What is Azure DevOps?

Microsoft's Azure DevOps platform is a collection of services and uses a fully integrated set of DevOps tools. The platform enables software engineers to maintain a log of host source code repositories, implement scheduled workflows, and leverage CI\CD pipelines.

It also adds power to DevOps models across different cloud and on-premises environments (cloud and on-premises), managing software products before they are shipped. Azure DevOps is an extensive platform that can help teams handle the end-to-end software development lifecycle, including test automation. Azure DevOps does not prioritize automated testing. However, it offers features and integrations that teams can use within a DevOps workflow.

A note on Azure DevOps lifecycle:

Azure DevOps contains a range of services that cover the complete software development lifecycle. These are:

How to use Azure DevOps?

Azure DevOps provides a suite of services covering the entire development lifecycle, including Azure Boards for project planning and tracking, Azure Repos for source control, Azure Pipelines for continuous integration and delivery, Azure Test Plans for testing, and Azure Artifacts for package management. Here's a step-by-step guide to get started:

1. Create an Azure DevOps Organization

Go to the Azure DevOps website and sign in with your Microsoft account. Now, create a new organization by specifying the name of the organization and the location where your data will be stored.

2. Create a Project

Inside your organization, create a new project by providing a name and a description for your project. Choose the visibility of your project (public or private).

3. Set Up the Team and Permissions now

Azure Artifacts is a service, which aims to bring a more cohesive experience for developers and users by providing tools for uploading, sharing, and tracking all kinds of packages (registries like Maven, NuGet) across the organization. It further helps assimilate such artifacts into the Azure pipeline.

4. Plan and Track Work Using Azure Boards

Use Azure Boards to create work items like user stories, tasks, bugs, and features. Now, organize work into sprints, track progress on dashboards, and use Kanban boards for agile project management.

5. Manage Your Code with Azure Repos

Set up Git repositories in Azure Repos to manage source code and clone the repository to the local machine, make changes, and push commits. You could use pull requests to review and merge code changes.

6. Automate Builds and Deployments Using Azure Pipelines

Create a pipeline in Azure Pipelines to automate the application's build and deployment. Define the build steps, triggers for the pipeline (like commits to a specific branch), and the environments for deployment. Monitor the pipeline runs and view logs to troubleshoot any issues.

7. Test Application with Azure Test Plans

Create test plans, test suites, and test cases to outline a testing strategy. Execute manual or automated tests and track test results to ensure quality.

8. Share Packages with Azure Artifacts

Use Azure Artifacts to host and share packages like NuGet, npm, or Maven within the organization or with the public. Configure development tools to use packages from the Azure Artifacts feed.

9. Monitor and Improve Processes

Use Azure DevOps's analytics and reporting features to monitor project health, progress, and productivity. Based on insights and feedback, adjust your processes and practices.

10. Integrate with Other Services

Azure DevOps can be integrated with various external services and tools to enhance workflows, such as Slack for communication, SonarQube for code quality analysis, or various cloud platforms for deployment.