Introduction
In this module, you'll learn more about the Azure DevOps product that can be used to host your AL source files, track your project planning, and set up automated builds and releases.
Azure DevOps is an application lifecycle management tool to manage and automate the development process. It's much more than just a code management (or source control management) solution. Of course, there is version control to safeguard your source code, keep history and track and trace all code changes. You can also implement a development methodology, for example, scrum, to define and plan new features, manage releases and fix bugs. You can use it to configure and set up test automation and automate your build processes.
When you work with AL extensions, you are working with a file-based structure. To be able to work with multiple developers on the same extension, you need a tool like Azure DevOps. It uses Git to manage version control, which is also integrated with Visual Studio Code.
An ALM tool might look expensive at first sight, but it allows us to have code reviews, deliver quality code, agree on development standards, and make everyone better developers. Once the build and test automation is configured, you can run it as much as you want. It can run without time restrictions and there are no people costs involved. And what is even better is that mistakes are found early in the process before they are deployed at a customers' site. Fewer bugs, are always better!
Originally Azure DevOps started as Team Foundation Server a couple of years ago, but it kept evolving and is now better integrated with other Azure services.
We'll discuss how you can create your own (free) Azure DevOps organization and create a new project. Then we'll provide an introduction to the different Azure DevOps Services that you work with in every project, but you can also disable some of these services if you don't need them.