Summary: Azure DevOps hints, tips, oneliners and best practices.
Date: 8 December 2024

Logging output

# Logging output in azure devops
##[group]Beginning of a group - white
##[warning]Warning message - orange
##[error]Error message - red
##[section]Start of a section - green
##[debug]Debug text - purple
##[command]Command-line being run - blue
##[endgroup] - green
Write-Host "`n##[section]Function: $($MyInvocation.MyCommand).`n"

Log error or warning

Write-Host "##vso[task.logissue type=error]Something went very wrong."
Write-Host "##vso[task.logissue type=warning]Found something that could be a problem."

Generate extra output if debug mode is set

if ($env:SYSTEM_DEBUG -eq "True"){$headers | Out-Host}

Pipeline variable in yaml - without PowerShell

variables:
  - name: BuildConfiguration
    value: 'Release'
- task: DotNetCoreCLI@2
  displayName: "Build Solutions"
  inputs:
    command: 'build'
    projects: '**/*.sln'
    arguments: '--no-restore --configuration $(BuildConfiguration)'

Pipeline parameter in yaml

if ( "${{ parameters.alllogs }}" -eq "True" ){write-Host "Parameter from pipeline"}

System variable in yaml
Variables can be used like system environment variables

if (Test-Path "$env:Build_SourcesDirectory\$env:Build_Repository_Name\appsettings.Development.json"){Write-Host "System / Environment Variable"}
$sites = get-childitem -path env:* | Where-Object {$_.name -like "*-SiteName"} | Select-Object -ExpandProperty value # Added through Variable Group

Variables can also be used like pipeline variables

get-childitem $(Pipeline.Workspace)
$dbserver = "$(serverDb)" + "." + "$(dnsZone)" # from Azure App Configuration

Variables in PS scriptfile

$adserver = $env:adServer + "." + $env:domain # from Azure App Configuration
$projects = Get-ChildItem -Path "$env:Build_SourcesDirectory\$env:Build_Repository_Name\deploy\" -Directory | Select-Object Name

name: $(Build.DefinitionName)-$(Build.BuildId)
appendCommitMessageToRunName: false

variables:
  buildConfiguration: 'Release'
  deploymentSuffix: '$(Build.DefinitionName)-$(Build.BuildId).$(System.StageAttempt).$(System.JobAttempt)'

parameters:
  - name: alllogs
    displayName: "Enable all logging"
    type: boolean
    default: true
 
# https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/pipelines/process/scheduled-triggers?view=azure-devops&tabs=yaml
schedules:
- cron: "05 23 * * *" # 23.05h
  displayName: Nightly build on master
  branches:
    include:
    - master
  always: true

pool:
  name: ReleasePool # Self hosted
  vmImage: ubuntu-latest # MS Hosted
  vmImage: windows-latest # MS Hosted

trigger:
  branches:
    include:
      - release/*
      - master
trigger: none

resources:
  repositories:
  - repository: templates
    type: git
    name: DevOps/templates
  - repository: self
  pipelines:
  - pipeline: TA
    source: TestAutomation # Pipeline name that produces the artifact (must be unique)

stages:
- stage: build
  displayName: "Stage: Build"
  pool:
    name: BuildPoolDotNet

  jobs:
  - job: build
    displayName: "Job: Build & Test"
    steps:
    - checkout: self
      clean: true # If true, run git clean -ffdx followed by git reset --hard HEAD before fetching.
    - checkout: templatses
      clean: true

    - ${{ if not(eq(variables['Build.Reason'], 'PullRequest')) }}:
      - template: /pipelines/log-information.yml@operations
        parameters:
          environment: "environment: build"
          alllogs: ${{ parameters.alllogs }}
 
# Stage with template that has steps (see deploy.yml)
- stage: release
  displayName: "Stage: release"
  condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables['Build.SourceBranchName'], 'master'))

  variables:
    environment: 'tst'

  jobs:
  - deployment: Deploy
    workspace:
      clean: all
    environment: ${{ variables.environment }}

  - template: /pipelines/deploy.yml@templates
    parameters:
      environment: ${{ variables.environment }}
      alllogs: ${{ parameters.alllogs }}
 
# Stage with template as step (see prod.yml)
- stage: production
  displayName: "Stage: prod"
  dependsOn: release

  variables:
    tag: 'Production'

  jobs:
  - job: prd
    displayName: "production"
    condition: and(succeeded(), eq( ${{ parameters.deployProduction }}, true))
    variables:
      environment: 'prd'

    steps:
    - template: /deploy/production.yml
      parameters:
        environment: ${{ variables.environment }}
        alllogs: ${{ parameters.alllogs }}

parameters:
  environment: ""
  alllogs: ""
  dependsOn1: []
  dependsOn2: []
  dependsOn3: []
  dependsOn4: []

jobs:
- job: deploy
  displayName: "Deploy steps"
  dependsOn:
    - ${{ parameters.dependsOn1 }}
    - ${{ parameters.dependsOn2 }}
    - ${{ parameters.dependsOn3 }}
    - ${{ parameters.dependsOn4 }}
  workspace:
    clean: all
  steps:

  - checkout: operations
    clean: true # If true, run git clean -ffdx followed by git reset --hard HEAD before fetching.
 
  #- ${{ if eq(parameters.alllogs, true) }}:
  - template: /pipelines/log-information.yml@operations
    parameters:
      environment: ${{ parameters.environment }}
      alllogs: ${{ parameters.alllogs }}
      input1: "adGroups: ${{ parameters.adGroups }}"

  - task: PowerShell@2
    displayName: "PowerShell task"
    inputs:
      pwsh: true
      targetType: 'inline'
      script: |
        Write-Host "`n##[section]PowerShell task `n"

parameters:
  environment: ""
  alllogs: ""
  spokeEntity: ""

steps:
- task: PowerShell@2
  displayName: "Powershell Core task"
  inputs:
    pwsh: true
    targetType: 'inline'
    script: |
      Write-Host "`n##[section]Start PS Core task`n"
      Get-ChildItem -path env:* | Sort Name

- task: Bash@3
  displayName: "Bash task"
  inputs:
    targetType: 'inline'
    failOnStderr: true
    script: |
      echo '##[Section]Start Bash task'
      printenv | sort

- task: AzureCLI@2
  displayName: "Azure CLI task"
  condition: and(succeeded(), or(eq(variables.runAzureTask, true), eq(variables.runAzureAll, true)))
  inputs:
    azureSubscription: $(azureServiceConnection)
    scriptType: bash
    scriptLocation: inlineScript
    inlineScript: |
      set -e
      echo '##[Section]Start Azure CLI task'
      az account set --subscription $(subId)

- task: AzurePowerShell@5
  displayName: "Azure Powershell task"
  inputs:
    azureSubscription: $(azureServiceConnection)
    azurePowerShellVersion: 'LatestVersion'
    pwsh: true
    ScriptType: 'InlineScript'
    Inline: |
      if ( "${{ parameters.alllogs }}" -eq "True" ){Write-Host "`n##[section]Start Azure Powershell task`n"}
      # Set Azure Context for environment subscription
      Set-AzContext -Name ${{ parameters.environment }} -Subscription $env:azureSubscriptionName