What Are Azure DevOps Extensions?
Extensions are simple add-ons that can be customize and extend your Devops experience.
Extensions provide new capabilities when they are installed in the Azure devops orgnization.
Prerequisites for Creating Azure DevOps Custom Task:
1. Azure DevOps Orgnization
2. Code editor (suggested to have visual studio code)
3. Node.js
4. Azure DevOps CLI
5. Azure DevOps extension SDK
Install Required Tools (Node.js, Azure DevOps CLI, SDK)
Here i am using mac os, (please follow steps for your OS)
1 . Node js
Run below command to install Node js
Run below command to install Node js
brew install node
2. Azure Devops CLI
Run below command to install CLI
npm install -g tfx-cli
3. Azure devops extension SDK
Run below command to install CLI
npm install azure-devops-extension-sdk --save
Folder structure
Follow below folder structure
|--- README.md
|--- images
|--- extension-icon.png
|--- buildandreleasetask // Task scripts location
|--- task.json // Task definition
|--- .ts (or) .ps1 // Main task logic (as per code typescript or powershell)
|--- package.json // Node.js dependencies
|--- tests/ // Unit tests
|---
|--- vss-extension.json // Extension manifest
How to Create a Custom Azure DevOps Task Using PowerShell
Here we start the creation of custom task, all files and command i am giving below should be run in the buildandreleasetask folder.
1. Lets initialize the node js project with the help of npm command below:
npm init --yes
This will create the package.json file in the folder, this file lists the node js dependensies.
2. Install azure pipeline task lib:
npm install azure-pipelines-task-lib --save
3. Create task.json file in buildandreleasetask, initially you can take the content from the link later change the parameters as per your requirement.
note: make sure you updated data as per requirement and existing info. Update properties "id", "name", "friendlyname", "description" and "author"
task.json describes the indivisual task and what it executes. This includes the parameters that user need to provide and which script to execute.
The task.json configures that what user going to see when they select the task in the UI.
Sample task.json file, with types of input code:
{ "$schema": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Microsoft/azure-pipelines-task-lib/master/tasks.schema.json", "id": "{{taskguid}}", "name": "{{taskname}}", "friendlyName": "{{taskfriendlyname}}", "description": "{{taskdescription}}", "helpMarkDown": "", "category": "Utility", "author": "prashant", "version": { "Major": 0, "Minor": 1, "Patch": 0 }, "instanceNameFormat": "Echo $(samplestring)", "inputs": [ { "name": "samplestring", "type": "string", "label": "Sample String", "defaultValue": "", "required": true, "helpMarkDown": "A sample string (content in i button)" }, { "name": "sampleboolean", "type": "boolean", "label": "Sample Boolean", "defaultValue": false, "required": true, "helpMarkDown": "A sample boolean (content in i button)" }, { "name": "samplespick", "type": "pickList", "label": "Sample pickList", "defaultValue": "test1", "required": true, "helpMarkDown": "A sample pickList (content in i button)", "options": { "test1": "test1", "test2": "test2" } }, { "name": "sampleradio", "type": "radio", "label": "Sample radio", "defaultValue": false, "required": true, "helpMarkDown": "A sample radio (content in i button)", "options": { "test1": "test", "test" : "some other info needed" }, "visibleRule": "sampleboolean = true" } ], "execution": { "PowerShell": { "target": "test.ps1" }, "workingDirectory": "$(currentDirectory)" } }
4. Install vstsTasksdk:
Create folder ps_modules i the buildandreleasetask and open powershell in the ps_module folder. Run below command in the folder using powershell
Save-Module -name VstsTaskSdk -Path .
in case of any version inside the ps_module folder, take the data ouside of folder and past it in ps_module folder and remove the version folder, else you will run into issues when it tries to find the references.
5. Powershell Script
Write the script where functionality implemented. (no need to write complete logic, as we creating initial draft)
for example:
[CmdletBinding()]param()Trace-VstsEnteringInvocation $MyInvocationtry {# Get inputs$Command = Get-VstsInput -samplestring "samplestring" -required$IsEnabled = Get-VstsInput -sampleboolean "sampleboolean" -required$PickListValue = Get-VstsInput -samplespick "samplespick" -required$RadioValue = Get-VstsInput -sampleradio "sampleradio"Write-Host "Command: $Command"Write-Host "Is Enabled: $IsEnabled"Write-Host "Pick List Value: $PickListValue"Write-Host "Radio Value: $RadioValue"}finally {Trace-VstsExitingInvocation $MyInvocation}
How to Package and Publish Azure DevOps Extension
Once you have written code (complete mvp of extension) the next step is getting into market place. For this you need to pack all the files in a package. All extesnsions are packed in VSIX 2.0 compatible. tfx-cli provide the functionality to pack the files together.
for this we need configuration file for pacakage which is nothing but the vss-extension.json
On extension root directory, create file vss-extension.json take sample file from here : link
or you can take below and make changes as per your requirement
{"manifestVersion": 1,"id": "testextension-task","name": "My Custom Tasks","version": "1.0.0","publisher": "your-publisher-id","targets": [{"id": "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Services"}],"description": "Custom build and release tasks for Azure DevOps","categories": ["Azure Pipelines"],"icons": {"default": "images/pathto.png"},"files": [{"path": "buildandreleasetask"}],"contributions": [{"id": "testextension","type": "ms.vss-distributed-task.task","targets": ["ms.vss-distributed-task.tasks"],"properties": {"name": "buildandreleasetask"}}]}
Once the file is ready run the below command in the extension root folder:
tfx extension create --manifest-globs vss-extension.json
note: make sure before running the command you have updated task.json file also make sure you have provided correct path in json files.
FAQs
What is a custom task in Azure DevOps?
A custom task allows you to extend Azure DevOps pipelines by adding your own logic using PowerShell or Node.js.
How do I create a PowerShell task in Azure DevOps?
You can create a PowerShell task by defining a task.json file and writing a PowerShell script, then packaging it as an extension.
What is task.json in Azure DevOps?
task.json defines the configuration, inputs, and execution details of a custom task.