Looking for best platforms to practice Devops scenarios? You are in the right place.
When people start learning DevOps, they usually start by watching tutorials like videos, blogs, and docs etc. But very soon they will struggle with one problem.
You understand the concept, but when you open a terminal, everything feels different.
With over a decade of DevOps experience, I can say that most of my learning came from designing solutions, hands-on implementation and troubleshooting real issues.
If you learn by doing things on your own, that’s great. But if you want a structured way to practice real-world scenarios, you need a platform that offers guided practice.
In this blog, I have listed the best websites where learners can practice DevOps scenarios and gain real hands-on experience.
List Of Websites to Practice DevOps
We have listed the best hands-on DevOps labs that our DevOpsCube Engineers usually practice at the beginning stage.
1. KodeKloud Labs
KodeKloud is my #1 recommendation.
KodeKloud is basically an online learning platform that is focused on DevOps, Cloud, and automation tools, and more importantly, it has practice labs to help with hands on practice
So, in this lab, you can do things like log into Linux machines, run real commands, build Docker images, deploy Kubernetes workloads, write Terraform code, and you can also break things and fix them.
Also, you will get AI assistance inside the lab with real-time help.
In fact, KodeKloud had over 1+ million learners as of 2026 and pretty popular in the DevOps community.
The following video shows an example browser based KodeKloud lab.
Source: KodeKloud
Here is the common question everyone asks. What Can You Practice on KodeKloud Lab?
The following are the key verticals you can practice inside the Lab.
- Linux fundamentals and shell commands
- Git and version control
- Docker and container workflows
- Kubernetes from basic to advanced concepts
- CI/CD tools (Jenkins)
- Infrastructure as code using Terraform
- Configuration management with Ansible
- Cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and GCP
- Security and certification-based topics
- AI playgrounds such as Claude code, OpenAI Codex, Qwen Coder, n8n, KideKey, MCP, AWS AI, and Azure AI.
In these labs, you can learn by doing and experiment in real environments. To understand these labs in more detail, you can visit the KodeKloud Playgrounds page.
Now, when it comes to pricing, you get access to all hands-on labs for $35 per month. This is very affordable for most learners and makes it one of the best platforms to practice DevOps.
| Plan | Monthly Price | Yearly Price |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $35/mo | $228/yr |
| Pro | $70/mo | $456/yr |
| AI | $99/mo | $684/yr |
| Team & Enterprise (Custom) | Custom quote | Custom quote |
You can also launch a free lab to try the platform before upgrading to a paid plan. If you decide to continue, you can use a KodeKloud coupon to get the maximum discount, sometimes up to 50% off.
In the table below, you will find the features included in the free KodeKloud lab.
| Feature | What You Get |
|---|---|
| Browser-Based Labs |
• Launch real Linux and Kubernetes environments directly in your browser • No installation required • Instant lab access |
| Interactive Terminal Access |
• Access live lab machines • Run real commands • Practice troubleshooting and configuration tasks |
| Structured Lab Scenarios |
• Step-by-step guided challenges • Real-world DevOps practice tasks • Repeatable scenarios |
| Playgrounds |
• Open environments without fixed tasks • Experiment with Linux and Kubernetes • Practice freely within session limits |
| Certification Practice |
• Kubernetes-related foundational labs • Practice tasks aligned with certification topics (limited selection) |
| Community Scenarios |
• Access selected community-created labs • Explore different DevOps learning paths |
| Free-Tier Limits |
• Lab sessions typically limited to around 1 hour (varies by lab) • Only one active lab or playground session at a time • No persistence, environment resets after session ends • Access limited to selected free labs (not full premium library) |
So, from a practical point of view, KodeKloud is a valuable platform for practicing real-world DevOps scenarios.
2. iximiuz Labs
Looking for a KodeKloud alternative to dive deep in to internals? Well, you will love iximiuz Labs.
In this platform the focuse is less on step-by-step tasks and more on how things really work under the hood. If you are someone who wants to understand Kubernetes, containers, networking, and Linux internals through real experiments and not just commands, this platform is for you.
iximiuz Labs offers browser-based lab environments where you can set up real systems in seconds and start experimenting. You will get around 60+ playgrounds to practice concepts in depth using guides and hands-on commands.
