Mastering Azure YAML Script for CI/CD

Mastering Azure YAML Script for CI/CD is a game-changer for any developer or DevOps engineer.

Azure YAML scripts allow you to automate build, test, and deployment processes using a simple and flexible syntax.

The Azure YAML script format is based on YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language), a human-readable serialization format commonly used for configuration files.

Azure YAML scripts can be used to automate a wide range of tasks, from simple build and deployment processes to complex CI/CD pipelines.

By mastering Azure YAML scripts, you can improve the efficiency and reliability of your CI/CD pipelines and reduce the risk of human error.

Readers also liked: Azure Pipelines Predefined Variables

You can automate Terraform tasks, including deployments, with Azure DevOps CI/CD Pipelines. This means you can repeat workflow tasks in a repeatable and controlled manner, giving you consistency and removing manual effort.

Using a Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) platform is a good idea, especially if you're working with multiple tools like Terraform. Spacelift is a flexible platform that supports multiple tools, including Terraform, and integrates well with Azure.

Azure YAML scripts can be a bit overwhelming at first, but don't worry, I've got you covered. Understanding the syntax is key to creating effective pipelines.

You can reference variables in Azure Pipelines using three different syntaxes: macro, template expression, and runtime expression. Each syntax has its own purpose and limitations.

Use macro syntax for providing secure strings or predefined variable inputs for tasks. It's a good choice when you need to evaluate variables before each task runs.

Template expression syntax is a standard to use in Azure Pipelines. It's designed for reusing parts of YAML as templates and gets processed at compile time. Template variables silently coalesce to empty strings when a replacement value isn't found.

Template expressions can appear as either keys or values and are a good choice when you want to reuse parts of YAML as templates. You can use them to expand both template parameters and variables.

Readers also liked: How to Create Azure Pipeline with Yaml

Runtime expressions are best used with conditions and expressions. However, be aware that they can print empty variables if no value is found.

Here's a quick summary of the syntaxes:

Keep in mind that template expression variables get processed at compile time, while macro syntax variables evaluate during runtime. This is important to consider when deciding which syntax to use.

Consider reading: Azure Pipelines Environment Variables

Azure YAML scripts are a powerful tool for automating tasks in Azure DevOps. You can create a YAML pipeline that can build a .NET application and deploy it to an Azure App Service, as shown in Example 1.

There are three ways to reference variables in Azure Pipelines: macro, template expression, and runtime expression. Each syntax has its own limitations and use cases, as explained in Example 2.

Azure DevOps CI/CD Pipelines can be used to automate Terraform tasks, including deployments, as mentioned in Example 3.

You can create variables in Azure Pipelines using the following command: `variables: [name: 'Configuration', value: 'platform']`. This creates a variable named Configuration with the value platform in the pipeline with ID 12.

Here are the three variable syntaxes in Azure Pipelines:

You can use a PowerShell task to run a script and print the variables, as shown in Example 4.

You can configure your Azure pipeline using YAML, which offers advantages like 100% code-based configuration, reusability of snippets, and validation of changes using pull requests.

To create a YAML pipeline, you can use Azure DevOps, where you can decide whether to link your Git repository and use YAML or stick with the classic editor.

A YAML pipeline will have stages, jobs, and steps, where each stage can have multiple jobs, and each job can have multiple steps. Steps can be scripts or predefined tasks from Azure DevOps.

To run Terraform in an Azure DevOps pipeline, you need to set up an Azure DevOps project, create Terraform configuration files, define CI/CD steps in YAML, configure the Azure DevOps pipeline, and run the pipeline.

You can configure the Azure DevOps pipeline by going to “Pipelines” > “Pipelines” and clicking on “New Pipeline,” then pointing your pipeline to the Git repository containing the azure-pipelines.yml file.

Here's an interesting read: Azure Pipelines Conditions

Here are some best practices for Terraform in Azure DevOps pipelines:

Pipeline variables and outputs are a crucial aspect of Azure YAML scripts. You can define output variables in tasks, which can then be consumed in downstream steps, jobs, and stages.

