README.md

Azure DevOps CI-CD Guide

Prerequisite

• Existing Azure DevOps Project

➡️ Walkthrough for the CI

Navigate to existing project and click on the pipeline button to create the CI Pipeline.

Click on New Pipeline

It'll open up stage process, follow the snapshots to create pipeline

• Select the Azure repos git option which will lead to selection of the project repository.

  

• Select the repository

  

• You'll have to choose from the following two options:

  • Starter Pipeline: Which will create azure-pipelines.yml file in your repository with few startup steps

  • Choose existing: Select this one when you have azure-pipelines.yml already configured.

  • ✅ I'm using starter pipeline in upcoming configuration for more insights.

• If starter is selected, you'll be given starter yml template for azure pipeline which will look like the following:

  • Also note the highlighted area Show assistant, From here you can select various task for your needs. (i.e docker, ECR Pull or Push etc.)

🏁 At this point CI Pipeline configuration is done. For how to create pipelines as per your needs you may have to look up the examples.

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➡️ Walkthrough for the CD

• To create CD, Click on the Release as shown in snapshot.

  

• Click on create release pipeline

  

• You'll be prompted to select a stage task, select empty job to start from the scratch.

  

• You'll have to choose artifacts to deploy the app through CD. Artifacts are basically are the dependencies those are needed at deployment time, also it can be a repository or drop or Build artifact generated from CI Pipeline.

  

• Here you can set your stage name which will be displayed at the release page. (i.e dev, prod, stage etc.)

  

• Once the naming is done, you'll have to setup set of tasks in the stage.

  

• You'll be redirected to the particular stage dashboard. Click on ➕ to add job tasks.

  

• You'll be prompted to select a tasks from the sidebar menu. (i.e helm task, deploy to app service etc.)

  

• Select the task as per your need and configure it.

⚠️Note: You can configure variables in from the variable menu for different stage. You can use them in any task by using $(var_name) syntax.

Below is the example that deploys the app to the Kubernetes cluster using Helm.

• Overall Configuration:

  

• Stage Configuration - Helm install:

  • It'll install Helm tool in the Agent System.

    

• Stage Configuration - Download Helm chart:

  • It'll download the helm chart which is stored at S3 Storage.

    

• Stage Configuration - Helm Upgrade:

  • It'll start deploying or upgrading the specified helm chart to the Kubernetes cluster

    

  • More task configurations continues:

    

    

🏁 At this point CD Pipeline configuration is done. For how to create pipelines as per your needs you may have to look up the examples.

Example of the CI Pipeline YAML configuration

• Docker build and push to registry

  trigger:
  batch: true
  branches:
    include:
    - ci_cd_bs4goftx # branches.include: mention branch names to add pipeline trigger.
  paths:
    exclude:
    - k8s/* # paths.exclude: mention path name to exclude pipeline trigger. It won't trigger if any changes occurred in mentioned path.
  
  pool: cc-prod-k8s-pool # Pool: Which pool to use to run the builds.
  
  variables: # Mention variables to use them in further in the pipeline. To use, just insert variable name in $() syntax.
    solution: '**/*.sln'
    buildPlatform: 'Any CPU'
    buildConfiguration: 'Release'
    repositoryName: 'controlcenter'
    dockerFileName: './Dockerfile'
    buildContext: '$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)' # This is pre-defined variable. to see more, visit https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/pipelines/build/variables?view=azure-devops&tabs=yaml
    imageName: $(repositoryName)
    tagName: $(Build.BuildNumber)
    
  steps:
  
  - task: ECRPullImage@1 # Pulls the image from ECR Repository.
    inputs:
      awsCredentials: 'aws-sc' # Service connection name that connects to an AWS Account.
      regionName: 'us-east-2'
      repository: '$(repositoryName)' # ECR Repository name.
      imageSource: 'imagetag'
      imageTag: 'baseV2' # Image tag filter.
  
  - task: Docker@2 # Builds the docker image from Dockerfile.
    displayName: 'Docker build - bs4'
    inputs:
      repository: '$(repositoryName)-bs4'
      command: 'build'
      Dockerfile: '$(dockerFileName)-bs4' # Dockerfile name.
      buildContext: '$(buildContext)' # Docker context. Generally where the Dockerfile is located.
      tags: '$(tagName)'
      arguments: '--network=host' # has to be given, if you're building an image inside docker in docker configuration.
    condition: eq(variables['Build.SourceBranch'], 'refs/heads/ci_cd_bs4goftx') # Activate this task only if it matches the given condition.
  
  - task: ECRPushImage@1 # Push the built image to ECR.
    displayName: 'Push to ECR - bs4'
    inputs:
      awsCredentials: 'AWS service connection'
      regionName: 'us-east-2'
      imageSource: 'imagename'
      sourceImageName: '$(imageName)-bs4'
      sourceImageTag: '$(tagName)'
      repositoryName: '$(imageName)-bs4'
      pushTag: '$(tagName)'
      autoCreateRepository: true
    condition: eq(variables['Build.SourceBranch'], 'refs/heads/ci_cd_bs4goftx')