It covers eBPF & Observability, Networking Internals, Kubernetes Internals, Containers (Deep Level), Linux Internals, Debugging & Experiments and more..
You can start labs with:
- Plain Linux virtual machine.
- Docker host.
- Single-node or multi-node Kubernetes cluster.
You also get multiple connected machines for networking experiments and custom environments where you control how everything is wired.
These labs are really great when you want to understand how things really work.
You can freely test ideas without worrying about breaking your local machine. And the most interesting part is that you can break things on purpose and fix them, which is something you usually can't do in real projects.
Here are some interesting facts we found.
- In 2025, iximiuz Labs got over 21,000 new users.
- Based on the recent report, last year it generated $185,000 in revenue.
- It has an active enrollment of 500 students who are solving multiple hands-on challenges.
The following table shows you the monthly, annual, and lifetime pricing plans.
| Plan | Monthly Price | Annual Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Free |
| Premium | $8 / month | $96 / year |
| Lifetime Premium | - | $250 (one-time) |
Here are the free features and labs you will get in the free Iximiuz labs.
| Feature | What You Get |
|---|---|
| Browser-Based Playgrounds |
• Launch real terminal environments directly in your browser • No local installation required • Instant access to Linux and DevOps tools |
| Live Shell Access |
• Execute real Linux commands • Practice Docker, Kubernetes, and networking tasks • Learn by experimenting in real environments |
| Guided Tutorials & Challenges |
• Access selected official and community tutorials • Step-by-step learning with attached playgrounds • Hands-on problem-solving exercises |
| Free-Tier Limits |
• Around 1 hour of playground usage per day • Only one playground can run at a time • Limited VM resources (approximately 2 CPU / 4 GB RAM) • Restricted internet access (safe destinations only) |
3. KillerCoda
Killercoda is a browser-based, interactive lab platform that helps you to practice real command-line work for technologies like Linux and Kubernetes without installing anything on your computer.
All labs run directly inside your browser, giving you live terminals with real environments to work in.
Also, it will let you learn and experiment with tools like KubeVirt, Grafana, Thanos, Argo, Flux, Ansible, HashiCorp, DataStax, OpenTofu, KubeVela, OpenFeature, Istio, Nginx, Kubernetes, Helm, Docker, gVisor, etc.
In killercoda, when you start a scenario related to any certification, the labs will create new temporary VMs for the scenario and connect them to your environment.
The labs in killercoda are similar to the environment in certification exams like CKA, CKAD, etc.
You just have to read the question and do the hand-on part in the terminal and in the background there will be validation script. You can use the validation button to validate your answer once it is done.
In killercoda, you get a real shell, can open multiple terminals, expose ports and access services, can use an editor or an IDE if needed, and restart, reset, or recreate the lab at any time.
We would rate it 4.6 out of 5 stars.
KillerCode has a free and paid(PLUS) version.
In the paid(PLUS) version, you use 4 hours per section, open up to 3 scenarios at the same time, solve the CKA, CKS, CKAD scenarios in the exam remote desktop, get faster loader times, and more.
The following table shows the price of PLUS.
| PLUS Pricing | Price (USD) |
|---|---|
| 1 month | $9.99 |
| 3 months | $21.99 |
| 6 months | $39.99 |
| 12 months | $69.99 |
In the free version, you can use all the labs, but you have limitations. You can use only 1 hour per section.
Read the table below to know more about the free version.
| Feature | What You Get |
|---|---|
| Browser-Based Interactive Labs |
• Use real Linux and Kubernetes environments right in your browser • No local environment setup required • Access Linux, Kubernetes, and other hands-on scenarios |
| Interactive Terminal Access |
• Practice commands in live terminal sessions • Explore and troubleshoot systems and clusters • Test real commands and tools with instant feedback |
| Playgrounds (Custom Environments) |
• Start predefined playground setups like Kubernetes clusters • Try single-node or small multi-node clusters • Good for experimentation and learning basics |
| Scenario Library |
• Access community and platform scenarios • Practice guided challenges based on real tasks • Learn topics through structured exercises |
| Community/Creator Support |
• Create and share your own scenarios for others to use • Use Katacoda-compatible formats if needed |
| Free-Tier Limits |
• Sessions usually run up to about 1 hour before expiring • Only one active session/playground at a time • Environments reset when the session ends (no persistence) • Some advanced or extended-time options require paid PLUS |
4. Pluralsight Labs
Pluralsight Labs are live, browser-based practice environments that set up real systems or sandboxes where you can run commands, experiment, and complete tasks just like you will do in the real project.
