Quickstart: Create Your First Azure DevOps Project

This guide will walk you through the essential steps to create and configure a new project in Azure DevOps, setting the foundation for your development workflows.

1. Accessing Azure DevOps

Navigate to the Azure DevOps portal. You can typically access it via dev.azure.com. If you don't have an account, you'll be prompted to create one or sign in with your existing Microsoft account.

2. Creating a New Organization (if necessary)

An organization is a container for your projects. If this is your first time using Azure DevOps, you might need to create an organization. Follow the on-screen prompts to name your organization and select your region.

3. Creating a New Project

Once you are in your organization, you can create a new project:

• Click the New project button, usually found on the organization's overview page.
• Enter a Project name (e.g., `MyFirstAzureDevOpsProject`).
• Choose the Visibility:
  • Public: Anyone can view your repository, wikis, and work items.
  • Private: Only members you explicitly grant access to can view your project.
• Select the Version control system. For most new projects, Git is recommended.
• Choose your Work item process. Basic is a good starting point for simplicity, while Agile, Scrum, or CMMI offer more structured templates.
• Click Create.

4. Exploring Your New Project

After creation, you'll be directed to your new project's dashboard. You'll see various sections for:

• Boards: For work item tracking (e.g., user stories, bugs, tasks).
• Repos: For your Git repositories.
• Pipelines: For Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD).
• Test Plans: For manual and exploratory testing.
• Artifacts: For managing package feeds.

5. Adding a Repository

If you selected Git, you'll have an empty repository. To start adding code:

• Navigate to the Repos section.
• Click the Clone URL button to copy the repository URL.
• Use a Git client (like Git Bash, command prompt, or a GUI client) on your local machine to clone the repository:

• Add your project files to the cloned local repository, commit them, and push them back to Azure Repos.

Next Steps

Congratulations! You've successfully created your first Azure DevOps project. From here, you can:

• Set up Azure Pipelines for CI/CD.
• Populate Azure Boards with work items.
• Invite team members to collaborate.
• Explore other Azure DevOps services.