Amazon Web Services
Build a VPC and Ubuntu EC2 server. Then explore S3 storage and Route 53 DNS.
Explore AWS guidesGUIDEWELL CLOUD // LEARN BY BUILDINGBuild the cloud.
Build the cloud.
Understand every layer.
From your first account to a real Linux server. Learn AWS, Azure and Google Cloud with plain-English explanations, reusable code and cost guardrails.
Windows + LinuxTerraform + AnsibleCleanup included
One workflow. Every cloud.
# In your configured lab project
terraform fmt -check
terraform validate
# Read the plan before any deployment
terraform plan
# Learn what changes, and why.Preview only. Nothing runs in your cloud account. The guides explain setup, permissions and costs first.
BEFORE YOUR FIRST RESOURCEGuardrails, then infrastructure.Customize paths, keys & names
01 / CHOOSE YOUR CLOUDDifferent platforms.
Different platforms.
The same foundations.
Compare the starting points below. Each server lab covers networking, restricted access, Terraform, Ansible and teardown.
Microsoft Azure
Start with a resource group, VNet and Linux VM. Add a Blob Storage website.
Explore Azure guidesGoogle Cloud
Understand projects, VPC firewalls and Compute Engine. Practice object storage next.
Explore Google Cloud guidesCross-cloud patterns
Compare service names, access models and architecture tradeoffs across providers.
Compare cloud servicesPlanning estimates, including setup and cleanup; your pace and account permissions may vary.
02 / HOW IT WORKSDon't just paste it.
Don't just paste it.
Learn to rebuild it.
Follow a small, repeatable sequence. Know what you're creating, how to reach it and how to remove it.
Set your guardrails
Choose a learning account, enable MFA, review pricing and set a budget alert. Alerts are not spending caps.
Check the AWS guardrailsBuild by hand
Connect the network, firewall and server in the console. See how each piece fits before automating.
Build the first serverTurn it into code
Recreate the lab with Terraform, then configure its operating system and web software with Ansible.
Follow the code walkthroughVerify & clean up
Inspect access and logs. Record what you learned, remove the resources and check for leftover charges.
Use the cleanup checklist03 / FEATURED TUTORIALS
Your next hands-on session.
Small previews of real guides. Open the tutorial for prerequisites, complete examples and safety checks.
# Review your configured project
terraform fmt -check
terraform validate
terraform planYour first Linux server
A VPC, a restricted firewall and one Ubuntu EC2 instance. No NAT gateway required.
Open the AWS server lab# Inspect an existing Docker host
docker version
docker ps
docker imagesFrom server to container
Understand images, ports and persistent data before configuring Docker with Ansible.
Open the container guide# Inspect your Linux server
ip -brief address
free -h
df -hOperate what you build
Follow health checks, backups and recovery exercises rather than guessing at failures.
Open the operations guideCertification compass
Find your next milestone
Pair hands-on projects with a credential route that fits your direction.
1 · Choose your cloud
2 · Choose your direction
Your suggested route
AWS · Solutions Architect
6–9 months · beginner friendly
Certification is the checkpoint—not the curriculum. Build each project before booking the next exam.
Strong foundations
Three skills every cloud path needs
Provider knowledge matters. So do the fundamentals that travel with you to every platform.
01 · CORE
Systems & networking
Understand what the cloud is abstracting before you automate it.
- Linux command line and processes
- DNS, HTTP, IP, subnets, and routing
- Identity, permissions, and least privilege
02 · BUILD
Infrastructure as code
Make every lab repeatable, reviewable, and safe to remove.
- Git and pull-request workflow
- Terraform fundamentals
- Native templates: CloudFormation, Bicep, or Deployment Manager
03 · OPERATE
Cost & observability
A useful cloud engineer can explain both health and spend.
- Budgets and billing alerts first
- Logs, metrics, traces, and alarms
- Tagging, teardown, and cost reviews
Your first month
A 30-day cloud launch plan
Four focused weeks. One small portfolio project. No endless tutorial queue.
Map the territory
Learn regions, availability zones, identity, shared responsibility, and the core compute, network, storage, and database services.
Ship:A one-page architecture glossary in your own words.Build manually
Create a private network, deploy a small workload, add logging, and prove that access rules behave as expected.
Ship:An architecture diagram plus setup notes.Automate it
Rebuild the same environment with Terraform and Git. Use variables, outputs, formatting, and a clean destroy step.
Ship:A public repo with no secrets or account identifiers.Operate & explain
Add an alert, test a failure, inspect logs, estimate cost, and document the design tradeoffs you made.
Ship:A short runbook and a two-minute demo.Low-cost home labs
Small enough to afford. Real enough to matter.
Start with a budget alert, use the smallest eligible services, and remove resources when the session ends.
LAB 01 · BEGINNER
Static site delivery
Publish a small site through object storage and a CDN, connect DNS, enforce HTTPS, and capture access logs.
Your code
Git repository
Git repository
→
Object storage
Private origin
Private origin
→
CDN + HTTPS
Public edge
Public edge
Cost guardrail: set a tiny monthly budget and teardown checklist before creating resources. Free offers and limits change—confirm them on the provider’s pricing page.
LAB 02 · INTERMEDIATE
Serverless API
API endpoint → function → managed key-value database, with structured logs and an error alarm.
IdentityAPIsNoSQLMonitoring
LAB 03 · AUTOMATION
Disposable network
Build a network, subnets, route rules, and a tiny compute instance entirely from code—then destroy it cleanly.
TerraformNetworkingGitCost control
Automation toolkit
Learn the tools that compound
Start with one tool in each category. Add complexity only when a project demands it.
Terraform
A consistent infrastructure workflow across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
Provider CLIs
Use AWS CLI, Azure CLI, or gcloud to inspect, script, and troubleshoot resources.
GitHub Actions
Run checks and controlled deployments from versioned workflows.
Ansible
Configure operating systems and software after infrastructure exists.
Official starting points
Learn from the source
Use vendor learning plans and exam guides as the spine; use projects to turn knowledge into skill.
Pick one cloud. Build one useful thing.
Your first project will teach you more than another week of comparison.