Top 14 Azure DevOps Programming Languages in 2023
DevOps is a software development methodology that’s been gaining a lot of popularity recently. By combining software development and IT operations, DevOps helps teams to work together more efficiently and produce higher-quality software.
One of the key components of DevOps is automation, and programming languages play a crucial role in making that happen. They provide developers with the tools they need to automate processes, collaborate effectively, and achieve greater efficiency in software development. That’s why Azure DevOps programming languages are such an important part of the process.
As DevOps continues to grow in importance, more and more companies are turning to DevOps consulting services and facilitation to help them identify the best programming languages for their specific needs. And that’s where this article comes in! Our goal is to provide you with a comprehensive list of the top 14 programming languages for DevOps automation in 2023, focusing specifically on Azure DevOps programming languages.
We’ve selected these languages based on a variety of factors, including their popularity among DevOps professionals, ease of use, versatility, and community support. The list includes languages like Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Go, Shell Scripting, Java, C#, Kotlin, Rust, Perl, PowerShell, PHP, Swift, and TypeScript.
By the end of this article, we hope you’ll have a better understanding of the most popular programming languages used in DevOps automation, and you’ll be able to choose the language that best suits your needs. So, let’s get started!
Criteria for Selection of Programming Languages
Choosing the right programming language is critical for effective DevOps automation. Our selection of the top 14 programming languages for DevOps automation in 2023 is based on four main criteria: popularity among DevOps professionals, ease of use, versatility, and community support.
Popularity among DevOps professionals
The popularity of a programming language among DevOps professionals is a key factor in our selection criteria. Popular languages have a vast community of developers, which means more resources, tutorials, and support available. This also means that companies are more likely to find developers who are proficient in popular languages, making it easier to implement DevOps automation.
Ease of use
Another critical factor in selecting programming languages for DevOps automation is ease of use. Automation tools can be complex, so it’s essential to choose languages that are easy to learn and use. This reduces the learning curve for developers, making it easier to implement DevOps automation quickly.
Versatility
A versatile programming language is also crucial for effective DevOps automation. A language that can be used across different platforms and technologies enables developers to automate a broad range of tasks. This means that companies can use the same language for multiple projects, reducing the need to train developers in different languages for different projects.
Community support
Community support is also a critical factor in our selection criteria. A language with an active community of developers provides companies with a vast resource pool for troubleshooting and support. This ensures that companies can get help quickly when needed, reducing downtime and lost revenue.
By considering these four criteria, we’ve identified the top 14 programming languages for DevOps automation in 2023. These languages include Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Go, Shell Scripting, Java, C#, Kotlin, Rust, Perl, PowerShell, PHP, Swift, and TypeScript. All of these languages meet the criteria for popularity among DevOps professionals, ease of use, versatility, and community support, making them excellent choices for DevOps automation using Azure DevOps programming languages.
Top 14 DevOps Programming Languages
- Python
Python is one of the most popular programming languages used in DevOps automation. Its popularity is due to its ease of use, versatility, and large community of developers. Python’s syntax is simple and easy to learn, making it an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced developers.
In DevOps, Python is used for a wide range of tasks, such as building automation scripts, testing, and configuration management. It is also used for machine learning and data analysis, which makes it a versatile language for a wide range of use cases. Python is often used to automate the configuration and management of infrastructure. This can include tasks such as provisioning virtual machines, configuring networks, and setting up load balancers. Python is commonly used in continuous integration and deployment pipelines. It can be used to automate testing, build processes, and deployment to production environments.
Some of the most popular Python tools for DevOps automation include Ansible, SaltStack, and Puppet. These tools allow developers to automate infrastructure management, deployment, and configuration management.
- JavaScript
JavaScript is another popular programming language used in DevOps automation. Its popularity is due to its versatility, as it is used for both front-end and back-end web development. This makes it an excellent choice for DevOps automation, as it allows developers to automate tasks across different platforms and technologies.
In DevOps, JavaScript is used for tasks such as automating build processes, testing, and deployment. Its versatility also makes it a great choice for developing DevOps automation tools and plugins. JavaScript is commonly used for front-end web development, and it can also be used to automate tasks such as building and bundling front-end assets. This can include tasks such as compiling Sass to CSS, concatenating and minifying JavaScript files, and optimizing images. JavaScript can also be used for infrastructure monitoring, specifically in browser-based monitoring tools. By using browser automation tools such as Puppeteer or Selenium, developers can automate tasks such as logging into systems and monitoring resource usage.
Some of the most popular JavaScript tools for DevOps automation include Grunt, Gulp, and Webpack. These tools allow developers to automate tasks such as code compilation, minification, and optimization.
