Which 4 Skills Must Linux Professionals Master in 2017?

Becoming a Linux expert means adapting to a constantly shifting definition of expertise; today, compiling your own kernel is no longer a prerequisite, and leveraging well‑maintained distributions is preferred.

Based on personal experience, four skills are highlighted as crucial for Linux professionals in 2017.

1. Security

Security is not just for dedicated security staff. As more devices—from washing machines to smart fridges—connect to networks, professionals must constantly improve their security mindset and design systems that anticipate attacks, even from seemingly innocuous IoT gadgets.

2. DevOps

DevOps is no longer a novel concept. While automation tools like Chef, Puppet, Ansible, and SaltStack are valuable, understanding the underlying processes is essential so that inevitable errors can be diagnosed and resolved manually.

Maintaining and troubleshooting the code‑level infrastructure remains a core skill; without Linux expertise, cloud environments become fragile.

3. Development

System administrators historically relied on simple scripting, but the modern DevOps world demands deeper programming competence. Administrators should treat configuration code as true code, mastering programming concepts to solve problems programmatically.

4. Soft Skills

Effective communication and collaboration are increasingly decisive for career advancement. As roles blur—developers managing servers, operations using Ruby scripts—strong interpersonal skills enable smooth teamwork across diverse technical domains.

As 2017 draws to a close, consider which additional abilities you need to acquire to stay ahead.