DevOps, a cool buzzword right? Well yes, but it's also something that you cannot live without, and that you really shouldn't even consider living without.

Azure DevOps is a collection of online development services that allow teams to plan and manage work, manage product quality, manage source code, and build and deploy applications.

Before we get started, though, you might be wondering, why do I need Azure DevOps? Well, there are three main points that I like to tell people when they ask me:

1. It saves time: Yes, at first, it will appear to be additional overhead to your existing processes. But trust me, once you get the hang of things, it becomes second nature, and once you implement things such as build and release pipelines, you'll find that you are not spending as much time performing lengthy manual tasks such as setting up machines and installing software updates.
2. More agile delivery process: Once you have Azure DevOps humming along, you'll be able to check your code in, run a set of tests, and produce a build of your application in no time, which means you can produce releasable software more often.
3. It introduces stability to your development process: No longer do you have to rely on that one developer that knows how to do the build, or knows how to run the automated tests properly. Once the build is scripted and set up in Azure DevOps, your developers can focus on what they do best, and your builds and releases will always be done the same way.

A funny story perhaps, but way back around 2005(ish), when I was first introduced to Azure DevOps (or Team Foundation Server, as it was known back then), I was not a fan. I was of the mind that I've been doing development for years without it; it will just slow me down. I pushed hard against implementing it. Well, I lost that battle, but I'm glad I did. It probably only took a year or so before I quickly changed my tune and, since then, there hasn't been a reason in the world that would make me consider not using Azure DevOps. So, the moral of this story is the following: don't worry if you are thinking along the same lines that I was. At first, it is extra work, but please give it a real try for a solid period of time. You will not be sorry!

In this chapter, we will cover the following recipes:

• Creating an Azure DevOps project
• Creating a code repository
• Connecting an AL project to Azure DevOps
• Installing a pipeline agent
• Creating a build pipeline
• Creating a release pipeline
• Enabling branch policies