- Ruby
Ruby is a popular programming language used in DevOps automation. Its popularity is due to its simplicity, ease of use, and the availability of many libraries and frameworks.
In DevOps, Ruby is used for tasks such as configuration management, testing, and automation scripting. It is also commonly used in continuous integration and deployment pipelines. Ruby is often used for configuration management tasks such as managing software dependencies and system configuration. This can include tasks such as managing packages, configuring users, and setting up databases. Ruby is commonly used in continuous deployment pipelines, where it can be used to automate tasks such as deploying code to production environments, running tests, and monitoring application health.
Some of the most popular Ruby tools for DevOps automation include Chef, Capistrano, and Rake. These tools allow developers to automate tasks such as deployment, configuration management, and task automation.
- C#
C# (pronounced as “C sharp”) is a modern, object-oriented programming language developed by Microsoft. It is widely used for building Windows desktop applications, web applications, and games, making it a popular choice for developers. C# has gained popularity in DevOps due to its ability to work seamlessly with Azure DevOps, making it an important language for DevOps professionals.
C# is often used in DevOps for developing web applications, desktop applications, and games. It is especially useful for automating tasks in Azure DevOps, such as creating and managing pipelines, testing, and deployment. C# is also widely used in cloud computing and machine learning, which are becoming increasingly important in DevOps.
There are several C# tools that are used in DevOps, such as:
Visual Studio: Microsoft’s integrated development environment (IDE) for C# and other languages. It provides a comprehensive set of tools for building and testing applications.
.NET Core: A cross-platform, open-source framework for building web and desktop applications with C#. It is designed to work seamlessly with Azure DevOps.
NUnit: A unit testing framework for C# that is used to test individual units of code.
Octopus Deploy: A tool that automates the deployment of C# applications to various environments, including on-premise and cloud-based servers.
- Go
Go, also known as Golang, has gained popularity among DevOps professionals due to its simplicity, speed, and concurrency. Its compiled nature allows for quick and efficient execution, making it a popular choice for building network tools and microservices.
Go is often used in DevOps for tasks such as building and deploying microservices, creating network tools, and automating tasks such as testing and deployment.
Some popular DevOps tools built using Go include Docker, Kubernetes, and Terraform.
- Shell Scripting
Shell scripting, which involves writing scripts in command-line shells such as Bash or Zsh, is popular in DevOps due to its ability to automate tasks quickly and efficiently. Shell scripts are also easily portable across different operating systems.
Shell scripting is commonly used in DevOps for tasks such as automating system administration tasks, configuring servers, and deploying software.
Some popular DevOps tools that utilize Shell scripting include Ansible, Chef, and Puppet.
- Java
Java has been a popular programming language for many years due to its versatility, stability, and performance. It is commonly used in enterprise environments and is a popular choice for building large-scale applications.
Java is often used in DevOps for tasks such as building and deploying applications, automating testing, and managing system resources.
Some popular DevOps tools built using Java include Jenkins, Maven, and Gradle.
- Perl
Perl has been a popular programming language for several decades and is widely used in DevOps automation. Its popularity in DevOps stems from its strong text processing capabilities, regular expressions, and built-in support for system-level tasks.
Perl is often used in DevOps for tasks such as automating deployments, configuring servers, and managing infrastructure. It is also used for log analysis, monitoring, and building custom tools for specific DevOps needs.
Some of the popular Perl tools used in DevOps include Ansible, a configuration management tool that uses Perl for its internal implementation, and Nagios, an open-source tool used for monitoring system resources and services. Other popular Perl-based tools include Puppet, Capistrano, and Chef.
- Kotlin
Kotlin is a modern, cross-platform, general-purpose programming language that was developed by JetBrains. It is designed to be more concise and expressive than Java, while still being fully interoperable with Java. Kotlin’s popularity has grown rapidly in recent years, especially among Android app developers. Its clean syntax and ease of use make it an ideal choice for DevOps.
Kotlin is often used in DevOps for developing web applications, mobile applications, and server-side applications. It is particularly popular for developing Android apps because of its compatibility with Java. Kotlin is also used for scripting tasks in DevOps, such as automating deployments and managing infrastructure.
There are several Kotlin tools that are used in DevOps, such as:
Gradle: A build automation tool that is used to build Kotlin (and other) applications. It provides a flexible and customizable build process that is ideal for DevOps.
Ktor: A framework for building asynchronous servers and clients in Kotlin. It is designed to be lightweight and easy to use, making it a popular choice for DevOps.
Jenkins: An open-source automation server that is used to build, test, and deploy Kotlin applications. It provides a wide range of plugins and integrations that make it ideal for DevOps.