In fact, it doesn't have only one kind of lab, it has several formats, such as hands-on labs, interactive coding, Dev labs, cloud, and sandbox environments.
If you need more details about Labs, we have published a detailed review of our Pluralsight hands-on labs.
Here are the pricing plans for Pluralsight. You cannot purchase the labs separately. You need to subscribe to one of these plans to access the labs.
| Plan | Monthly Price | Annual Price |
|---|---|---|
| Core Tech | $49/month | $449/year |
| Complete | $29/month | $299/year |
| AI+ | $29/month | $299/year |
| Cloud+ | $29/month | $299/year |
| Data+ | $29/month | $299/year |
| Security+ | $29/month | $299/year |
Pluralsight is not offering a free labs.
5. Educative Labs
Basically, Educative is an online learning platform which is mainly for developers and tech professionals.
This platform provides text-based and interactive courses, and most include built-in hands-on labs, playgrounds, and cloud environments where you can practice while you learn.
Its labs are specifically the parts where you get real, interactive environments to try code or work with cloud services without installing anything locally
On Educative, labs aren’t a separate product, they are usually part of courses or cloud learning paths.
Here are the most highlighted things you will get:
- You can practice with 200+ real-world and AI-enabled cloud projects.
- You get easy access to serverless computing resources.
- You can use the Cloud Labs AI assistant to troubleshoot issues.
- You can also test your skills with cloud challenges.
To access Educative labs, you need to choose the Premium Plus plan. The cost is $19 per month. Also note that it does not offer free access to labs.
6. Prepare.sh
If you want to go beyond just reading concepts and actually perform real technical tasks in a live environment, Prepare.sh labs are another great option recommended by our team. Its focus is primarily on Devops/SRE interviews in top tier companies.
It gives you an exact, interactive lab environment where you solve real problems on real systems in your browser
You find the types of labs into categories such as DevOps Engineering, DevOps, Data Engineering, Data Analysis, Quality Assurance, Live Environments, and Roadmaps.
There are 576+ interactive labs available, from simple to complex tasks.
Advanced content, labs, and projects may require a premium subscription.
So, the premium subscription starts at $30 per month, but if you have luck, you will get upto 50% off.
However, most of the labs are free. In the table below, you will see the features included in Prepare.sh free labs.
| Feature | What You Get |
|---|---|
| Interactive Hands-On Labs |
• Practice real tasks and projects from beginner to advanced levels • Work with real development and DevOps environments • All labs run in your browser with no setup required |
| Multiple Lab Categories |
• DevOps labs covering CI/CD, containerization, cloud, and automation • Backend engineering and web service labs • Data engineering, QA, and data analysis labs |
| Real Company-Style Interview Questions |
• Questions and problems from real tech companies (Meta, Amazon, Google, etc.) • Practice solving interview-style challenges interactively |
| Free Projects |
• End-to-end project labs such as foundational DevOps projects • Build complete applications, containerize, deploy, and manage them |
| Live Code Environments |
• Each lab runs a live sandboxed environment for practice • No downloads or local setup needed |
| Free-Tier Limits |
• Some labs may be limited in access compared to premium content • Not all labs or advanced environments are free (premium badge incidcated paid labs) |
7. AWS Skill Builder
AWS Skill Builder Labs is a cloud-based hands-on learning lab environment, where you work directly with AWS services inside a sandboxed AWS console environment, without risking your own AWS account or bill.
If you are learning AWS, you can read documents and watch videos all day. But unless you practice in a real cloud environment, it is hard to build real hands-on experience.
So, practicing will help you remember things better and give you the confidence that companies actually look for.
Most of the hiring managers are struggling to get real talent, so make this your real platform to gain real-world work experience.
In this lab, you will get free access, or you can upgrade to full lab access for $29/month.
