They’re the gatekeeping mechanism that ensures code changes adhere to your team’s standards and requirements. In the context of AZ-400: Designing and Implementing Microsoft DevOps Solutions, these take even more of a central role. Both Branch policies and Branch protections are critical when managing multiple code branches and enforcing code quality in Microsoft DevOps.
Branch Policies
Branch policies in Azure DevOps services help ensure that standards are followed in code review and merge strategies. These policies help teams protect their important branches and ensure high-quality code while defining an effective collaboration model.
Example of Branch Policies Implementations
If you want to set-up branch policies, here are the steps to follow:
- Select the Repos tab under Azure DevOps.
- Choose Branches under the Repos menu.
- Select the branch you want to set the policy for.
- Click on the three dots (…) at the end of the line.
- Choose Branch Policies.
You can enforce several criteria using these policies:
- Require a minimum number of reviewers.
- Check for linked work items.
- Require comment resolution.
- Enforce a merge strategy (like squash merging).
- Build validation.
Table: Azure DevOps Branch Policies
| Policy | Description |
|---|---|
| Minimum reviewers | Specifies the minimum number of reviewers to approve pull requests. |
| Linked work items | Requires linking the pull request to a work item. |
| Comment Resolution | Requires all comments to be resolved before merging. |
| Merge Strategy | Define the strategy for merging. (i.e., Squash merging). |
| Build Validation | Requires successful completion of a specified build before merging. |
Branch Protections
On the other hand, branch protections in Github provide some similar features but also add more resilience as it pertains specifically to Git. These features are a critical part of ensuring the safety of the production branch.
Example of Branch Protections Implementations
To set up branch protections in Github, follow these steps:
- In your repository, click the Settings tab.
- In the left menu, click Branches.
- Under Branch protection rules, click Add rule.
- Under Protect matching branches, specify the name of the branch you want to protect.
- Select the protections you require.
The protections include:
- Require pull request reviews before merging.
- Require status checks to pass before merging.
- Enforce admins.
- Restrict who can push.
- Require linear history.
- Include administrators.
Table: Github Branch Protections
| Protection | Description |
|---|---|
| PR Reviews | Requires approved reviews before merging. |
| Status Checks | Requires specified status checks to pass before merging. |
| Enforce Admins | Applies protections to administrators as well. |
| Push Restrictions | Controls who can push to the branch. |
| Linear History | Prevents merge commits from being pushed to matching branches. |
| Include Admins | Includes admin in any restrictions. |
Bringing it all together, branch policies and branch protections offer concrete ways to manage the development lifecycle by enforcing quality at every step. Forget about thinking “the system might break if this change is not as expected”. Now, you have the tools to build fearlessly while maintaining stringent quality control. This is the power of effective DevOps, fueled by Microsoft Azure and Github.
Practice Test
True or False: Branch policies in Azure DevOps can be used to implement restrictions on merging branches.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: In Azure DevOps, branch policies can help enforce branch regulations by stipulating certain requirements that must be fulfilled before a branch merge can occur.
What are branch policies in Azure DevOps used for?
- a) To restrict branch cloning
- b) To restrict the creation of new branches
- c) To set up specific requirements before merging branches
- d) To limit the number of branches a person can create
Answer: c) To set up specific requirements before merging branches
Explanation: Branch policies are used in Azure DevOps to enforce certain rules or requirements before changes can be merged into a branch.
True or False: Branch protections in GitHub are optional, and have no significance in the development workflow.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Branch protections in GitHub are critical to maintaining the integrity of code by preventing unauthorized or accidental changes.
What is one of the key benefits of using branch policies and branch protections in a DevOps environment?
- a) They speed up the development process
- b) They prevent unauthorized access to the codebase
- c) They enforce code quality standards
- d) They allow for seamless integration with other platforms
Answer: c) They enforce code quality standards
Explanation: One of the key benefits of branch policies and branch protections is that they help maintain code quality by enforcing standards and preventing unapproved changes from merging.
True or False: Azure DevOps supports the implementation of branch policies.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure DevOps supports branch policies which provide a range of measures to ensure that changes are properly verified before they’re merged into a branch.
What are some of the restrictions that branch protections in GitHub can impose?
