Preparing for a DevOps interview isn’t just about theoretical knowledge—it’s about your ability to perform real-world tasks under pressure. Companies today assess candidates not only through verbal questions but also by assigning practical DevOps interview challenges. These tasks test your skills in automation, scripting, deployment, CI/CD implementation, and problem-solving within live environments.

In this blog, we’ll explore what kind of DevOps hands-on tasks you can expect, how to approach them efficiently, and tips to stand out during your next interview.

Understanding Real-World DevOps Interview Tasks

Most DevOps interviews are now scenario-based, where you’ll be asked to demonstrate how you write scripts, automate workflows, and deploy applications. These challenges mirror day-to-day responsibilities of a DevOps engineer.

You might be asked to:

  • Set up a basic CI/CD pipeline using Jenkins or GitLab.
  • Automate a deployment using Ansible, Terraform, or shell scripting.
  • Troubleshoot a broken build or failed deployment.
  • Write a small Python or Bash script to automate a repetitive task.
  • Deploy a sample application on Docker or Kubernetes.

These practical tasks show your ability to think, execute, and resolve issues like a real DevOps professional.

Common Categories of DevOps Hands-On Tasks

  1. Scripting and Automation Challenges

Automation is the foundation of DevOps. Interviewers often test your ability to write efficient scripts that handle repetitive processes or manage infrastructure tasks.

Example tasks include:

  • Writing a Bash script to check server uptime and log results.
  • Creating a Python script to monitor disk usage and send alerts.
  • Automating user creation in Linux using a shell script.
  • Using Ansible or Terraform to provision cloud infrastructure automatically.

These tests evaluate your logic, syntax knowledge, and problem-solving approach. Even simple scripts can show how efficiently you handle automation.

  1. CI/CD Implementation Tasks

A strong grasp of CI/CD (Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment) is a must for any DevOps interview. You may be asked to build and explain a pipeline using tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI, or GitHub Actions.

Common tasks you may encounter:

  • Create a Jenkins pipeline to build, test, and deploy a sample web app.
  • Configure GitLab CI for automated deployment on AWS or Kubernetes.
  • Add testing and rollback steps to a CI/CD pipeline.

The interviewer wants to see if you understand pipeline stages—build, test, deploy—and how you integrate automation into every phase of deliver.

  1. Containerization and Deployment Tasks

Modern DevOps heavily relies on containers and orchestration tools like Docker and Kubernetes. You may be asked to containerize an application or deploy it on a Kubernetes cluster.

Example tasks include:

  • Writing a Dockerfile for a Node.js or Python app.
  • Creating a Docker Compose file for multi-container applications.
  • Deploying pods and services using Kubernetes YAML manifests.
  • Debugging a failed Kubernetes deployment or crashloop issue.

These exercises test your ability to manage deployments and handle real-world challenges around scaling and container lifecycle management.

  1. Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Scenarios

Many DevOps roles require proficiency with IaC tools like Terraform, Ansible, or CloudFormation. These allow you to manage infrastructure using code, making deployments reproducible and consistent.

Sample interview tasks:

  • Write a Terraform configuration to launch an EC2 instance on AWS.
  • Use Ansible to install Nginx on multiple servers simultaneously.
  • Implement variable usage and modules in Terraform for reusability.

Here, the interviewer is looking for your ability to translate manual setup processes into automated, version-controlled infrastructure.

  1. Debugging and Troubleshooting Tasks

Troubleshooting is one of the most vital skills in DevOps. Interviewers may give you broken scripts, failed deployments, or CI/CD errors and ask you to identify the root cause.

Example scenarios:

  • A pipeline build keeps failing—find out why.
  • A Docker container isn’t starting—debug the issue.
  • Application not reaching the database after deployment—identify the configuration issue.

These debugging interview questions are designed to see how you analyze problems under pressure, interpret logs, and fix issues without breaking existing systems.

How to Prepare for DevOps Hands-On Interviews

  1. Build and Automate Projects on Your Own

Set up a home lab or use cloud providers’ free tiers (AWS, Azure, GCP) to build CI/CD pipelines, deploy apps, and practice IaC.

  1. Learn Popular Tools in Depth

Get comfortable with Jenkins, Docker, Kubernetes, GitLab CI, Terraform, Ansible, and scripting languages like Bash or Python.

  1. Practice Common Scripting Scenarios

Automate simple everyday tasks. For example, create a script that backs up files, monitors logs, or sends system alerts.

  1. Understand Logs and Error Messages

During interviews, reading and interpreting logs quickly can help you troubleshoot efficiently.

  1. Time Management and Clarity

Explain your steps as you perform tasks. Communication and logical thinking matter as much as the final solution.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Hardcoding variables in scripts instead of using dynamic inputs.
  • Ignoring error handling and logging in automation scripts.
  • Not cleaning up resources after testing deployments.
  • Using manual fixes instead of automating repetitive steps.
  • Failing to commit and document your code in version control.

Avoiding these mistakes shows you understand production-level automation and deployment best practices.

Conclusion

Cracking a practical DevOps interview is about more than memorizing commands—it’s about showing real technical competence. Focus on mastering the flow: write, automate, and deploy. Whether it’s writing a Bash script, building a CI/CD pipeline, or troubleshooting a failed container deployment, each hands-on task reflects your capability to handle real-world DevOps challenges.

The key is to stay confident, communicate your approach clearly, and show that you can adapt and automate efficiently in any environment.