific examples from projects, internships, or coursework showing: learning from failure, collaborating with others, solving problems creatively, taking initiative, and admitting mistakes. Be authentic—don't try to game answers. Relate examples to entry-level experiences (school projects, internships, side projects). Show growth mindset and willingness to learn. Ask thoughtful questions about team culture and values. Align your answers to the company's stated leadership principles.
Focus Topics
Integrity & Learning from Failure
Examples of admitting mistakes, taking responsibility, learning from failures, and maintaining high standards. Ability to discuss failures constructively and what you learned.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Bias for Action & Frugality
Examples of taking initiative and acting with incomplete information, moving forward despite uncertainty, thinking creatively about resource constraints, and making good use of time and resources.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Collaboration & Communication
Examples of working effectively with others, communicating technical concepts clearly, handling disagreements respectfully, asking for help appropriately, and contributing to team goals beyond individual work.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Customer and User Focus & Ownership
Ability to think about end-user impact, taking ownership of problems, understanding business context, and going beyond requirements to deliver value. Examples of when you cared about user experience or business outcomes.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Learning Ability & Curiosity
Demonstrating hunger to learn, examples of picking up new technologies quickly, asking questions to understand systems deeply, and showing growth mindset when facing knowledge gaps.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Hiring Manager Round
What to Expect
This is the final round with the actual hiring manager or senior team member responsible for hiring. It combines behavioral assessment, deeper dive into technical understanding, and mutual evaluation. The hiring manager will discuss role expectations, how you'd work with the team, learning opportunities, career growth potential, and overall fit. They're assessing: can you succeed in this role? Do you fit the team? Are you genuinely interested? Technical depth will be lighter—focus is on role readiness and team dynamics.
Tips & Advice
Treat this as a two-way conversation. Ask thoughtful questions about team structure, current challenges, onboarding process, and growth opportunities. Be specific about what excites you about the role. Discuss what success looks like in the first 90 days. Share what you've learned during the interview process and how it's increased your interest. Be authentic about your experience level and learning goals. This is your chance to assess if the company and team are right for you. The hiring manager is also selling the role, so balance selling yourself with evaluating fit.
Focus Topics
Questions About Role & Team
Asking intelligent questions showing you've done research and care about fit: current team challenges, how they measure success, mentorship approach, tools and tech stack, on-call expectations, and company and team culture.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Growth Aspirations & Learning Goals
Discussing your long-term career interests in DevOps, what you want to learn, technologies you're curious about, and whether this role aligns with your goals.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Enthusiasm & Authenticity
Expressing genuine excitement about DevOps, the role, and the company. Being authentic about your journey, why you chose this path, and what draws you to this opportunity specifically.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Role Readiness & 90-Day Success
Discussing what you'd focus on in the first 90 days, what you expect to learn, how you'd onboard, and what success looks like early in the role. Showing realistic expectations for entry-level growth.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Team Fit & Collaboration Style
Understanding team dynamics, how you'd work with the team, receiving feedback, pair programming and mentorship, and genuine interest in the team's work and challenges.
Practice Interview
Study Questions
Frequently Asked DevOps Engineer Interview Questions
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
package main
import (
"crypto"
"crypto/rand"
"crypto/rsa"
"crypto/sha256"
"crypto/x509"
"encoding/base64"
"encoding/json"
"encoding/pem"
"fmt"
"io/ioutil"
"os"
"time"
)
// FileDigest represents a file path and its SHA256 digest.
// Use struct (not map) so encoding/json emits keys in declaration order for deterministic output.
type FileDigest struct {
Path string `json:"path"`
SHA256 string `json:"sha256"`
}
// Attestation is the unsigned payload.
// Field order here controls JSON key ordering for determinism.
type Attestation struct {
BuilderID string `json:"builder_id"`
Timestamp string `json:"timestamp"`
Inputs []FileDigest `json:"inputs"`
Outputs []FileDigest `json:"outputs"`
}
// Envelope is the final JSON containing attestation and signature.
