Azure Data Engineering Roadmap

Azure Data Engineering Roadmap

Azure Data Engineering Roadmap (8 Weeks)

Week 1: Azure + ADF Foundations

Goal: Confidently explain Azure resource hierarchy and build your first ADF pipelines.

  • Day 1: Azure subscription, resource group, management group
  • Day 2: Azure AD basics, tenant, users, groups, managed identity
  • Day 3: Blob vs ADLS Gen2, containers, folders, security basics
  • Day 4: ADF workspace, linked services, datasets, Integration Runtime
  • Day 5: Simple copy pipeline
  • Day 6: Copy activity settings
  • Day 7: Mini project - copy different file types

Week 2: Advanced ADF Copy & Loops

Goal: Master copy patterns and looping over multiple files.

  • Wildcards and recursive copy
  • Column mapping and sink settings
  • ForEach activity
  • Dynamic paths using parameters
  • Copy to SQL Server with upsert
  • Error handling and retry logic
  • Mini project - bulk copy files to SQL

Week 3: Parameterization + Lookup + Delta Basics

Goal: Build dynamic reusable pipelines and understand incremental loads.

  • Pipeline parameters
  • ADF expressions
  • Lookup activity
  • Lookup + ForEach pattern
  • Watermark concept
  • Single file delta load
  • Multiple file delta load

Week 4: Triggers + Advanced Activities

Goal: Automate pipelines and use conditional logic.

  • Schedule triggers
  • Event-based triggers
  • Tumbling window triggers
  • Trigger parameters
  • If-condition activity
  • Metadata and Web activities
  • Mini project - automated delta pipeline

Week 5: Git + Azure DevOps + Security

Goal: Production-ready DevOps and security practices.

  • Git integration in ADF
  • Feature branches and pull requests
  • Azure DevOps deployment pipelines
  • Environment promotion
  • Azure Key Vault
  • Managed Identity
  • RBAC

Week 6: Synapse + Databricks Integration

Goal: Connect ADF with Synapse and Databricks.

  • Synapse workspace
  • Serverless SQL pool
  • Dedicated SQL pool
  • ADF to Synapse integration
  • Databricks notebook activity
  • PySpark basics
  • Mini project - ADF → Databricks → Synapse

Week 7: Delta Lake + Data Modelling

Goal: Understand Delta Lake and warehouse design.

  • Delta Lake fundamentals
  • OPTIMIZE, VACUUM, ZORDER
  • Medallion architecture
  • Fact and dimension tables
  • Star vs Snowflake schema
  • SCD Type 1 and Type 2
  • Implement SCD Type 2

Week 8: Monitoring + Production Patterns + Project

Goal: Build production-ready pipelines and prepare for interviews.

  • Pipeline monitoring
  • Custom logging
  • Logic App alerts
  • Idempotent processing
  • End-to-end project
  • Architecture review
  • Interview preparation

Daily Time Commitment

  • 2–3 hours per day
  • Monday to Saturday
  • Sunday optional review
  • Focus on hands-on practice

Key Rule

Every week should produce runnable code, pipelines, notebooks, or deployment artifacts that can be demonstrated during interviews.

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