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Release Pipelines

Last updated: 7 April 2026
Relates to (tags): Digital, Data, Infrastructure, QA

Release pipelines are essential for deploying applications consistently and reliably across different environments.

This pattern provides step-by-step guidance for setting up and configuring release pipelines in Azure DevOps. It covers:

  • Container Apps – Modern containerised application deployments
  • Function Apps – Serverless function deployments
  • App Service – Legacy application deployments (deprecated for new systems)

The pattern describes how to configure artifacts, stages, and deployment tasks to support development, pre-production, and production environments with appropriate approval gates and automation.

General Steps

Create a new pipeline
  1. Navigate to our Releases page on Dev Ops - Pipelines -> Releases
  2. Click on + New -> New release pipeline
Set up the Release Artifact
  1. On the main pipeline sceen, click on Add an artifact.
  2. Choose the Source type of Build.
  3. Select the relevant build pipeline.
  4. Click Add.

Set up the IaC Artifacts for Container Apps

This needs setting up for each environment

Dev:

1 On the main pipeline screen, click on Add an artifact.
2 Choose the source type of Azure Repo.
3 Select Project Ofqual.IM.
4 Select Source(repo) Ofqual.Infrastructure.
5 Select branch feature/deploy_dev_infra.
6 Set the alias _Ofqual.InfrastructureDev.

Pre Prod:

1 On the main pipeline screen, click on Add an artifact.
2 Choose the source type of Azure Repo.
3 Select Project Ofqual.IM.
4 Select Source(repo) Ofqual.Infrastructure.
5 Select branch feature/deploy_pprd_infra.
6 Set the alias _Ofqual.InfrastructurePprd.

Prod:

1 On the main pipeline screen, click on Add an artifact.
2 Choose the source type of Azure Repo.
3 Select Project Ofqual.IM.
4 Select Source(repo) Ofqual.Infrastructure.
5 Select branch feature/deploy_prd_infra.
6 Set the alias _Ofqual.InfrastructurePrd.

Container App

Set up first stage:

You will be prompted to select a template for the initial stage, this can be skipped and completed later.

  1. On the main pipeline screen in the Stages section select + Add -> New stage.
  2. Select to start with an empty job.
  3. Give the stage a name of Dev.
Configure the task:
  1. On the Stages section on your Dev stage click on 1 job, 0 task to view in more detail.
  2. On the Agent job tab click the + button to add a new task. Do a search for cli and add the task Azure Cli.
  3. Fill in the empty fields
    1. Give a Display name of Install container app extension.
    2. Select the relevant Azure Subscription, for this stage it should be Enterprise Dev/test 2024.
    3. Script Type - PowerShell.
    4. Script Location - Inline script.
    5. Inline Script for dev -
        az deployment group create `
    --resource-group "$(ResourceGroupName)" `
    --template-file ` "$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/_Ofqual.InfrastructureDev/bicep/contApps/main_containerApp.bicep" `
    --parameters ` "@$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/{repo-name}/drop/Bicep/{name-of-config-file}" `
    --parameters "imageTag=$(Build.BuildId)"
Set up Pipeline Variables

The scope for the following variables should all be Dev to match the name of the Dev Stage.

  1. On the tabs at the top of the main pipeline screen click on Variables.
  2. Under Pipeline variables add in the following:
    1. Name: AcrUri Value: input the relevant container registry uri e.g ofqdevportal.azurecr.io.
    2. Name: AppName Value: input the relevant app name e.g ofq-dev...
    3. Name: ImageUri Value: input the relevant uri e.g ofqdevportal.azurecr.io/ofq-dev-expertsapply.
    4. Name: ResourceGroupName Value: input the relevant resource group e.g RG-DEV-Experts.

Function App

Set up first stage:

You will be prompted to select a template for the initial stage, this can be skipped and completed later.

  1. Select from the list (you may need to search for it) Deploy a function app to Azure Functions and click Apply.
  2. Give the Stage a name of Dev.
  3. The stage will be created, this will be set up with a default Pre-deployment condition - this will be a trigger that will start the deployment to the Dev stage after a release (i.e. after an artifact has been published from the build pipeline and dropped into the release pipeline).
Configure the task:
  1. On the Stages section on your Dev stage click on 1 job, 1 task to view the task in more detail.
  2. Fill in the empty fields
    1. Select the relevant Azure Subscription, for this stage it should be Enterprise Dev/test 2024.
    2. App type Function App on Linux.
    3. App service name - select the relevant App service. e.g ofq-dev...
  3. If you click on to the Deploy Azure Function App task you should see the fields have been auto filled based on the fields you completed above.

