Complete DevOps Gitlab & Kubernetes: Best Practices Bootcamp

📚 **Course Review for "GitLab & Kubernetes DevOps Best Practices Bootcamp"** **Overall Rating:** 4.45/5 --- ## Course Content and Structure ### Pros: - **Relevant Topics:** The topics covered in the course are considered perfect for meeting the needs of learners, despite some feedback on the content being too basic or superficial. (Multiple reviews) - **Flipped Classroom Approach:** A number of reviewers appreciated the flipped classroom style of teaching, which allowed them to get hands-on experience immediately and reported an increase in their skills and knowledge. - **Instructor Quality:** Syed, the instructor, received high praise for his presentation skills, responsiveness to questions, and clarity in providing course content. (Several reviews) - **Well-structured Content:** The course was noted for its well-structured content with detailed explanations and hands-on lectures, which were found valuable by several learners. - **Learner Engagement:** Some learners recommended the course and found it worth the money, suggesting that it provides solid tips and techniques. (Multiple reviews) ### Cons: - **Outdated Content:** Several recent reviews pointed out that the course content is out of date, particularly with changes in GitLab over the last three years. This includes a lack of focus on current best practices in the DevOps world. - **Basic Topics Glossed Over:** Some learners who already had knowledge of GitLab felt that the course unnecessarily spent time on basic topics such as installing Virtual Box and Ubuntu, which could be quickly learned through web searches. - **Integration Lacks Depth:** There is a recurring critique that the course does not sufficiently explain how to use Kubernetes with GitLab, instead of just setting up GitLab using Kubernetes. - **Manual Setup Instead of IaC:** The absence of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) for setting up cloud infrastructure and GitLab instance was highlighted as a significant shortcoming. Learners expected more automation, particularly in deployments using Gitlab Helm Charts. - **Misleading Title:** Some learners felt misled by the course title, which they believed did not accurately reflect the content covered. They expected more focus on Kubernetes applications and automation within the DevOps pipeline. - **Errors and Disjointed Explanations:** A few reviews mentioned visible errors in the configuration presented and a disjointed approach in the course, especially concerning GitLab integration with Kubernetes. --- ## Recommendations for Improvement: - **Update Course Content:** Bring the course content up to date with current DevOps best practices, focusing on recent changes in GitLab. - **Enhance Automation Content:** Incorporate more material on Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using tools like Packer and Ansible, and cover Gitlab Helm Charts for deployment automation. - **Improve Practical Examples:** Ensure that practical examples are accurate, relevant, and demonstrate real-world applications of Kubernetes with GitLab CI/CD workflows. - **Clarify Course Objectives:** Revise the course title and description to more accurately reflect the content, setting clear expectations for potential learners. --- **Final Verdict:** Despite some positive feedback on the teaching style and overall structure of the course, the outdated content, gaps in practical application, and discrepancies in the presentation of certain concepts warrant a careful consideration before enrolling. Learners with prior knowledge of GitLab may find the course too basic, while those new to the field might benefit from the foundational aspects covered, provided they can overlook some shortcomings. It is recommended that the course content be updated and expanded to meet current industry standards and best practices in DevOps.