- Cloud-based DevOps platform: Offered as a service (SaaS) by Microsoft, accessible through a web browser. (No software installation required!)
- End-to-end DevOps toolchain: Provides a suite of tools covering the entire software development lifecycle, from planning and coding to testing, deployment, and management.
Azure DevOps offers built-in services for each development stage:
- Azure Boards: Plan with agile methodologies, track tasks, visualize progress, and generate reports.
- Azure Pipelines: Automate build, testing, and deployment (CI/CD) for any language, platform, or cloud. Supports containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
- Azure Repos: Host private Git repositories with unlimited cloud storage.
- Azure Artifacts: Manage software packages securely, integrate with popular package managers (Maven, npm, NuGet), access public/private repositories.
- Azure Test Plans: Plan and execute manual/exploratory tests for thorough quality assurance.
- Not locked into Microsoft ecosystem. Integrates with various third-party tools for a custom fit.
- Works seamlessly across operating systems (Linux, macOS, Windows) and programming languages (Node.js, Python, Java, etc.).
- Deploy software on any cloud platform (Azure, AWS, GCP).
- Streamlined Development Process: Automation and integration save development teams time and effort.
- Improved Collaboration: Centralized platform for planning, tracking progress, and communication.
- Faster Delivery: Automation and streamlined workflows lead to quicker software releases.
- Enhanced Quality: Built-in testing tools and version control ensure higher software quality.
- Flexibility and Choice: Caters to diverse needs by integrating with various tools and supporting multiple platforms.
In essence, Azure DevOps provides a comprehensive and adaptable platform for development teams to manage their software delivery pipeline, regardless of their specific technology stack or cloud preference.
GitHub is a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform from Microsoft that provides Git-based repositories and DevOps tooling for developing and deploying software. It has a wide range of integrations with other leading tools.
- Codespaces: Provides a cloud-hosted development environment (based on Visual Studio Code) that can be operated from within a browser or external tools. Eases cross-platform development.
- Repos: Public and private repositories based upon industry-standard Git commands.
- Actions: Allows for the creation of automation workflows. These workflows can include environment variables and customized scripts.
- Packages: The majority of the world's open-source projects are already contained in GitHub repositories. GitHub makes it easy to integrate with this code and with other third-party offerings.
- Security: Provides detailed code scanning and review features, including automated code review assignment.
Azure DevOps offers several methods to control access to your data:
- Accounts: Use Microsoft accounts, GitHub accounts, or Microsoft Entra ID for built-in tools.
- Personal Access Tokens (PATs): Create tokens for tools that don't support the above accounts (e.g., Git, NuGet). Revoke them when access is no longer needed.
- Security Groups: Pre-defined groups with permissions, or configure access at organization, project, or object level. Define app access policies and anonymous access.
- Multi-Factor Authentication: Enforce additional verification steps like location or device checks for tighter security.
Both Azure DevOps and GitHub can be integrated with different kinds of work management tools.
- Trello Integration: Available in the Visual Studio Marketplace, Microsoft offers Trello integration tooling.
Migrating from other work management tools to Azure DevOps takes considerable planning. Most work management tools are highly configurable by the end user. There might not be a tool available that will do the migration without further configuration.
Jira is a commonly used work management tool. In the Visual Studio Marketplace, Solidify offers a tool for Jira to Azure DevOps migration. It migrates in two phases:
- Jira issues are exported to files.
- The files are imported to Azure DevOps.
If you decide to write the migration code yourself, the following blog post provides sample code that might help you get started: Migrate your project from Jira to Azure DevOps.
Third-party organizations offer commercial tooling to assist with migrating other work management tools like:
- Aha.
- BugZilla.
- ClearQuest.
- And others to Azure DevOps.
Azure DevOps offers various tools and integrates with existing ones for your testing needs:
- Azure Test Plans: Manages manual testing for sprints and tracks completion.
- Test Feedback Extension: Enables exploratory testing and feedback from all stakeholders (developers, product owners, etc.).
- Azure Load Testing: For load testing your application.
Supports tools like:
- Apache JMeter: Load testing.
- Pester: PowerShell testing.
- SoapUI: SOAP/REST testing.
If you use Microsoft Test Manager, migrate to Azure Test Plans.
- Focus on resource needs based on the planned architecture (e.g., version control, build pipelines).
- Consider parallel jobs to avoid build queue delays, especially for critical tasks.
- Number of users utilizing specific features.
- User roles (stakeholder, basic user, Visual Studio license holders).
- Advanced package management requirements might necessitate additional storage for artifacts.
- Prioritize based on urgency and purpose (critical build vs. validation).
By evaluating these factors, you can optimize your Azure DevOps license strategy for cost-effectiveness and efficient resource allocation.