“Implementing CI/CD Using Azure Pipelines” Book Review

Just finished reading an incredible book and wanted to share my thoughts with all my fellow DevOps engineers, release engineers, SREs, application developers, and sysadmins out there! If you’re looking to manage CI/CD using Azure Pipelines, this book is a must-read. The book is packed with real-world use cases and assumes a clear understanding of cloud computing services on Azure and AWS, DevOps, and CI/CD concepts, along with knowledge of building and deploying web and mobile applications automatically on the cloud. If you’re looking for practical insights and a comprehensive guide to managing CI/CD with Azure Pipelines, this book is definitely for you.

“Implementing CI/CD Using Azure Pipelines” offers a comprehensive guide to effectively utilizing Azure Pipelines for continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) workflows. Authored by an expert in the field, the book presents a detailed exploration of Azure Pipelines, coupled with practical examples and real-world use cases to facilitate learning.

The book commences with an overview of Azure Pipelines, emphasizing its significance in modern development practices. It then progresses systematically, covering essential topics such as creating build pipelines, configuring variables, environments, approvals, and checks. Notably, the text delves into the extensive capabilities of YAML syntax, empowering readers to implement and customize tasks according to their requirements.

Moreover, the book demonstrates the integration of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools like Terraform and highlights the importance of code analysis tools such as SonarQube. Through hands-on examples and scenarios, readers are guided through the deployment of microservices on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Docker applications on AWS container services, and CI/CD implementation for cross-mobile applications using Flutter and Google Firebase.

One of the book’s strengths lies in its attention to practical implementation tasks, offering step-by-step guidance for leveraging Azure Pipelines effectively. Additionally, it covers various aspects of CI/CD, including security considerations, monitoring, and common pitfalls to navigate.

The targeted audience for this book includes DevOps engineers, release engineers, SREs, application developers, and sysadmins seeking to harness the potential of Azure Pipelines. However, a prerequisite understanding of cloud computing services on Azure and AWS, DevOps principles, and CI/CD concepts is assumed.

The table of contents outlines a structured approach to learning, starting from fundamental concepts and gradually progressing to advanced topics and real-world scenarios. Each chapter is logically organized, making it easy for readers to follow along and implement the concepts discussed.

Overall, “Implementing CI/CD Using Azure Pipelines” is a valuable resource for individuals looking to enhance their CI/CD capabilities using Azure Pipelines, providing actionable insights, practical examples, and a thorough understanding of the subject matter. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced practitioner, this book equips you with the knowledge and skills needed to manage CI/CD workflows in diverse cloud environments effectively.