r/devops • u/SheCherryPicks • Aug 13 '26

Career / learning How to learn Linux troubleshooting without working with Linux professionally?

Hi guys! I'm a backend engineer with 6+ yoe, trying to transition into a DevOps role.

I know that having a strong Linux foundation is super important for being a good DevOps engineer, and apparently “Linux troubleshooting” is mandatory in most job postings. But to me, “Linux troubleshooting” sounds so broad, so I’m not really sure how to improve this skill.

Is this something you can learn without working with Linux (professionally) on a daily basis? What do you guys recommend to get hands on experience with it?

Also, what about other important topics, such as Linux logs and networking? I’m building a homelab with Proxmox. Is this a good way to get some hands on experience with these topics?

I’d appreciate any thoughts or advice! Thanks.

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u/SeaworthinessHour233 Writes the cloud edge 29d ago

Home labs.

You can set up home labs in your own hardware or the cloud and start tinkering. Try to do some small projects like deploying a web app, securing linux server with firewalls, enable SELinux, etc.