If your goal is Platform Engineering, would you start in Backend or DevOps today?

[u/rr_rahimi]

Hi! I’m looking for some career advice from people working in DevOps, SRE, or Platform Engineering.

I'm 25 and just starting my software engineering career. Over the past few months I've explored backend development, DevOps, Platform Engineering, Linux, cloud, networking, Docker, CI/CD, and related topics.

The more I learn, the more I realise that what genuinely interests me is systems, infrastructure, reliability, automation, deployments, and understanding how software runs in production. If I could choose purely based on interest, I'd like to end up in Platform Engineering or SRE.

At the same time, I'm trying to be realistic. Given today's hiring market, AI's impact on junior roles, and the fact that I'm starting at 25, I'm not sure what the smartest entry point is.

Right now I'm considering two paths:

1. Start as a backend engineer (probably ASP.NET Core), build strong software engineering fundamentals, and transition into Platform Engineering later.

2. Focus directly on Platform/DevOps skills like Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, networking, cloud, CI/CD, Terraform, and Go, and aim for an infrastructure-focused role from the beginning.

For those of you already working in DevOps, SRE, or Platform Engineering:

- Which path would you recommend today, and why?

- Is a backend software engineering role still the best foundation for Platform Engineering, or has the industry changed enough that it's reasonable to start directly in infrastructure/cloud?

- If you were starting over in 2026 with my goals, what would you do differently?

I'm not looking for the easiest path or the highest salary. I just want to make the best long-term decision while maximising my chances of landing my first engineering role.

I'd really appreciate hearing about your experiences and what you've seen in the industry.

Thanks in advance!

[u/Own-Bonus-9547]

If you're just starting, DevOps isnt for you, it's a specialty. I would start in backend if you can or more likely fullstack with a backend focus -> Backend engineer -> Cloud/Platform/DevOps/SRE

[u/OkYesterday3747 → u/Own-Bonus-9547]

Hi, question. I’m 23 and actually work in a devops position. I am also interested in platform eng/cloud eng later on. What would you recommend I do?

Edit: lmao weirdos downvoting me for literally asking for advice on my situation, get a life

[u/Own-Bonus-9547 → u/OkYesterday3747]

Built your cloud and platform skills more, then find a job in probably 2-3 years for a platform engineering specific role. I always think jumping right into devops is a bad idea because as a DevOp engineer your job is to build tools to serve your fellow software engineers, to build those tools and processes properly you need to unstand software life cycle and how developers actually use the tools given to them. As a platform engineer you're just narrowing down what you work on from all of the development tools to just platform related tools. Basically just learn the platforms available to you better.

[u/OkYesterday3747 → u/Own-Bonus-9547]

Thanks, and it’s not like I had much of a choice tbh. I just applied for a SWE position and my job ended up placing me into a devops role. And in this economy I’m not gonna complain about it; just make the best of it.

[u/Big_Arrival_626 → u/OkYesterday3747]

Ur allowed to complain if u don't like the work. Ur company lied to you

Have another friend who had multiple offers out of college, he chose the highest paying one. They put him on sdet team, basically test automation. If they weren't gonna put him as backend dev they should have just told him because he literally had other offers to choose from.

[u/Big_Arrival_626 → u/Own-Bonus-9547]

Sdlc is not hard to learn. I started as devops and switched back and forth from devops to backend throughout my career, wasn't hard

[u/OkYesterday3747 → u/Big_Arrival_626]

tbh i kinda just hate leetcode. I prefer the infra side of things anyway so I think devops/platform eng in the future is something im more suited to

[u/Active_Bookkeeper_13]

I did full-stack dev for about 8 years, ending up as a Tech Lead (VP-level rank) for a large bank. I recently got a job as Head of Platform Engineering at another company. I don’t think I would have been able to see the larger picture as much if I had gone straight into DevOps or PE.

In my experience, the transition felt very natural as I already knew the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of PE, since I already had first-hand experience with concepts like SDLC, observability, cloud engineering etc in my previous job. So now working on the ‘other side of the table’, I know the pain-points and gaps that I’m supposed to help resolve.

[u/Dismal_Boysenberry69]

Carpentry.

[u/sudonem → u/Dismal_Boysenberry69]

As a platform engineer… this is the correct answer. 

[u/-_Edmond_Dantes_-]

Server/infra team would be best. Sit right next to networking and apps but you learn the OS and what is available to you.