Insights - How to get started with network automation (without becoming a developer) - YaWorks

You don't need to be a developer to get started. That's probably the biggest misconception holding network engineers back. Programming conjures images of complex software projects, abstract data structures and endless debugging sessions. But the first step into network automation looks very different, and you'll find you already understand the logic behind it.

01 September 2026 minute read

Start with what you already know. Network automation doesn't require deep programming knowledge. Begin by automating familiar commands and operational tasks.
Let automation handle repetition. A simple script can perform the same task across tens or hundreds of devices, saving time and reducing manual work.
Build from there. Once the basics work, structured data and tools like Ansible can turn simple scripts into more scalable automation.
Reliable data comes first. Automation is only as dependable as the inventory and infrastructure data it works with.
The first step matters more than mastering every tool. Start small, experiment and expand your automation skills as your use cases grow.

Before you start

Before writing your first script, make sure a few basics are in place. First, you need reliable access to your devices. SSH connectivity is an obvious requirement, but just as important is having an inventory you can trust. In many organisations, that's actually the biggest hurdle. Automation is only as reliable as the data it works with.

You should also start with commands you already know. The objective isn't to learn Python overnight; it's to automate familiar operational tasks.

Step 1: Automate a command you already know

Take Netmiko, a Python library built specifically to connect to network devices. No deep Python knowledge required. Take a look:

You connect to a device, send a command you've typed a thousand times and print the output. That's it.

As a network engineer, you already understand exactly what this does—even if you've never written a line of Python.

Step 2: Let the script do the repetitive work

The real power shows up in the next step.
Say you want that same information from twenty switches at once. No twenty SSH sessions. No copy-paste. Just a list of devices and a loop:

Three devices or three hundred: the code doesn't change. That's the moment you start to understand why people get excited about this.

The difference is simple. Instead of repeating the same task manually, the computer repeats it for you.

Step 3: Turn CLI output into useful information

Want to do more with that output than just print it?

Libraries like ntc-templates turn the raw text output of show commands into structured data that can be searched, filtered and compared automatically.

Suddenly you can identify:

Interfaces that are down;
Neighbours that don't match your documentation;
Configuration drift between devices that should be identical.

This is where a script becomes a tool.

Step 4: Scale when you're ready

Then there's Ansible—a name you've undoubtedly come across.

Ansible has a reputation as a heavyweight automation platform, but it starts far simpler than you'd think. One ad-hoc command, straight from your terminal:

No playbook. no pipeline, no CI/CD. Just a command executed across your entire fleet as if you were addressing a single device.
From there, you build at your own pace.

Common pitfalls

When engineers take their first steps into automation, a few misconceptions tend to get in the way:

Believing you need to become a developer before getting started.
Trying to learn every automation tool before writing your first script.
Waiting for the "perfect" moment instead of experimenting with a simple use case.
Working with infrastructure data you can't fully trust.

None of those are prerequisites. They often become learning opportunities along the way.

The first step matters most

The point isn't that you need to master all of this today. The point is that you can read it. The logic is recognisable. The steps map directly to how you already think: device, command, output. The only thing missing is the first time you actually run it.

There are excellent starting points out there. Netmiko's and Ansible's documentation are accessible and aimed squarely at network engineers. Communities like Network to Code have spent years building material specifically for people with your background. You don't need to reinvent the wheel—you just need to start.

The barrier is lower than you think. And the skills you build are exactly the skills that determine how relevant you remain in a world where AI is taking over more and more routine tasks. Because a tool that generates configuration or flags anomalies still needs someone who understands what that output means.

That person is you, once you take the step.