Terraform: A tool for building, changing, and versioning infrastructure. It can be used to manage infrastructure as code in Kotlin and is widely used in DevOps.
- Rust
Rust is a systems programming language that was developed by Mozilla. It is designed to be fast, secure, and reliable, making it a popular choice for building high-performance applications. Rust’s popularity has grown rapidly in recent years, especially in the fields of networking, distributed systems, and security. Its focus on memory safety and thread safety make it an ideal choice for DevOps.
Rust is often used for developing system software, which is an important component of DevOps. Its speed and low-level control make it ideal for systems programming, and its memory safety features make it less prone to errors than other low-level languages. Rust is also used in the development of container orchestration tools like Kubernetes and Docker, making it a valuable language in DevOps.
Rust has several tools that make it useful for DevOps. Some popular Rust tools for DevOps include Rustup, a tool for managing Rust installations and toolchains, and the Rust Language Server, a tool that provides IDE-like features for Rust code. Rust is also used in several DevOps tools like Red Hat’s OpenShift and Cloudflare’s Workers platform.
- PowerShell
PowerShell is a powerful and versatile scripting language designed specifically for Windows operating systems. It was created by Microsoft to automate administrative tasks and manage the configuration of Windows-based systems. PowerShell is built on the .NET framework and provides a rich set of features that make it a popular choice for DevOps automation.
PowerShell’s popularity is due to its ability to automate various administrative tasks across Windows-based systems, including server management, application deployment, and data center automation. Additionally, PowerShell provides a rich set of tools for system administrators and developers, including a command-line interface, scripting engine, and powerful module system.
PowerShell is an excellent choice for DevOps automation, especially in environments that run primarily on Windows-based systems. Its capabilities make it ideal for automating tasks such as server management, configuration, and application deployment. PowerShell can also be used for continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines, automating tasks such as building and testing code, deploying code changes, and running automated tests.
Some popular PowerShell tools for DevOps automation include:
Pester: A testing framework for PowerShell that allows developers to test their code and ensure that it meets the required quality standards.
PowerShell DSC: A configuration management system that allows administrators to manage the configuration of Windows-based systems and ensure that they remain consistent and compliant with organizational policies.
PowerShell Gallery: A repository of PowerShell modules that developers can use to automate various tasks.
- PHP
PHP is a popular server-side scripting language that is widely used for web development. It was created in 1994 by Rasmus Lerdorf and has since become one of the most widely used programming languages in the world. PHP’s popularity is due to its ease of use, versatility, and ability to integrate with a wide range of web technologies.
PHP can be used in a wide range of DevOps automation scenarios, including continuous integration, continuous delivery, and automated testing. PHP is commonly used for building web applications and APIs, making it an excellent choice for automating tasks such as building and deploying code changes.
Some popular PHP tools for DevOps automation include:
PHPUnit: A testing framework for PHP that allows developers to test their code and ensure that it meets the required quality standards.
Composer: A package manager for PHP that allows developers to manage their dependencies and ensure that they are using the latest and most secure versions of libraries and frameworks.
Jenkins PHP Plugin: A plugin for Jenkins that allows developers to automate their build and deployment pipelines using PHP.
- Swift
Swift is a general-purpose, multi-paradigm, compiled programming language developed by Apple for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and Linux platforms. Swift has gained popularity among DevOps professionals due to its speed and reliability. With Swift, developers can write code that is easy to read and maintain, making it ideal for large-scale projects. Additionally, Swift is open-source, which means that it has a large community of developers who continuously contribute to its development and support.
Swift can be used in various DevOps processes such as automation, continuous integration and deployment, testing, and more. Swift is ideal for DevOps processes that require high-speed execution and real-time processing, such as application monitoring, log analysis, and data analysis. Swift’s simplicity and ease of use make it ideal for building tools that can integrate with other DevOps tools, such as Jenkins and Travis CI.
Swift has a growing ecosystem of tools and libraries for DevOps, such as Perfect, Vapor, and Kitura. Perfect is a popular Swift-based web server and framework for building high-performance RESTful APIs, while Vapor is a server-side web framework that allows developers to build powerful, real-time applications. Kitura is another web framework that provides developers with a set of tools to build server-side applications with Swift. Additionally, Swift has support for cross-platform DevOps tools such as Docker, Kubernetes, and Ansible.
- TypeScript
TypeScript is an open-source programming language developed and maintained by Microsoft. TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript, which means that it extends JavaScript by adding optional static typing and other features that make it easier to write and maintain code. TypeScript’s popularity among DevOps professionals can be attributed to its ability to identify errors and bugs at compile-time, which can save developers significant time during the development process.
