How to dynamically pass variable based on the branch the ADF pipeline is triggering from

Question

I am looking for a way to dynamically pass a variable based on what git branch the pipeline is running on. Alternatively, if within ADF I can extract the contents of the linked service JSON that should be sufficient for my task. Is there a way to specify a parameter/variable that can be git ignored for each branch? These branches will be merged together from time to time so I can't just specify each branch to use different variables.

For context: these branches are supposed to represent dev, uat, and prod. I have an azure function that, depending on which branch the pipeline is being triggered, will pull from blobs that correspond to each environment. I understand "best practices" would have been to have different factories altogether for each environment, however that is not an option for me.

Answer 1

Hi ,

Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

1. Use Global Parameters and Trigger Overrides

Global parameters are available across all pipelines and can be used to define environment-specific configurations. You can override the values dynamically based on the trigger used to run the pipeline.

Steps:

1. Create Global Parameters:
   • In ADF, go to "Manage" > "Global Parameters."
   • Define a global parameter for the env, example: Environment.
2. Override Global Parameter Values in Triggers:
   • Create separate triggers for each environment (example: Trigger_Dev, Trigger_UAT, Trigger_Prod).
   • Override the global parameter Environment in each trigger with the branch/environment name.
3. Use the Global Parameter in Pipelines:
   • In your pipeline, reference the global parameter using @pipeline().globalParameters.Environment.
4. Dynamic Behavior:
   • Pass the global parameter's value to your azfunc or any downstream linked service dynamically based on the trigger.

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2. Extract the Branch Name Dynamically

Unfortunately, ADF does not natively support detecting the Git branch during runtime. However, you can:

1. Set an environment-specific variable in the trigger metadata or pipeline parameter, and pass it dynamically during pipeline execution.

Steps:

Parameterize Pipeline:

• Add a pipeline parameter named BranchName.

Set Parameter Value in Triggers:

  - In each branch's trigger, pass the respective branch name as the parameter value (e.g., `dev`, `uat`, `prod`).
  

1. Use the Parameter in Pipelines:
   • Use @pipeline().parameters.BranchName wherever needed in activities or linked services.

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3.Externalize Configuration in a Blob or Key Vault

Store the environment-specific configurations in a central location (ex: Azure Blob Storage or Key Vault) and dynamically fetch the configurations based on the branch.

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4. Dynamically Access Linked Service JSON Content

ADF does not support direct runtime access to the linked service JSON file. However, you can parameterize your linked services and dynamically pass environment-specific values.

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5. Use GitIgnored Files for Environment-Specific Parameters

You can maintain a settings.json file in your repository for each branch and include it in .gitignore to avoid conflicts during merges. Each branch can have its unique settings.json file with environment-specific configurations.

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