Introduction to Variable Groups in Azure DevOps

In this article I would like to discuss using Variable Groups in Azure DevOps, and then using these in a Build Pipeline.

Variable Groups in Azure DevOps allow you to manage a collection of variables that can be used across multiple pipelines. This can be useful for storing sensitive information, such as passwords or API keys, that you do not want to store in your code repository. Variable Groups can be shared across pipelines, making it easier to manage common variables and avoid duplication.

Creating a Variable Group in Azure DevOps

To create a Variable Group in Azure DevOps, follow these steps:

Navigate to the “Library” tab in your Azure DevOps project.

Click on the “Variable Groups” tab.

Click on the “Create Variable Group” button.

Enter a name and optional description for the Variable Group.

Click on the “Add” button to add variables to the group.

Enter the name and value for each variable.

Click on the “Save” button to save the Variable Group.

Using Variable Groups in a Build Pipeline

Once you have created a Variable Group, you can use the variables in your build pipeline. To use a Variable Group in a Build Pipeline, follow these steps: (I’m assuming you already have  an existing build pipeline in place)

Navigate to the “Pipelines” tab in your Azure DevOps project.

Select the build pipeline that you want to use the Variable Group in.

Click on the “Edit” button to edit the pipeline.

this will open the YAML code, at the top of this add the following:

The above code will now allow you to access your variables defined in your Variable Group

Using Variables in a Build Pipeline with YAML

If you are using YAML to define your build pipeline, you can use variables in your pipeline definition by using the $() syntax. For example, if you have a variable named apiKey, you can reference it in your pipeline definition as $(apiKey).

for example:

 

Conclusion

Variable Groups in Azure DevOps allow you to manage a collection of variables that can be used across multiple pipelines. You can use these variables in your build pipeline tasks and definitions to avoid hardcoding sensitive information and make it easier to manage common variables. By using Variable Groups and variables in your build pipelines, you can improve the maintainability and flexibility of your pipeline.