TypeScript can be used in various DevOps processes, such as build automation, testing, and continuous integration and deployment. TypeScript’s ability to identify errors at compile-time makes it ideal for building robust and reliable DevOps tools. TypeScript can also be used to build browser-based applications and web services, which are essential components of many DevOps processes.
There are many TypeScript-based tools for DevOps, such as Nest.js, Angular, and React Native. Nest.js is a server-side web application framework built on top of Node.js and Express.js, while Angular is a popular front-end framework for building browser-based applications. React Native is a framework for building cross-platform mobile applications using JavaScript and TypeScript. Additionally, TypeScript has support for popular DevOps tools such as Jenkins, Travis CI, and CircleCI.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the scope for DevOps and the cloud in the future?
The scope for DevOps and the Cloud is immense in the future. As organizations continue to move towards digital transformation, there is a growing demand for DevOps professionals who can manage and automate cloud-based infrastructure. With the advent of cloud technologies such as Azure DevOps, organizations can now automate the entire DevOps pipeline from planning to deployment. This has led to a significant increase in the demand for DevOps engineers and cloud professionals. The future of DevOps and the cloud is bright, and there will be a continued demand for skilled professionals in this field.
For Better understanding read our Blog : DevOps & The Cloud Migration
Do you need programming for a DevOps career?
Yes, programming is an essential skill for a DevOps career. DevOps engineers need to have a deep understanding of programming concepts, and be able to write scripts and code to automate tasks and manage infrastructure. Knowledge of programming languages such as Python, Ruby, PowerShell, and Bash is critical for DevOps professionals. Additionally, understanding of version control systems, automation tools, and cloud technologies is also essential.
What is the best learning path for becoming a DevOps?
The best learning path for becoming a DevOps professional is to start with the basics of computer science and programming. This includes learning programming languages such as Python, Bash, Ruby, and PowerShell. Knowledge of version control systems such as Git is also essential. Next, it’s important to learn about automation tools such as Ansible, Chef, and Puppet. Understanding of cloud technologies such as Azure DevOps, AWS, and Google Cloud Platform is also essential. Additionally, it’s important to have an understanding of containerization technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes. Pursuing relevant certifications, attending conferences and workshops, and participating in online communities can also aid in the learning process.
What skills do self-taught DevOps engineers commonly lack?
Self-taught DevOps engineers commonly lack formal training in computer science and programming concepts. They may also lack knowledge of best practices in DevOps, cloud technologies, and automation tools. Additionally, they may lack experience working in collaborative environments, which is essential in a DevOps role. Communication skills and the ability to work with cross-functional teams are also important skills that self-taught DevOps engineers may lack.
What is ‘blue green deployment’ in DevOps?
‘Blue green deployment’ is a DevOps technique for releasing software changes with minimal downtime and risk. In this approach, two identical production environments are created, one designated as ‘blue’ and the other as ‘green.’ The current production version is running in the ‘blue’ environment while the new version is deployed to the ‘green’ environment. Once the new version is fully tested and validated, traffic is switched from the ‘blue’ environment to the ‘green’ environment. This approach ensures minimal downtime and risk during software releases.
What is the DevOps road map in 2023?
The DevOps road map in 2023 is likely to focus on continued integration of automation and machine learning technologies. Organizations will continue to automate and streamline the entire DevOps pipeline from planning to deployment, and machine learning will play an increasingly important role in optimizing these processes. Additionally, the trend towards containerization and microservices architecture is expected to continue, and there will be an increased focus on security and compliance in DevOps processes. As organizations continue to move towards cloud-based infrastructure, knowledge of cloud technologies such as Azure DevOps, AWS, and Google Cloud Platform will remain essential for DevOps professionals.
Conclusion
The top 15 DevOps programming languages for 2023 are Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Go, Shell Scripting, Java, C#, Kotlin, Rust, Perl, PowerShell, PHP, Swift, and TypeScript. Each language has its own strengths and use cases in DevOps, making it important for professionals to choose the one that best suits their needs.
As DevOps continues to grow in popularity, learning programming languages is becoming increasingly important for professionals to keep up with the demands of the Industry. By mastering one or more of these languages and utilizing the various DevOps automation tools available, professionals can streamline their workflow and provide efficient and effective DevOps facilitation for their organizations.
Looking to leverage the power of these top 15 DevOps programming languages for your business? Look no further than Puffersoft! Our experienced team of DevOps consultants can provide you with the guidance and expertise you need to take full advantage of these powerful tools. Contact us today to learn more about our DevOps consulting services and how we can help you achieve your goals.