- a) Code review requirements for pull requests
- b) Status checks before merging
- c) Merge restrictions to specific users or teams
- d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
Explanation: Branch protections in GitHub allow for a range of restrictions, including code reviews for pull requests, status checks before merging, and limiting merge permissions to specific users or teams.
True or False: There is no option to override branch policies in Azure DevOps.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Branch policies in Azure DevOps can be overridden by project or collection administrators, although such cases should be rare.
When setting up branch policies, what severity level of comment resolution can be enforced?
- a) Suggestions
- b) Warnings
- c) Errors
- d) None of the above
Answer: c) Errors
Explanation: Comment resolution can be enforced in branch policies to be of severity “errors”.
True or False: The build validation policy in Azure DevOps requires that changes build successfully before they can be merged.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: The build validation policy in Azure DevOps requires that changes build successfully before they are merged into the protected branch. These policies help to maintain code quality.
Which of the following can be controlled using branch protections in GitHub?
- a) Conversation resolution
- b) Status checks
- c) Code review approval requirements
- d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
Explanation: All these options are controlled by branch protections in GitHub in order to ensure the level of scrutiny prior to a merge is as required.
Interview Questions
What is branch policy in Azure DevOps?
Branch policy in Azure Devops is used to enforce certain code development and management standards in your team, such as requiring a certain number of reviews before code can be merged or requiring that code builds correctly before it can be merged.
What is the need for branch policies in Azure DevOps?
Branch policies are essential for protecting your important branches. With branch policies, you ensure that changes in your branches meet the quality standards and criteria that you establish for your project.
How do we ensure Continuous Integration is enforced using branch policies?
There is a setting in Branch policies called Build validation. By choosing this, we can ensure that changes to the codebase are always buildable as it runs an automated build every time a new pull request is created.
How can you implement branch protection in Azure DevOps?
Branch protection in Azure DevOps can be done by setting up branch policies. You can implement protections on particular branches like requiring certain reviewers, checking for linked work items, enforcing specific code reviewers, requiring successful builds, and many more.
What does the ‘require a minimum number of reviewers’ policy ensure in Azure DevOps pipelines?
This policy ensures that a set number of team members review the code and approve it before it can be merged into the branch.
How can we enforce code testing before merging branches using branch policies?
The ‘Build validation’ option in branch policies checks if the codes build and run as expected using automated builds and test cases. If the codes don’t meet the quality parameters defined in the build validation, merging the branches is restricted.
Can you bypass the branch policy in Azure DevOps?
Yes, the branch policy in Azure DevOps can be bypassed, but that option can be limited to certain users or completely restricted based on the project’s needs and policies.
What does ‘Check for Linked Work Items’ in branch policies ensure?
This policy ensures that pull requests have related work items linked to them, providing traceability to the work being done.
What purpose does a ‘Comment Resolution’ policy serve in Azure DevOps?
The ‘Comment resolution’ policy ensures that any active discussions are settled before the changes are merged into the codebase. This helps ensure that any suggested improvements or necessary modifications are properly addressed.
How does ‘Status Checks’ help in branch protection?
The ‘Status Checks’ policy in Azure DevOps branch policies helps by ensuring that all configured status checks pass before changes can be merged into the protected branch.
In Azure DevOps, how can you automatically include specific reviewers for changes in certain code paths?
In Azure DevOps, the ‘Automatic reviewers’ branch policy allows you to automatically include specific individuals or teams as reviewers for changes in certain code paths.
How can branch policies be enforced at the repository level in Azure DevOps?
Branch policies can be enforced at the repository level by going to the Azure Repos, the Repositories section, selecting the repository, navigating to Branches, and from there, policies can be set on each branch.
Can we enforce a policy on all branches in Azure DevOps?
Yes, with Azure DevOps, you can enforce policies on all branches by using the ‘branch pattern’ feature to match multiple branches.
Where can the build validation policy be configured in Azure DevOps?
The build validation policy can be configured by navigating to the required repository > settings (cog icon) > branches > select the branch > Branch policies. Under Policy, tick the Build policy to configure it.
What is the ‘Require branches to be up to date before merging’ policy in Azure DevOps?
The ‘Require branches to be up to date before merging’ policy ensures that the feature branch is up-to-date with the base branch before merging. This prevents overwriting of changes and merging conflicts.
extutorials.com