🚀 Azure DevOps Pipeline Boost

Optimize CI/CD for Legacy Projects Without Docker or Proper CI/CD Configuration

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👤 Author

Damian Czerwiński

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🛠️ Technology Stack

• PowerShell - Documentation
• MSBuild - Documentation
• Azure DevOps & Pipelines - Documentation
• CI/CD - Documentation

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📝 Overview

This script optimizes CI/CD pipelines by building only the projects that have changed, instead of rebuilding the entire solution. It is especially useful for:

• Large solutions with 100+ projects
• Legacy projects without Docker or properly configured CI/CD
• Reducing build times in Azure DevOps Pipelines

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⚡ Why Use This Script?

• Save Time: ⏱️ Reduce build times by up to 20 minutes!
• Selective Builds: 🛠️ Build only the projects that have changed.
• Customizable: 🔧 Adaptable to your project structure.
• Legacy-Friendly: 🏛️ Works even without modern CI/CD tools like Docker.

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🛠️ How It Works

1. Detect Changes: Compares the current branch with the target branch to identify changed files.
2. Filter Projects: Extracts the list of projects (.csproj) affected by the changes.
3. Set Variables: Passes the list of changed projects to MSBuild for selective building.

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📊 Before vs After

Before:

Building the entire solution, even for small changes.

After:

Building only the changed projects.

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🛠️ Setup Instructions

1. Clone the repository.
2. Configure the script parameters:
   • CompareSourceBranch
   • BranchName
   • Repository
   • TargetBranch
3. Run the script in your Azure DevOps pipeline.

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📦 Pipeline Configuration

Step Configuration:

Pipeline Variables:

MSBuild Configuration:

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🧩 How to Use MSBuild with This Script

Instead of building the entire solution (.sln), pass the list of changed projects to MSBuild:

<Project>
  <Target Name="Build">
    <MSBuild Projects="$(projects)" />
  </Target>
</Project>

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🎉 Enjoy Faster Builds!

If your deployment method allows copying only changed files/projects, this script will save you time and resources.
Don't build the whole solution—build only what has changed!

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