Azure DevOps for CI/CD Pipelines and Automation

A warm welcome to Azure DevOps for CI/CD Pipelines and Automation course by Uplatz.

What is Azure DevOps?

Azure DevOps is a cloud-based platform developed by Microsoft that provides a comprehensive suite of tools to manage the entire software development lifecycle (SDLC) — from planning and coding to building, testing, releasing, and monitoring applications.

It enables teams to collaborate efficiently, adopt DevOps practices, and implement Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD) to achieve faster, more reliable, and automated software delivery.

Azure DevOps unifies development, operations, and project management into one environment. It supports multiple programming languages, frameworks, and deployment targets, whether on-premises or in the cloud.

How Azure DevOps Works

Azure DevOps functions through a set of integrated services that cover each stage of the development and delivery process.

1. Azure Repos

A version control system that manages source code repositories.

• Supports both Git (distributed) and TFVC (centralized) version control.

• Enables collaboration through branching, merging, and pull requests.

2. Azure Boards

A work tracking system that supports Agile, Scrum, and Kanban methodologies.

• Allows teams to plan, track, and manage work with user stories, tasks, and backlogs.

• Provides reporting dashboards and analytics for project progress.

3. Azure Pipelines

The CI/CD automation engine of Azure DevOps.

• Build Pipelines (CI): Automatically compile, test, and package code on every commit.

• Release Pipelines (CD): Deploy builds to multiple environments such as development, staging, and production.

• Supports both YAML-based and Classic editor pipeline definitions.

• Offers Microsoft-hosted or self-hosted agents for build and deployment execution.

4. Azure Test Plans

A complete testing solution for manual and automated tests.

• Helps manage test cases, capture defects, and integrate testing into CI/CD workflows.

5. Azure Artifacts

A package management system for storing and sharing build outputs.

• Supports NuGet, npm, Maven, and Python packages.

• Enables dependency and version management across multiple projects.

Typical Azure DevOps Workflow

1. Plan – Define requirements, user stories, and tasks using Azure Boards.

2. Code – Write and manage source code in Azure Repos.

3. Build (CI) – Automate builds and testing using Azure Pipelines.

4. Release (CD) – Deploy automatically to different environments through Release Pipelines.

5. Monitor and Improve – Analyze metrics, track defects, and continuously enhance the process.

Why Organizations Use Azure DevOps

• Provides a unified platform for collaboration between development, testing, and operations teams.

• Integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Azure, as well as AWS, Google Cloud, and on-premise environments.

• Supports automation, scalability, and governance across enterprise pipelines.

• Facilitates the adoption of Agile and DevOps cultures, resulting in faster releases and improved software quality.

Course Description

Learn how to design, build, and automate complete DevOps workflows using Azure DevOps, Microsoft’s unified platform for Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD).

This course takes you step-by-step from DevOps fundamentals to advanced pipeline automation, covering real-world implementation across Azure Boards, Repos, Pipelines, Test Plans, and Artifacts.

You will gain hands-on experience in creating both Classic and YAML-based pipelines, configuring agents, automating builds and deployments, and applying governance through permissions, retention, and environment approvals.

By the end of the course, you’ll be able to manage end-to-end CI/CD processes, integrate Agile project management, and deliver faster, more reliable software releases using Azure DevOps.

What you’ll learn

• Understand DevOps principles and how Azure DevOps supports CI/CD.

• Create and manage projects, repositories, and dashboards in Azure DevOps.

• Build and automate Classic and YAML-based pipelines.

• Configure triggers, variables, and task groups for efficient builds.

• Deploy applications to Azure App Service and virtual machines.

• Implement multi-stage deployment pipelines with environment approvals.

• Integrate Agile workflows using Azure Boards for sprint and backlog management.

• Configure Microsoft-hosted and self-hosted build agents.

• Manage permissions, retention policies, and shared libraries.

• Apply best practices for governance, security, and scalability in Azure DevOps environments.

Who this course is for

• Developers and DevOps Engineers looking to automate build and release pipelines.

• System Administrators and Cloud Engineers managing deployments across environments.

• QA and Test Automation Engineers integrating continuous testing in CI/CD pipelines.

• Project Managers, Scrum Masters, and Agile practitioners who want to manage sprints and track progress using Azure Boards.

• Technical Leads and Solution Architects designing scalable and secure CI/CD frameworks.

• Students and aspiring IT professionals preparing for Azure DevOps roles or certifications.

Azure DevOps for CI/CD Pipelines and Automation - Course Curriculum

Module 1: Foundations of DevOps & Azure DevOps

• Lecture 1 – Introduction to DevOps

• Lecture 2 – Introduction to Azure DevOps

• Lecture 3 – Key Features of Azure DevOps

• Lecture 4 – Tools and Project Life Cycle

• Lecture 5 – Getting Started with Azure DevOps

Module 2: Agile Project Management with Azure Boards

• Lecture 6 – Understanding Azure Boards Process

• Lecture 7 – Managing Work Items

• Lecture 8 – Linking Work Items (Parent–Child Relationships)

• Lecture 9 – Sprint Planning and Execution

Module 3: Classic Build Pipelines

• Lecture 10 – Introduction to Classic Build Pipelines

• Lecture 11 – Understanding the Build Process

• Lecture 12 – Creating Pipelines using the Classic Editor

• Lecture 13 – Classic Pipeline Creation and Configuration

• Lecture 14 – Manual Classic Pipeline Creation and Adding Tasks

• Lecture 15 – Configuring Classic Pipeline Triggers

• Lecture 16 – Working with Task Groups

Module 4: Continuous Deployment (CD) Pipelines

• Lecture 17 – Introduction to Continuous Deployment Pipelines

• Lecture 18 – Creating Azure App Service for CD Pipelines

• Lecture 19 – Setting up Service Connections & Service Principals

• Lecture 20 – Creating Release Pipelines (Part 1)

• Lecture 21 – Creating Release Pipelines (Part 2)

• Lecture 22 – Working with Deployment Groups (Part 1)

• Lecture 23 – Working with Deployment Groups (Part 2)

Module 5: YAML Pipelines

• Lecture 24 – YAML Pipeline Fundamentals (Part 1)

• Lecture 25 – YAML Pipeline Implementation (Part 2)

• Lecture 26 – YAML Pipeline Advanced Concepts (Part 3)

• Lecture 27 – Multi-Stage YAML Pipelines

• Lecture 28 – Multi-Stage YAML Pipelines with Environment Approvals

• Lecture 29 – Deploying Applications to Virtual Machines

• Lecture 30 – Environment-Specific Deployments Based on Branches

Module 6: Agents, Jobs, and Execution

• Lecture 31 – Introduction to Build & Release Agents

• Lecture 32 – Microsoft-Hosted Agent Deep Dive

• Lecture 33 – Self-Hosted Agent Configuration

• Lecture 34 – Jobs Deep Dive and Best Practices

Module 7: Administration & Governance

• Lecture 35 – Retention Policies in Azure DevOps

• Lecture 36 – Managing the Library in Pipelines

• Lecture 37 – Managing Pipeline Permissions (Part 1)

• Lecture 38 – Managing Pipeline Permissions (Part 2)