What is Azure Pipelines?

Azure Pipelines is a cloud-based service provided by Microsoft Azure that allows you to build, test, and deploy your applications automatically. It supports a wide range of programming languages and platforms, including C#. Azure Pipelines integrates with GitHub, Azure Repos, and other version control systems to automate the CI/CD (Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment) process.

In this guide, I'll explain how to set up Azure Pipelines to generate a C# build step by step.

Prerequisites

Before you start, ensure you have the following:

1. Azure DevOps Account: Sign up at Azure DevOps if you don’t already have an account.

2. Azure DevOps Project: Create a project in Azure DevOps to manage your pipeline.

3. Source Code Repository: Your C# project should be in a Git repository (e.g., Azure Repos, GitHub, or Bitbucket). In our case it if Azure Repos.

4. Basic Knowledge of YAML: Azure Pipelines can be configured using YAML files or the classic editor. This guide will focus on YAML.

Step-by-Step Guide to Generate a C# Build Using Azure Pipelines

Step 1: Create a New Pipeline

1. Log in to your Azure DevOps account.

2. Navigate to your project.

3. Go to the Pipelines section in the left-hand menu.

4. Click on New Pipeline.

Step 2: Connect Your Repository

Azure Pipelines will ask you to select the source repository for your code. Choose the appropriate option:

• Azure Repos Git: If your code is in Azure Repos.

• GitHub: If your code is in GitHub.

• Other Git Repositories: If your code is hosted elsewhere.

Authenticate and select the repository containing your C# project.

Step 3: Configure the Pipeline

After selecting the repository, Azure Pipelines will ask how you want to configure the pipeline. You can either:

• Use the Starter Pipeline template.

• Use an existing YAML file in your repository.

• Start from scratch.

For a C# project, Azure Pipelines can automatically detect the type of project and suggest a YAML template. If it doesn’t, you can create one manually.

Step 4: Create a YAML File for the Build Pipeline

Here’s an example YAML file for building a .NET (C#) project:

# .azure-pipelines.yml

trigger:

- main  # Replace 'main' with your branch name

pool:

 vmImage: 'windows-latest'

steps:

- task: UseDotNet@2

 inputs:

   packageType: 'sdk'

   version: '6.x'  # Specify the .NET version (e.g., 6.x, 5.x, 3.1)

- script: |

   dotnet restore

   dotnet build --configuration Release

 displayName: 'Restore and Build'

- script: |

   dotnet test --configuration Release

 displayName: 'Run Tests'

Copy

Explanation of the YAML File:

1. trigger: Specifies the branch that triggers the pipeline (e.g., main).

2. pool: Specifies the virtual machine image to use for the build (e.g., windows-latest).

3. UseDotNet@2: Installs the required .NET SDK version.

4. dotnet restore: Restores NuGet packages.

5. dotnet build: Builds the project in Release mode.

6. dotnet test: Runs unit tests.

Step 5: Save and Run the Pipeline

1. Save the YAML file as .azure-pipelines.yml in the root of your repository.

2. Commit and push the file to your repository.

3. Azure Pipelines will automatically detect the YAML file and start the build process.

Step 6: Monitor the Build

1. Go to the Pipelines section in Azure DevOps.

2. Click on the pipeline you just created.

3. Monitor the build process in real-time. If there are any errors, Azure Pipelines will display detailed logs.

Step 7: Verify the Build Artifacts (Optional)

If you want to generate build artifacts (e.g., .dll or .exe files), you can add the following step to your YAML file:

- task: PublishBuildArtifacts@1

 inputs:

   pathToPublish: '$(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)'

   artifactName: 'drop'

   publishLocation: 'Container'

This will publish the build output to Azure DevOps, where you can download it.

Summary of Steps

1. Create a new pipeline in Azure DevOps.

2. Connect your repository.

3. Configure the pipeline using a YAML file.

4. Add steps to restore, build, and test your C# project.

5. Save and run the pipeline.

6. Monitor the build and verify the output.

Additional Tips

• Unit Tests: Ensure your C# project has unit tests to validate the build.

• Build Triggers: You can configure triggers to run the pipeline on pull requests or specific branch updates.

• Environment Variables: Use Azure DevOps variables to manage sensitive data like connection strings or API keys.

By following these steps, you can successfully set up Azure Pipelines to generate builds for your C# project.