→DevOps Shack
Azure DevOps Workflow
A comprehensive Azure DevOps workflow involves integrating various Azure
resources to automate processes, manage code repositories, build and test
applications, and deploy them efficiently. In this guide, we'll explore a complete
workflow in detail, including examples of using different Azure resources and their
specific uses.
Table of Contents:
1. Introduction to Azure DevOps
2. Setting Up Azure DevOps
3. Source Control Management with Azure Repos
4. Continuous Integration with Azure Pipelines
5. Automated Testing with Azure Test Plans
6. Artifact Management with Azure Artifacts
7. Continuous Deployment with Azure Pipelines
8. Monitoring and Feedback
9. Conclusion
1. Introduction to Azure DevOps
Azure DevOps is a suite of services offered by Microsoft Azure to help development
teams collaborate, plan, build, test, and deploy software applications. It provides a
set of tools and services that support the entire software development lifecycle
(SDLC), enabling teams to deliver high-quality software faster.
2. Setting Up Azure DevOps
To get started with Azure DevOps, you'll need an Azure account. Once logged in, you
can create a new Azure DevOps organization and project. Within the project, you can
set up teams, configure access permissions, and define work items such as user
stories, tasks, and bugs.
3. Source Control Management with Azure Repos
Azure Repos is a Git-based version control system provided by Azure DevOps. It
allows teams to host private Git repositories for their projects. Teams can collaborate
on code, track changes, and manage branches effectively. Here's an example of using
Azure Repos:
Example: Setting up a new repository for a web application and pushing code
changes using Git commands:
# Initialize a new Git repository
git init
# Add Azure DevOps repository as remote
git remote add origin <repository_url>
# Add files to the repository
git add .
# Commit changes
git commit -m "Initial commit"
# Push changes to Azure Repos
git push -u origin master
4. Continuous Integration with Azure Pipelines
Azure Pipelines is a continuous integration (CI) and continuous deployment (CD)
service that automates the build and deployment process. It allows teams to define
build pipelines for their applications, including compiling code, running tests, and
generating artifacts. Here's an example of using Azure Pipelines:
Example: Configuring a build pipeline for a Node.js application to run tests and
package the application:
# azure-pipelines.yml
trigger:
- master
pool:
vmImage: 'ubuntu-latest'
steps:
- task: NodeTool@0
inputs:
versionSpec: '10.x'
displayName: 'Install Node.js'
- script: |
npm install
npm test
displayName: 'npm install and test'
- task: ArchiveFiles@2
inputs:
rootFolderOrFile: '$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)'
includeRootFolder: false
archiveType: 'zip'
archiveFile: '$(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)/$(Build.BuildId).zip'
replaceExistingArchive: true
displayName: 'Archive files'
- task: PublishBuildArtifacts@1
inputs:
PathtoPublish: '$(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)'
ArtifactName: 'drop'
publishLocation: 'Container'
5. Automated Testing with Azure Test Plans
Azure Test Plans is a comprehensive solution for manual and automated testing. It
allows teams to plan, execute, and track tests, as well as analyze test results. Teams
can create test plans, define test cases, and execute them across various
configurations. Here's an example of using Azure Test Plans:
Example: Creating a test plan for a web application and executing automated tests
using Selenium:
using OpenQA.Selenium;
using OpenQA.Selenium.Chrome;
using NUnit.Framework;
[TestFixture]
public class Tests
{
IWebDriver driver;
[SetUp]
public void Setup()
{
driver = new ChromeDriver();
}
[Test]
public void TestTitle()
{
driver.Url = "https://example.com";
Assert.AreEqual("Example Domain", driver.Title);
}
[TearDown]
public void TearDown()
{
driver.Quit();
}
}
6. Artifact Management with Azure Artifacts
Azure Artifacts is a package management service that allows teams to create, host,
and share packages. It supports various package types such as npm, NuGet, Maven,
and Docker. Teams can publish and consume packages securely within their
organization. Here's an example of using Azure Artifacts:
Example: Publishing a Node.js package to Azure Artifacts:
npm publish --registry <your_artifacts_feed_url>
7. Continuous Deployment with Azure Pipelines
Azure Pipelines supports continuous deployment to various Azure services such as
Azure App Service, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), and Azure Functions. Teams can
automate the deployment process and ensure consistent releases across
environments. Here's an example of deploying a web application to Azure App
Service:
Example: Configuring a release pipeline in Azure Pipelines to deploy a web
application to Azure App Service:
# azure-pipelines.yml
trigger:
- master
pool:
vmImage: 'ubuntu-latest'
steps:
- task: AzureWebApp@1
inputs:
azureSubscription: '<azure_subscription>'
appName: '<app_name>'
package: '$(Pipeline.Workspace)/drop/*.zip'
8. Monitoring and Feedback
Azure DevOps provides integrations with Azure Monitor and Application Insights for
monitoring application performance and gathering telemetry data. Teams can set up
alerts, monitor resource usage, and gain insights into application health. Additionally,
Azure DevOps enables teams to collect feedback from stakeholders using features
like Azure Boards and Azure Feedback.
9. Conclusion
In this guide, we've explored a complete Azure DevOps workflow, including setting
up Azure DevOps, managing source code with Azure Repos, implementing
continuous integration and deployment with Azure Pipelines, performing automated
testing with Azure Test Plans, managing artifacts with Azure Artifacts, and monitoring
applications with Azure Monitor and Application Insights. By leveraging these Azure
resources effectively, development teams can streamline their processes, improve
collaboration, and deliver high-quality software efficiently.
