Conditionally Passing Different Values to Template Parameters in Azure DevOps Pipelines

Parameters Azure pipeline template helps to achieve dynamic behaviours in pipeline templates. Passing different values for template parameters based on conditions, via a single usage of teplate will help to reduce duplication of usage of template in the pipeline. Let's look at how to conditionally pass different values to template paramters with a practical example.

The expected behavoir

Let's assume there are three stages in the pipeline.

• Unit test stage - to build and unit test
• Build and push Docker image stage
• Deploy app stage

If we are in develop branch (refs/heads/develop) we want to run unit tests, build dcoker image and depending on both stages want to run a deploy.

Avoid GitHub Action Workflow Code Duplication - Using Composite Actions to Create Reusable Templates

 Azure DevOps yaml files for piplines can be created as templates to avoid duplicating same set of tasks in multiple areas of the pipelines. For GitHub actions workflow, we have seen here in "Build and Unit Tests for .NET Apps with GitHub Actions" the same steps are repeated in both Windows and Linux, build and unit test run. The solution to avoid duplicating same steps in multiple jobs in a GitHub actions workflow is the usage of composite actions. Let's modify our workflow implemented in "Build and Unit Tests for .NET Apps with GitHub Actions" to use composite action to build and unit test, and reuse that in both Windows and Linux job.

Use Template Parameter to Create Array in Bash Task in Azure Pipelines

 Converting Azure pipeline parameter type of object, which contain an array of strings, to an array object in bash script task is not clearly documented. We can use the join expression for Azure pipeline tasks to achive this requirement. Let's look at how to do with an example.

Team Services Process Customization

Team Services is coming up with many improvements and one of it is the new process customization experience introduced recently. This allows you to have your own custom work item types, custom work item state flows and custom fields for work items etc. It is made easier to start customizing even directly from work item form. Let’s look at and understand process customization options available for you to optimize your work process.