Whether it’s the breakneck pace of innovation, including AI and how it is changing our day-to-day, the shifting regulatory landscape, or simply the challenge of keeping teams connected in a world that’s still figuring out hybrid everything, we truly are living at a historic juncture. In the spirit of the season, I want to reflect on what I’m thankful for in DevOps this year — not just as Shimmy the founder and editor, but as Alan the community member, fellow traveler and eternal optimist. Because for all the drama and disruption, there’s still so much to appreciate.
Five Reasons I’m Grateful for DevOps This Year
1. The AI (R)evolution Hits DevOps — And We Dove In
Like everyone else, DevOps couldn’t escape the gravitational pull of generative AI and machine learning (and let’s not forget agentic AI). But instead of shying away, our community embraced it — experimenting with AI-driven code review, smarter testing tools, automated documentation, and even “prompt engineering” as a new craft. I’m grateful for the way we didn’t treat AI as a threat but as an opportunity, driving innovation from chaos and charting new paths for collaboration between humans and machines. On a personal note, I’ve seen so many practitioners leap from fear to curiosity to mastery, sharing lessons learned and building open tools for all. That’s classic DevOps spirit.
2. Security Finally Gets a Seat at the Table — For Real
It’s been a long journey, but this year, DevSecOps matured from buzzword to baseline. High-profile breaches and an ever-expanding attack surface forced organizations to move beyond compliance checklists and into true security-by-design. From SBOMs (software bill of materials) becoming table stakes to greater investment in secure supply chains, I’m thankful we’re not just talking the talk anymore. As a community, we’re shifting left, right, and center to build safer pipelines, and that benefits everyone. Personally, it’s rewarding to see the security conversations I’ve championed for years finally become front and center. I’m not saying we solved security, mind you, but it is getting the attention it deserves.
3. Remote, Hybrid and Flexible Work Are Here to Stay — And So is Culture
Remember the scramble to go remote? Now, we’re refining it. I’m grateful for the creative, resilient ways our community has adapted. From asynchronous communication practices to dynamic incident response rituals, we’ve managed to sustain (and sometimes strengthen) open, blameless cultures in a distributed world. That’s no small feat. For me, it’s a joy to see companies invest in “DevOps Days” both online and in-person, and to watch global teams swap wisdom across Slack, Discord, and even just plain Zoom. Communication is key to DevOps, and we are better at it than ever.
4. Platform Engineering and Internal Developer Platforms Find Their Groov
If you’d told me a few years ago that “platform engineering” would become one of the hottest job titles in DevOps, I’d have raised an eyebrow. Even more, after the “DevOps is dead marketing nonsense, thinking of platform engineering as part of the tribe was not on my bingo card. But here we are, and I’m thankful for the thoughtful focus on developer experience, self-service and scalable enablement. Internal Developer Platforms (IDPs) aren’t just tech — they’re a cultural movement to reduce toil and friction, helping teams spend more time delivering value. I’ve heard from countless engineers who say, “I just want to build,” and that’s music to my ears.
5. The DevOps Community: Stronger, Louder, More Inclusive
This one never changes, but it’s truer than ever. I’m grateful for an ecosystem that’s fiercely inclusive, open to newcomers, and unafraid to challenge the status quo. From meetups and open source initiatives to hard conversations about burnout and diversity, our community has shown up for each other. staging-devopsy.kinsta.cloud hosted stories this year from underrepresented voices, from junior DevOps pros to industry legends reinventing themselves. That diversity of thought is DevOps’ secret weapon—and my personal inspiration. This, coming from a Johnny-come-lately to the DevOps world just 13 or so years ago.
Three Things We’re Less Thankful For
Lest you think it’s all Unicorns and rainbows, let’s be real: This year hasn’t been without its struggles.
1. The Ongoing Talent Crunch, Layoffs and Burnout Epidemic
Demand for DevOps talent is hotter than ever, but supply — not so much. The result? Overworked teams, slower delivery, and a rising tide of burnout. I’m not thankful for the stress, the 2 a.m. incident calls, or the attrition I’ve witnessed. We need to invest more in mentorship, training and sustainable practices. I am also stressed about the frequent requests I get on LinkedIn from friends and colleagues who have been part of the massive layoffs in our industry. I wish I could help each one of you find your next job, but jobs are hard to come by today.
2. Tool Sprawl: More Tools, Less Flow
We love tools, but this year the ecosystem seemed to explode — again. Developers and operators alike are struggling to juggle ever-expanding toolchains, integrations, and dashboards. Instead of “you build it, you run it,” too often it was “you integrate it, you curse it.” We need a renaissance of simplicity and focus, or risk losing sight of what matters: delivering value.
3. Security Theater and Compliance-Driven Thinking
Yes, I’m grateful for security’s rise — but not when it’s all checkbox compliance and theater. Some organizations still treat DevSecOps as a patch to be applied rather than a mindset to be embraced. When regulation is the only motivator, we risk building brittle, reactive defenses rather than proactive, resilient systems. We can — and must — do better.
The Shimmy Take: Grateful Beats Grumpy, Every Time
Looking back, it’s clear: We have a lot more to be grateful for than to be upset about. The future of DevOps is brimming with promise. AI and automation, when guided by our values, will supercharge human creativity — not replace it. Our focus on security, culture and experience will pay long-term dividends. And the beating heart of DevOps — this irrepressible community — remains strong, curious and generous.
As we head into the holiday season, I’m filled with excitement. There are new technologies to explore, new voices to hear, and new challenges to tackle together. I believe the best days of DevOps are ahead of us.
To all our staging-devopsy.kinsta.cloud readers, contributors, skeptics and champions: From the bottom of my heart, I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving and a joyful holiday season. What I’m most grateful for, every single year, is your continued support, engagement and passion for making DevOps (and the world) just a little bit better.
Onward.