Azure DevOps: A Complete Guide for Beginners

What is Azure Pipeline: 

One of the core services provided by Azure DevOps is the Azure Pipeline.

A CI/CD tool, Pipelines assist in automated development, testing, and deployment. The service ensures and supports several programming languages, and helps users build pipelines that work with the programs of Windows, Linux, and mac OS.

Pipeline can be extended with the help of extensions and are used to create advanced workflows that help in multi phased constructions, integrations to test and custom-designed reporting functions.

The pipelines also allow the user to deploy to multiple environments along with deployed cloud services like AWS and GCP.

Pipelines has an individual service type which is available in both free and paid options. 

The free option is available in two options: A Microsoft-hosted 1800-minute session and a self-hosted unlimited session. 

The paid option is available in two options as well: A $40 Microsoft option for unlimited minutes and a $15 self-hosted session for unlimited minutes. 

Is Azure DevOps hard to learn? 

Azure DevOps is available in two forms: 

• On-premises Server
• Online Server

While user often get confused on whether to learn Azure DevOps Services or Azure DevOps Server, it is essential to keep in mind the following factors. 

• Data scope and scalability: Although Azure DevOps services is a hosted version of Azure DevOps Server, all features of the server are not supported in services. 

So for a user, while the business grows, it is essential to scale up Azure     DevOps. The service offers 2 options for organizations and projects. Organizations get their own URLS in services and have a single project collection. Many projects can be made within a collection.

While in the server, options are available for deployments, project collections, and projects. In layman language deployments are complicated servers that include the SQL split out on a separate machine. 

• Authentication-  In services, the user can connect over the public internet or either authenticate with their Microsoft account.
  While for the server, the user can only connect to the intranet server, or authenticate with Windows and Active Directory domain credentials, which although is not a transparent process.
• Manage users and groups- In services, the user can use a similar mechanism to provide access to a group of users by adding Microsoft Entra groups.
  While in the server, the users provide access to deployments by adding Active Directory groups to the Azure DevOps groups.
• Process customization- In the server offer, the user can choose the Inheritance process model which supports the customization through import or export of XML files for
  work-tracking the objects.
•  Analytics and reporting- Both server and service offer the tools of dashboard and lightweight chats to have an insight into the progress and quality of the software projects. 

In Service - Analytics service and widgets are offered by both where the Analytics service is optimized for fast-reading access and server-based aggregations. 

Microsoft Power BI Integration is offered which supports in getting analytics data into Power BI reports and provides simplicity and power.

ODATA support allows direct query into Analytics service from supported browsers helping to generate queries to span several projects or the entire organisation. 

Meanwhile, in the server, 

Dashboards and lightweight charts are available in both cloud and on-premise platforms, which are easy to set up and use.

SQL Server Reporting Services are available once the Server is configured with SQL Server Analysis Services.

In all, the Service is better with more options available for the user, and simply easier to learn. 

How do you manage code with Azure Repos?

Azure Repos is a powerful code management solution of Azure DevOps that enables developers to organize, control, and secure codes.

Repos allows users and teams to streamline the code management practices helping in better productivity and code quality.

In order to effectively manage coding in Repos, it is important to build a structured code organization.

• Code reviews need to be set which can be done by configuring branch policies in “Branch section” of Azure DevOps.
• Pushing and committing to updates can be done by entering a message in the Git Change window.
• Dividing codes into modules or components and creating repositories for every module can help enhance code reusability and maintainability.
• Folder structures should be made as flat as possible to minimize the complexity of deep nested folders.
• Categorizing code files into folders based on their features helps in ensuring logical grouping and simplifying future maintenance. 
  

What jobs can you get with Azure DevOps? 

The market today has a great demand for people who have an Azure certification.

Some of the best options available with Azure DevOps are: 

•  Cloud Developer
  
  
  The average pay per annum for a Cloud Developer is nearly $103,919 USD who are assigned with the tasks of building applications, taking charge of coding, debugging and designing systems and solutions based on the customer needs.

• Cloud Architect
  

Azure Solutions Architects design and manage the cloud infrastructure, depending on the needs of the company, with a special focus on listening and catering to the needs of a customer.

• Cloud System Engineer

With an average per annum pay of $101, 882 USD, Cloud System Engineers are responsible for resolving tech issues, patching, testing and troubleshooting, and assist the Cloud Architects in implementing solutions.

•  Cloud Consultant

Also known as the communicators of a company, in layman's language, a Consultant is responsible for providing advice on finding the right designs and maintaining the systems. A good sense of understanding the platforms, systems and migrations is required for this job. 

AZ-400: Azure DevOps Certification

The AZ-400 certification, which is also known as the Microsoft Certified: Azure DevOps Engineer Expert is a professional-level certification that demonstrates the user’s expertise in Azure DevOps.

The certification covers a wide range of topics which include-

• Implementation of DevOps on Azure
• Cloud application development
• Source Control Management
• Application monitoring and feedback mechanisms

The certification is valuable for professionals who wish to get higher roles and improve their earning potential.