Here are the paid plans and pricing of AWS Skill Builder.
| Subscription Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Free | Free |
| Individual Monthly | $29 per month |
| Individual Annual | $449 per year |
| Team (Per Seat) | $449 per seat per year |
I have provided the features and details of what you will get in the free AWS Skill Builder labs.
| Feature | What You Get |
|---|---|
| Free Hands-On Labs (Builder Labs) |
• A curated set of around 10 foundational labs covering core AWS services like VPC, S3, EC2, IAM, Lambda, DynamoDB, CloudFront, API Gateway, KMS, etc. • Labs run in a real AWS sandbox environment without needing your own AWS account credentials. • Step-by-step guidance helps you build and test actual AWS resources. |
| Learning Plans / Guided Curriculum |
• Structured plans like the Introduction to AWS Cloud that combine labs with guided learning. • You can complete labs in any order and track your progress. |
| Free Digital Courses |
• Over 500+ free courses on AWS cloud fundamentals, services, and concepts. • Includes videos, quizzes, and knowledge checks. |
| AWS Cloud Quest (Limited) | • Gamified cloud learning experience focusing on foundational skills like Cloud Practitioner. |
| Free-Tier Limits |
• Only basic labs are free, many hands-on labs require a paid subscription to unlock the full Builder Labs library. • Some advanced real environment labs are paid-only and require Skill Builder Individual or Team subscription • You must have an AWS account to access free labs and perform exercises in AWS sandbox. Limited access is subject to AWS account and Skill Builder availability. |
8. SadServers
SadServers is a browser-based, hands-on platform where you can practice real Linux and DevOps troubleshooting challenges.
It gives you access to live servers with intentionally introduced problems that you need to investigate and fix, just like in real-world operations and interviews.
In the video below, you can see how this platform works!
Source: SadServers (How SadServers work)
This platform is useful if you want to improve your debugging skills, build confidence solving real infra problems, and prepare for SRE, DevOps, or Sysadmin job interviews using practical scenarios.
You will find real-world scenarios such as:
- Fixing log flooding issues and service crashes.
- Troubleshooting web servers, databases, or networking problems.
- Solving Kubernetes or Docker workload issues, and more.
The scenarios are divided into three levels, Easy, Medium, and Hard. Currently, there are 25 Easy scenarios, 57 Medium scenarios, and 15 Hard scenarios.
I have shown some of these scenarios in the video below.
SadServers Labs
SadServers offers one free plan and two paid plans: Hobbyist, Pro, and Pro+.
| Plan | Monthly Price | Yearly Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hobbyist | Free | Free |
| Pro | $9/month | $72/year |
| Pro+ | $11/month | $88/year |
Now, let’s look at what you get in the free plan.
| Feature | What You Get |
|---|---|
| Free Scenarios |
• Practice a selection of Linux & DevOps troubleshooting scenarios • Real challenges on live ephemeral servers with a browser terminal • Scenarios include incident troubleshooting, networking errors, and server misconfigurations |
| Coverage of Skills |
• Focus on real‑world Linux and DevOps debugging skills • Includes capture‑the‑flag style tasks to find and fix problems |
| Progress Tracking |
• Dashboard showing which scenarios you’ve completed • Track your progress through the free scenarios |
| Free‑Tier Limits |
• Limited number of free scenarios available (30+ of total 80; rest are Pro paid • Rate‑limited access, you can only run a few scenarios per day unless you upgrade • Free anonymous users have fewer scenarios than free registered users • Sessions are temporary, environments are destroyed when the scenario ends |
Why DevOps Tutorials are not Enough?
Following tutorials is not enough.
Let me tell you why.
Following DevOps tutorials feels productive. You learn commands, tools, and definitions. You are just following a structured guide where teaching is limited to implementation.
But in DevOps interviews, the questions would be more from a troubleshooting perspective. You will be able to crack it only if you you hands-on practice by breaking systems or fixing broken systems.
For example, lets say, a Kubernetes pod is running, but traffic is not reaching it. The Logs look fine, but users are still seeing errors. How do you troubleshoot it?
or what is the first command you'd run to debug a CrashLoopBackOff pod?
That is why you need hands-on practice so that you can answer these types of scenario-based questions.
Conclusion
In this guide, we have listed the top websites for practicing DevOps scenarios, along with their features and pricing.
We hope this guide helps you choose the right labs based on your preference.
If you have any questions about the listed labs or want to suggest other labs you have worked on, please share them in the comments, and we will add them to this guide.