To reference a variable from a different task within the same job, use TASK.VARIABLE. To reference a variable from a task from a different job, use dependencies.JOB.outputs['TASK.VARIABLE'].

You can also use output variables in a different job, but you'll need to use YAML and reference the variable with the format stageDependencies.STAGE.JOB.outputs['TASK.VARIABLE'].

To set a multi-job output variable, mark it as an output variable by using isOutput=true, and then map it into future jobs using the $[] syntax and including the step name that set the variable.

Here are the different formats for referencing variables:

You can also use the task.setvariable logging command to set a variable from a script, which updates the environment variables for subsequent jobs.

Pipeline triggers and scopes are essential components of Azure YAML scripts. You can set a variable at various scopes in your YAML file, including the root level, stage level, and job level.

Variables defined at the top of a YAML are available to all jobs and stages in the pipeline and are global variables. They aren't visible in the pipeline settings UI.

Variables at the job level override variables at the root and stage level. Variables at the stage level override variables at the root level.

You can also trigger your pipeline with a CI trigger, which is the most basic and often used trigger. It's triggered when new code is pushed to the repo and gets your code built and packaged ready for release.

Here are the different scopes where you can define variables in your YAML file:

You can also specify a trigger in your pipeline, which can be a CI trigger or a trigger in releases. The CI trigger is triggered when new code is pushed to the repo, while the trigger in releases is used for CD pipelines.

You might like: Azure Devops Triggers

In Azure YAML scripts, secret variables can be referenced in variable groups, making it easier to manage sensitive information.

Reference secret variables in variable groups by adding variables within the YAML file, and mapping them to environment variables for use in tasks.

You can reference a variable group in your YAML file, and use variables like user and token from it. The token variable is secret, and is mapped to the environment variable $env:MY_MAPPED_TOKEN.

Each task that needs to use the secret as an environment variable does remapping.

To use a secret variable in a script, set the environment variable name to the secret variable name in uppercase, and set the value to $(the secret variable name).

Additional reading: What Is Git Server Name for Azure Devops

Pipeline parameters are a crucial part of Azure YAML scripts, allowing you to customize your pipeline's behavior.

To define a pipeline parameter, you need to specify the name, allow-override, org, pipeline-id, pipeline-name, project, and value. The name is required, while the others have optional or default values. For instance, if you're using the az devops configure command, you can configure the default organization using the -d organization=ORG_URL option.

For more insights, see: Configure Pipeline in Azure Devops

Here are the pipeline parameter options:

To use a variable as a task input, it must be an output variable, and the producing task must have a reference name. You can set a task's reference name on the Output Variables section of the task editor. For instance, a script task whose output variable reference name is producer might have the following contents.

For another approach, see: Create Task Group Azure Devops

Parameters are a crucial part of pipeline configuration, and understanding them is essential for successful pipeline execution.

The name of the variable is required, and it's essential to get it right to avoid any issues.

You can configure the default organization using the `az devops configure` command, which can save you time in the long run.

The organization URL is required if not configured as default or picked up using Git config, so make sure you have it handy.

If you need to specify the pipeline, you can use either the ID or the name, but not both at the same time.

Here's a quick rundown of the required parameters:

The value of the variable is required for non-secret variables, but if it's a secret, you can omit it and it will be picked from an environment variable or prompted for input.

Here's an interesting read: Azure Devops Variable Groups

You can use variables as task inputs in Azure DevOps pipelines.

To use a variable as a task input, you must make the variable an output variable, and you must give the producing task a reference name. This reference name can be set on the Output Variables section of the task editor.

A script task, for example, can have its output variable reference name set to "producer". The script task's contents would look something like this:

The output variable "newworkdir" can be referenced in the input of a downstream task as $(producer.newworkdir).

You can't pass a variable from one job to another job of a build pipeline, unless you use YAML.

Here are the general steps to use variables as task inputs: