How to Create a Build Pipeline in Azure DevOps: A Step-by-Step Guide[2024]

Introduction

Azure DevOps provides a robust platform for managing the entire software development lifecycle. One of its key features is the build pipeline, which automates the process of compiling code, running tests, and generating artifacts. In this guide, we’ll walk you through creating a build pipeline in Azure DevOps, complete with screenshots to help you along the way.

What is a Build Pipeline?

A build pipeline in Azure DevOps automates the process of building, testing, and packaging code into deployable artifacts. It helps streamline the development workflow by ensuring that changes are tested and validated automatically before they are deployed to production.

Key Benefits of Using Build Pipelines

Automation: Automates repetitive tasks and ensures consistency in the build process.
Continuous Integration: Integrates code changes frequently, allowing for early detection of issues.
Efficiency: Saves time and reduces manual errors by automating the build and test process.

Prerequisites

Before you start, ensure you have:

An Azure DevOps organization and project.
Source code repository (e.g., GitHub, Azure Repos).
Basic understanding of Azure DevOps.

Step 1: Accessing Azure DevOps

Log in to Azure DevOps: Go to Azure DevOps and sign in with your account.
Select Your Project: Choose the project where you want to create the build pipeline.

Step 2: Navigating to Pipelines

Go to Pipelines: In the left sidebar, click on “Pipelines” to access the pipeline management area.
Create a New Pipeline: Click on “New pipeline” to start the setup process.

Step 3: Configuring Your Pipeline

Select a Source: Choose where your code is stored (e.g., Azure Repos Git, GitHub). For this guide, we’ll use Azure Repos Git.
Choose a Repository: Select the repository that contains your code.
Configure the Pipeline: Azure DevOps will prompt you to configure your pipeline. You can either use the YAML configuration or the classic editor. We’ll use the YAML approach for this guide.
YAML Configuration: This option allows you to define your pipeline configuration in a YAML file.

Step 4: Defining the Build Pipeline

Edit the YAML File: You’ll be prompted to create or edit the azure-pipelines.yml file. Define the build steps, including compiling code and running tests.

Example YAML configuration:

trigger:
  branches:
    include:
      - main

pool:
  vmImage: 'ubuntu-latest'

steps:
  - task: UseDotNet@2
    inputs:
      packageType: 'sdk'
      version: '5.x'
      installationPath: $(Agent.ToolsDirectory)/dotnet

  - script: dotnet build --configuration Release
    displayName: 'Build project'

2. Save and Run: Save the YAML file and run the pipeline. This will trigger the build process based on your configuration.

Step 5: Monitoring the Pipeline

Check Pipeline Status: Once the pipeline is running, you can monitor its progress from the “Pipelines” dashboard. Check for any errors or issues during the build process.
Review Logs: Click on the pipeline run to view detailed logs and results for each step in the build process.

Go Through Our YouTube Tutorial

For a comprehensive understanding and to master build pipelines in Azure DevOps, make sure to check out our detailed YouTube tutorials. We cover every key aspect, offer hands-on labs, and share insider tips to help you succeed.

To help you learn how to create and manage build pipelines in Azure DevOps, our YouTube tutorial is available in English.

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