Getting Started with Azure Pipelines

Azure Pipelines is a cloud service that you can use to automate building, testing, and deploying your code. It works with any language, platform, and cloud. This guide provides a foundational understanding of how to set up your first pipeline.

Core Concepts

  • Pipelines: The automated workflow for your code.
  • Builds: Compiling code, running tests, and producing artifacts.
  • Releases: Deploying your artifacts to various environments.
  • Agents: The machines that run your build and release jobs.

Example: A Simple CI Pipeline

Here's a basic YAML definition for a continuous integration (CI) pipeline that builds a .NET Core application:

trigger: - main pool: vmImage: 'ubuntu-latest' steps: - task: UseDotNet@2 displayName: 'Use .NET Core SDK 6.0' inputs: version: '6.0.x' - script: dotnet build --configuration Release displayName: 'dotnet build Release' - script: dotnet test --configuration Release displayName: 'dotnet test Release'

Best Practices

  • Keep your pipeline definitions in source control (YAML).
  • Use dedicated build agents for better control and security.
  • Implement robust testing stages within your pipelines.
  • Leverage continuous deployment (CD) to automate releases.

Further Reading

For more in-depth information, refer to the official Azure Pipelines documentation.