196 Best + Free DevOps Courses & Certificates [2026]
Ranked by Michael Kuhlman, CourseDuck's founder, from student reviews across every provider. How we rank
Our guide: The Best DevOps Courses on Udemy in 2026: Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, Ansible and CI/CD
Our top picks
- Kubernetes for the Absolute Beginners - Hands-on [Udemy]
- Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) with Practice Tests [Udemy]
- Docker for the Absolute Beginner - Hands On - DevOps [Udemy]
- Docker Mastery: with Kubernetes +Swarm from a Docker Captain [Udemy]
- Net DevOps: Cisco Python, Automation, NETCONF, SDN, Docker [Udemy]
- Docker and Kubernetes: The Complete Guide [Udemy]
- DevOps, CI/CD(Continuous Integration/Delivery) for Beginners [Udemy]
- Ansible for the Absolute Beginner - Hands-On - DevOps [Udemy]
- Azure DevOps Fundamentals for Beginners [Udemy]
- Docker & Kubernetes: The Practical Guide [Udemy]
About the best DevOps courses
Frequently asked questions
The most-reviewed course in this category is Kubernetes for the Absolute Beginners - Hands-on by Mumshad Mannambeth, with about 115,200 reviews at 4.6 as of October 2026. Our guide to the best DevOps courses picks a course each for Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, Ansible and CI/CD.
Building, shipping and running software automatically: containers with Docker and Kubernetes, infrastructure as code with Terraform and Ansible, CI/CD pipelines with Jenkins and GitLab, and monitoring with Prometheus and Grafana.
Paid Udemy video courses include a certificate of completion when you finish; free courses and practice-test-only courses do not. It shows you did the work, but it is not a professional certification. Credentials such as the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) and HashiCorp Terraform Associate come from passing the certification provider's own exam, and some courses here prepare you for those exams.
1
Kubernetes for the Absolute Beginners - Hands-on (2026)
A short, lab-heavy first pass at Kubernetes from the founder of KodeKloud, with 37 browser coding exercises and a clean path from pods to services.
Best for: Sysadmins and developers who want Kubernetes basics in a few evenings, with browser labs instead of a local cluster.


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- 37 in-browser coding exercises let students practice YAML and commands without a local setup
- Clear explanations with images that reviewers find easy to follow
- Lab environment upgraded across several Kubernetes versions, last updated September 2026
- At 6.6 hours, the basics fit into a few evenings
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- No downloadable notes or PDF, so students have to keep their own
- Some reviewers find the delivery dull, with uneven video quality and a slight accent
- Labs can glitch, needing a reset or manual refresh, and networking gets one short lecture
2
Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) with Practice Tests (2026)
A 26-hour, lab-heavy CKA prep course from KodeKloud that walks through the real exam curriculum with in-browser practice clusters and mock exams.
Best for: Anyone prepping for the actual CKA exam who wants hands-on labs, not just slides.


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- In-browser labs mean no local cluster setup before you start practicing
- Mock exams reviewers say closely match the real CKA's difficulty and style
- Covers the full CKA curriculum: scheduling, security, storage, networking, troubleshooting
- Recently added Helm and Kustomize sections keep it current with the exam
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- Some labs reference topics or commands not yet taught in the preceding lectures
- A few lab exercises are missing solutions or have mismatched answer keys
- Listed course length reportedly understates real time needed to finish the labs
3
Docker for the Absolute Beginner - Hands On - DevOps (2026)
A quick, lab-heavy introduction to Docker containers, images, and Compose from DevOps trainer Mumshad Mannambeth, built for absolute beginners.
Best for: Complete beginners who want hands-on labs instead of slide-heavy theory.


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- Browser-based labs mean no local Docker setup needed
- Hands-on assignments help commands actually stick, reviewers say
- Backed by 73,893 reviews at a 4.5 average rating
- Instructor has trained over 280,000 students across his DevOps courses
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- Mumshad talks fast and some lectures cut off abruptly
- Only 2.8 hours total, light on networking and orchestration depth
- One reviewer says a recent update shortened content and hurt audio quality
4
Docker Mastery: with Kubernetes +Swarm from a Docker Captain (2026)
A long, Docker-first course with Swarm, a Kubernetes primer and GitHub Actions examples, taught by a Docker Captain and loved for its depth on containers.
Best for: Developers and sysadmins who want a deep Docker foundation plus a taster of Kubernetes and CI.


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- Docker core is explained in detail: containers, images, volumes and Compose each get their own section
- Recent additions include GitHub Actions CI examples and a new ENTRYPOINT section, updated August 2026
- Reviewers say the pace is neither too quick nor too slow, and the visuals help
- Comes with Slack and Discord chat plus monthly live Q&As with the instructor
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- Some content is dated: Play with Docker is retired and Docker Hub steps no longer match
- Kubernetes is only a taster, and reviewers want more practice labs and a real project
- Slide-heavy and long at 23 hours, with older Swarm material still included
5
Net DevOps: Cisco Python, Automation, NETCONF, SDN, Docker (2020)
A free, interview-style tour of network automation for Cisco engineers, with David Bombal and Hank Preston talking through NETCONF, Docker, Kubernetes and ACI.
Best for: Cisco-trained network engineers who want a map of the automation landscape before choosing between Python and Ansible.


