Welcome to your devops learning journey! This guide will help you get started with the Craftista learning app - a polyglot, microservices-based application designed specifically for learning devops through hands-on projects.

Quick Start Options​

You have two paths to begin:

1. Demo Path (5 minutes): If you just want to try out the application quickly:

   • Visit Craftista Demo
   • Follow the quick launch instructions

2. Builder Path (Recommended): For the full learning experience:

   • Continue reading this guide
   • Build the project from scratch
   • Follow our structured learning path

Understanding Craftista Architecture​

Craftista consists of four main microservices:

1. Frontend Service (Node.js/Express.js)

   • Serves as the main UI
   • Routes and integrates with other services
   • Used by: Netflix, Uber, PayPal, LinkedIn

2. Catalogue Service (Python/Flask)

   • Manages origami showcase and details
   • Handles product data
   • Used by: Netflix, Reddit, Airbnb, LinkedIn

3. Voting Service (Java/Spring Boot)

   • Manages user voting functionality
   • Handles user interactions
   • Used by: Adobe, Microsoft, American Express

4. Recommendation Service (Golang)

   • Powers daily origami recommendations
   • Similar to services used by Google, Dropbox, Uber

Getting Started with Development​

Prerequisites​

• Git installed on your system
• Docker and Docker Compose (for containerization)
• Basic understanding of microservices architecture
• Your favorite code editor

Initial Setup​

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/craftista/craftista
cd craftista

# View project structure
tree .

Project Structure Overview​

craftista/
├── frontend/           # Node.js Express frontend
├── catalogue-service/  # Python Flask service
├── voting-service/    # Java Spring Boot service
├── recommendation/    # Golang service
└── docs/             # Project documentation

Learning Path​

Here's a recommended progression for building your devops skills:

1. Basic Projects​

1. Containerization

   • Write Dockerfiles for each service
   • Create docker-compose for local development

2. CI Pipeline

   • Set up Jenkins or GitHub Actions
   • Implement automated testing

3. Kubernetes Deployment

   • Create basic K8s manifests
   • Deploy services to a cluster

2. Intermediate Projects​

4. Helm Packaging

   • Create Helm charts
   • Handle multi-environment deployments

5. GitOps with ArgoCD

   • Implement blue/green deployments
   • Set up canary releases

6. Observability

   • Configure Prometheus & Grafana
   • Set up ELK/EFK stack

3. Advanced Projects​

7. Cloud Infrastructure

   • Design HA architecture
   • Implement auto-scaling

8. Service Mesh

   • Deploy Istio
   • Configure traffic management

9. Security

   • Implement DevSecOps pipeline
   • Add security scanning

Feedback and Progress Monitoring​

Craftista provides several ways to monitor your progress:

1. System Info Dashboard

   • Container status
   • Kubernetes cluster info
   • Load balancer validation

2. Version Tracking

   • Visual version indicators
   • Deployment validation

3. Service Status

   • Real-time backend service status
   • API health monitoring

Getting Help​

1. Check the documentation
2. Join our community
3. Explore the Devops Mastery System

Next Steps​

1. Choose your starting project from the learning path
2. Set up your local development environment
3. Begin with containerizing the application

Remember: The journey to devops mastery is iterative. Start small, build incrementally, and keep learning!

Now that you're ready to begin, we recommend starting with the containerization project. Need specific guidance for any of these steps? Check our detailed guides in the documentation.

Hey there! Ready to start your DevOps journey? You're in the right place. In this guide, I'll walk you through how to get started with DevOps Buildcamp and begin building practical skills that matter in the industry.

What You'll Need​

Before we dive in, let's make sure you have the basics ready. Don't worry if you're missing something - these are all free tools that are easy to set up:

• A computer with any modern operating system
• Basic familiarity with command line
• Git installed on your machine
• A GitHub account
• Enthusiasm to learn!

Setting Up Your Environment​

Let's get your development environment ready. Choose your operating system:

# Install Docker
curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh
sudo sh get-docker.sh

# Add yourself to docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

# Install Homebrew if you haven't already
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

# Install Docker Desktop for Mac
brew install --cask docker

Your First Project: Hello Craftista!​

Let's get hands-on with Craftista, our learning application. Here's what we're going to do:

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/craftista/craftista
   cd craftista
   

2. Start the application:

   docker-compose up -d
   

3. Visit http://localhost:3000 in your browser

Congratulations! You've just deployed your first microservices application. 🎉

Join the Community​

DevOps is better learned together. Here's how to connect:

1. Join r/DevOpsBuilders: Our Reddit community is where we share knowledge, ask questions, and help each other grow.

2. Star the Repository: Head over to Craftista on GitHub and star the repository to stay updated.

3. Share Your Progress: Started working on something? Share it with the community! Use the #DevOpsBuildcamp hashtag.

What's Next?​

Now that you have your environment set up, here are some project ideas to get started:

1. Containerization: Explore how each service in Craftista is containerized
2. Docker Compose: Understand how the services work together
3. CI/CD: Set up a basic GitHub Actions pipeline
4. Kubernetes: Deploy Craftista on a local Kubernetes cluster

Tips for Success​

As someone who's helped numerous professionals learn DevOps, here are my top tips:

1. Start Small: Focus on understanding one concept at a time
2. Practice Regularly: Even 30 minutes a day makes a difference
3. Ask Questions: Our community is here to help
4. Document Your Journey: Keep notes of what you learn
5. Help Others: Teaching is the best way to learn

Let's Build Together​

DevOps Buildcamp is more than just tutorials and projects - it's a community of builders helping each other grow. Don't be afraid to:

• Ask questions when you're stuck
• Share your successes and failures
• Help others when you can
• Suggest improvements

Remember, everyone starts somewhere. The most important step is the first one - and you've already taken it by being here.

Ready to dive deeper? Check out the projects section and pick your first challenge. See you in the community! 🚀

Got questions? Join us on Reddit at r/DevOpsBuilders or create an issue on our GitHub repository.

Welcome to DevOps Buildcamp - an open learning initiative created by School of DevOps in collaboration with the DevOps Builder's Community on Reddit. Our mission is to help aspiring DevOps engineers build practical skills through hands-on projects and real-world applications.

Our Mission​

We believe in democratizing DevOps education through:

What Makes DevOps Buildcamp Different?​

1. Learn with Craftista​

Learn through hands-on experience with:

• Containerization and orchestration
• CI/CD pipeline implementation
• Infrastructure as code
• Monitoring and observability

2. Community-First Approach​

Join a vibrant community fostered by School of DevOps and DevOps Builder's Community where you can:

• Share Knowledge: Exchange experiences and insights with peers
• Get Mentorship: Learn from experienced community members
• Collaborate: Work together on real projects
• Grow Together: Build your skills alongside fellow learners

3. Modern Tech Stack​

Join Our Community​

As an open learning initiative by School of DevOps, DevOps Buildcamp welcomes everyone who wants to learn and grow in the field of DevOps.

Getting Started​

Follow these steps to begin your journey:

1. Join r/DevOpsBuilders on Reddit
2. Star our GitHub repository
3. Choose your first project
4. Connect with fellow learners
5. Start building your DevOps skills

Building Together​

DevOps Buildcamp represents School of DevOps' commitment to fostering a strong DevOps community through open learning. We invite you to be part of this journey, learn together, and contribute to making DevOps education accessible to everyone.

DevOps Buildcamp is an open learning initiative by School of DevOps, supported by the DevOps Builder's Community on Reddit.

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