Understanding Azure Release Pipeline

0
votes

I'm very new with Azure DevOps and I need some help to understand how to create a Release Pipeline. The Microsoft Doc is very extensive but I can't find what I'm looking for.

I've created a Build Pipeline with the sample python repository. Then I would like to create a Release Pipeline. I linked my account with my subscription, select the App type, but then I'm asking for App service name.

What is this App service ? How can I create it ?

On their documentation (here) they are just saying

App Service Name: Select the name of the web app from your subscription..

No more explanation.

Could someone please give me more information about that ?

Thanks a lot

2
azureazure-devopsazure-pipelinesazure-pipelines-release-pipeline
just google it? app service is a service offering in azure – 4c74356b41

2 Answers

2
votes

  • An Azure DevOps release pipeline deploys the artifacts that are the output of a build pipeline to some environment that you define (Test, QA, Production, etc.).

  • For web apps the environment will be a "web hosting" (for other apps it could be something different).

  • The "web hosting" can be a 3rd party (you would deploy using tasks for FTP, WebDeploy, etc.) or it can be Azure "web hosting" PaaS offering, which is named Azure Web Apps.

  • Azure Web Apps require an Azure App Service Plan (which defines its characteristics and pricing): https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/app-service/windows/

Note: an Azure App Service can be used not only to host web apps but also to host the back-end (Web APIs) of mobile apps, containers and serverless functions apps. See App Service overview and for high scale and security see Introduction to the App Service Environments

  • The template for the Release Pipeline that you have chosen (assuming is the one named "Deploy a Python app to Azure App Service and Azure database for MySQL") is intended to "Deploy a Python Django, Bottle, or Flask application to an Azure Web App and database to Azure Database for MySQL." Since it's deploying to an Azure Web App, the task asks you for its Azure Subscription and its App Service Plan within that subscription.

  • So, if you plan to deploy to an Azure Web App, create a Service Plan in your Azure subscription (you can use the Azure Portal, Azure CLI, etc.). Otherwise remove the task and use a different task to deploy to your 3rd party web hosting.

2
votes

If you are new to Azure DevOps and want to try out all the cool things, I suggest you to follow Azure DevOps Labs which has a great content to get started from Zero to Advanced.