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- Free, with 19.6 hours of David Bombal and Hank Preston talking through real automation tools
- Relaxed, conversational format with live mistakes makes a daunting topic feel approachable
- Gives a clear map of Python, Ansible, Genie, NETCONF and ACI before you commit to one
- Hank Preston's DevNet demos, plus pointers to free Cisco labs and live training
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- Last updated July 2020, so the tools and demos have aged
- Long, wordy interview format with no quizzes or coding exercises
- Labeled beginner but expects CCNA or CCNP level networking; some parts go over heads
6
Docker and Kubernetes: The Complete Guide (2026)
A Docker-first path to Kubernetes built around one multi-container app, with clear teaching but CI and AWS lessons that have aged badly.
Best for: Developers comfortable in the terminal who want Docker and Kubernetes explained step by step through one growing app.


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- Explains containers from first principles before touching the CLI
- One multi-container Node, React, Redis and Postgres app ties the lessons together
- Covers Docker Compose, Kubernetes, Ingress, HTTPS and Skaffold in a single course
- Reviewers call the explanations simple, clear and thorough
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- Travis CI no longer has a free tier, so the CI sections can't be completed as filmed
- AWS console screens have changed, and some videos need code fixes from notes
- No coding exercises, and one reviewer found the pace fast and the delivery hard to follow
7
DevOps, CI/CD(Continuous Integration/Delivery) for Beginners (2026)
A one-hour, mostly animated explainer on what CI, CD and DevOps mean and why teams left old-style release cycles behind, with no tools and no hands-on work.
Best for: Managers, analysts and new developers who need the CI/CD and DevOps ideas in one sitting.


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- About an hour across 13 lectures, so it fits in one sitting
- Animations and cartoons carry most of it, and reviewers say that makes the ideas easy to follow
- Sets the old release cycle beside CI/CD, so the reason for each practice is clear
- Rated 4.5 across about 58,000 reviews, with under 2% at one or two stars
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- Theory only: no coding exercises, no projects, no pipeline to build
- Does not name or demo tools, which some reviewers wanted to see
- Slide-and-script delivery feels dry to some, and one reviewer calls it generic
8
Ansible for the Absolute Beginner - Hands-On - DevOps (2026)
A 2.3 hour crash course on Ansible with playbook exercises you run right in the browser, no local setup, built for sysadmins who want fundamentals fast.
Best for: Sysadmins or DevOps beginners who want browser-based Ansible labs, not just slides.


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- Coding exercises run in the browser, no local Ansible or Linux setup needed
- Animated slides make abstract concepts like inventory and playbooks easier to follow
- Short at 2.3 hours, easy to finish in a weekend
- 4.5 rating across more than 53,000 reviews with a Bestseller badge
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- Instructor moves fast; several reviewers had to pause or rewind to keep up
- Several reviewers wanted a PDF or better notes, saying slide copies alone aren't enough to study from
- Some labs require concepts the lectures never fully explain, sending students to Ansible's own docs
9
Azure DevOps Fundamentals for Beginners (2024)
A 3.5 hour hands-on tour of Azure Boards, Repos, Pipelines and Test Plans for people brand new to DevOps, taught by Microsoft Certified Trainer Brian Culp.
Best for: Project managers and ops staff who want DevOps vocabulary and a first look at every Azure DevOps tool.


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- Short at 3.5 hours, easy to finish in a couple of sittings
- Covers Boards, Repos, Pipelines and Test Plans, ending with a deployed app
- Reviewers say the explanations come in easy language, and the course defines terms as it goes
- Downloadable quick reference guides and a large, bestselling student base of 179,136
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- Last updated September 2024; reviewers call parts outdated, with some features gone
- One reviewer could not get pipelines running cleanly and found the Q&A fixes unhelpful
- Boards takes about a fifth of the time, and some reviewers wanted more CI/CD depth
10
Docker & Kubernetes: The Practical Guide (2026)
A Docker-then-Kubernetes course for web developers new to containers, where the Docker half gets the warmest reviews and the AWS deployment parts show their age.
Best for: Web developers new to containers who want Docker first, then Kubernetes, taught at a good pace with demos.


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- Starts from zero and builds from images to Compose, with demos in Node, Python and PHP
- Reviewers call Maximilian's explanations clear, detailed and easy for non-IT people
- Covers both Docker and Kubernetes, including volumes, networking and EKS, in one course
- Recently refreshed, with a last update in April 2026
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- The AWS deployment sections are called severely outdated, and need a credit card
- The Kubernetes half is described as dense, and one reviewer found the lesson order jumpy
- Few exercises: the course has no coding exercises and one reviewer wants more practice
11
The DevOps Essentials - The Handbook (2026)
A two-hour, lecture-only tour of DevOps terms, tools and roles for people who keep hearing the jargon in stand-ups and want it explained once.
Best for: Newcomers to IT or cloud who need to follow DevOps talk in meetings, not run the tools themselves.


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- Explains DevOps terms, roles and history in plain steps that reviewers call clear
- Only two hours across 21 lectures, short enough to finish in an evening or two
- Shows how DevOps ties into AWS and Azure and which tools fit each phase
- Refreshed in January 2026, with animations and a role play exercise reviewers liked
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- No tool demos or labs, so reviewers who wanted hands-on assignments came away wanting more
- Slow and basic for anyone already working in DevOps, according to the 3-star reviews
- Lecture-style delivery felt dull to some, and one reviewer found the AI podcast section jarring