type Envelope struct {
Attestation Attestation `json:"attestation"`
Signature string `json:"signature"` // base64
}
func must(err error) {
if err != nil {
fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "error:", err)
os.Exit(1)
}
}
func readJSONFile(path string, v interface{}) {
b, err := ioutil.ReadFile(path)
must(err)
must(json.Unmarshal(b, v))
}
func parsePrivateKey(pemPath string) *rsa.PrivateKey {
b, err := ioutil.ReadFile(pemPath)
must(err)
block, _ := pem.Decode(b)
if block == nil {
fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "failed to parse PEM")
os.Exit(1)
}
// Try PKCS1 then PKCS8
if key, err := x509.ParsePKCS1PrivateKey(block.Bytes); err == nil {
return key
}
pk, err := x509.ParsePKCS8PrivateKey(block.Bytes)
must(err)
rk, ok := pk.(*rsa.PrivateKey)
if !ok {
fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "not an RSA private key")
os.Exit(1)
}
return rk
}
func main() {
if len(os.Args) != 4 {
fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "usage: %s inputs.json outputs.json private.pem\n", os.Args[0])
os.Exit(1)
}
inputPath, outputPath, keyPath := os.Args[1], os.Args[2], os.Args[3]
var inputs, outputs []FileDigest
readJSONFile(inputPath, &inputs)
readJSONFile(outputPath, &outputs)
builder := os.Getenv("BUILDER_ID")
if builder == "" {
builder = "unknown"
}
att := Attestation{
BuilderID: builder,
Timestamp: time.Now().UTC().Format(time.RFC3339Nano),
Inputs: inputs,
Outputs: outputs,
}
// Marshal the attestation deterministically:
// - Use struct types (no maps) so encoding/json preserves field order.
// - Disable HTML escaping for stability.
attBytes, err := json.Marshal(att)
must(err)
// Hash and sign
h := sha256.Sum256(attBytes)
priv := parsePrivateKey(keyPath)
sig, err := rsa.SignPKCS1v15(rand.Reader, priv, crypto.SHA256, h[:])
must(err)
env := Envelope{
Attestation: att,
Signature: base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString(sig),
}
// Marshal final envelope (deterministic for same reasons)
enc := json.NewEncoder(os.Stdout)
enc.SetEscapeHTML(false)
must(enc.Encode(env))
}Sample Answer
- record: instance:cpu:avg_over_5m
expr: avg by (instance) (rate(node_cpu_seconds_total{mode!="idle"}[5m]))Sample Answer
# create a container-backed builder that supports multi-arch
docker buildx create --name mybuilder --driver docker-container --use
docker buildx inspect --bootstrap# register qemu in Docker host (needs privileged)
docker run --rm --privileged multiarch/qemu-user-static --reset -p yes- uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v2
- uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v2docker buildx build \
--platform linux/amd64,linux/arm64 \
--tag myrepo/myapp:1.0.0 \
--push \
.docker buildx imagetools inspect myrepo/myapp:1.0.0Sample Answer
Sample Answer
apiVersion: networking.istio.io/v1alpha3
kind: VirtualService
metadata: {name: web-svc}
spec:
hosts: ["web.example.com"]
http:
- route:
- destination: {host: web-v1, subset: v1}, weight: 80
- destination: {host: web-v2, subset: v2}, weight: 20Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Recommended Additional Resources
- A Cloud Guru / Linux Academy - DevOps fundamentals courses and hands-on labs for Docker, Kubernetes, and AWS
- Linux Academy - Deep Linux fundamentals and command-line mastery (essential foundation)
- Kubernetes.io official documentation and interactive tutorials
- Docker official documentation and getting started guide
- Jenkins official documentation and pipeline tutorials
- AWS Free Tier - hands-on practice with EC2, S3, CloudWatch, IAM, and other core services
- System Design Primer GitHub - basic architecture and scaling concepts simplified
- FAANG companies' engineering blogs - Amazon, Google, Meta, Netflix tech blogs for architecture insights
- The DevOps Handbook by Gene Kim, Jez Humble, Patrick Debois, and John Willis - understand DevOps philosophy and practices
- Bash scripting tutorials and practice - focusing on automation and common DevOps scripts
- Git documentation and practice - master version control workflows and troubleshooting
- Practice platforms: LeetCode (easy/medium shell scripting), HackerRank (DevOps challenges), Codewars (Bash and Python)
- YouTube channels: DevOps Simplified, That DevOps Guy, Linux Academy channels for visual learning
- Reddit communities: r/devops, r/sysadmin for advice and real-world perspectives
- AWS Certification prep (AWS Cloud Practitioner) - not required but helpful for cloud fundamentals
- Docker Hub and GitHub - practice building and deploying real projects in containers
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