App Service (DEPRECATED)

This is only to be used on legacy systems; new systems should deploy to container apps or function apps instead

Set up first stage:

You will be prompted to select a template for the initial stage, this can be skipped and completed later.

  1. Select from the list (you may need to search) Azure App Service deployment and click Apply.
  2. Give the Stage a name of Dev.
  3. The stage will be created, this will be set up with a default Pre-deployment condition - this will be a trigger that will start the deployment to the Dev stage after a release (i.e. after an artifact has been published from the build pipeline and dropped into the release pipeline).
Configure the task:
  1. On the Stages section on your Dev stage click on 1 job, 1 task to view the task in more detail.
  2. Fill in the empty fields
    1. Select the relevant Azure Subscription, for this stage it should be Enterprise Dev/test 2024.
    2. App type Web App on Linux.
    3. App service name - select the relevant App service. e.g ofq-dev...
  3. If you click on to the Deploy Azure App Service task you should see the fields have been auto filled based on the fields you completed above.

Release pipelines MUST have a Preprod stage that deploys manually

Container App

Set up stage:
  1. On the main pipeline screen in the Stages section select + Add -> New stage.
  2. Select to start with an empty job.
  3. Give the stage a name of Preprod.
Configure the first task:
  1. On the Stages section on your Preprod stage click on 1 job, 0 task to view in more detail.
  2. On the Agent job tab click the + button to add a new task. Do a search for cli and add the task Azure Cli.
  3. Fill in the empty fields
    1. Give a Display name of Install container app extension.
    2. Select the relevant Azure Subscription, for this stage it should be Enterprise Dev/test 2024.
    3. Script Type - PowerShell.
    4. Script Location - Inline script.
    5. Inline Script -
      az deployment group create --resource-group "$(ResourceGroupName)"
      –template-file "$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/_Ofqual.InfrastructurePprd/bicep/contApps/main_containerApp.bicep"
      –parameters "@$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/{repo-name}/drop/Bicep/{name-of-config-file}"
      –parameters “imageTag=$(Build.BuildId)”
Set up Pipeline Variables

The scope for the following variables should all be Preprod to match the name of the Preprod Stage.

  1. On the tabs at the top of the main pipeline screen click on Variables.
  2. Under Pipeline variables add in the following:
    1. Name: AcrUri Value: input the relevant container registry uri.
    2. Name: AppName Value: input the relevant app name e.g ofq-preprod...
    3. Name: ImageUri Value: input the relevant uri.
    4. Name: ResourceGroupName Value: input the relevant resource group.

Function App

Set up stage:
  1. On the main pipeline screen in the Stages section select + Add -> New stage.
  2. Select from the list (you may need to search for it) Deploy a function app to Azure Functions and click Apply.
  3. Give the stage a name of Preprod.
Configure the Pre-deployment trigger:
  1. On this new stage click on the lighting bolt icon to see the Pre-deployment triggers.
    1. Change the trigger from After release to Manual only.
Configure the task:
  1. Click on 1 job, 1 task to view the task in more detail.
  2. Fill in the empty fields.
    1. Select the relevant Azure Subscription, for this stage it should be Enterprise Dev/test 2024.
    2. App type Function App on Linux.
    3. App service name - select the relevant App service. e.g ofq-preprod..
  3. If you click on to the Deploy Azure Function App task you should see the fields have been auto filled based on the fields you completed above.

App Service (DEPRECATED)

This is only to be used on legacy systems; new systems should deploy to container apps or function apps instead

Set up stage:
  1. On the main pipeline screen in the Stages section select + Add -> New stage.
  2. Select the task Azure App Service deployment.
  3. Give the stage a name of Preprod.
Configure the Pre-deployment trigger:
  1. On this new stage click on the lighting bolt icon to see the Pre-deployment triggers.
    1. Change the trigger from After release to Manual only.
Configure the task:
  1. Click on 1 job, 1 task to view the task in more detail.
  2. Fill in the empty fields.
    1. Select the relevant Azure Subscription, for this stage it should be Enterprise Dev/test 2024.
    2. App type Web App on Linux.
    3. App service name - select the relevant App service. e.g ofq-preprod..
  3. If you click on to the Deploy Azure App Service task you should see the fields have been auto filled based on the fields you completed above.

Release pipelines MUST have a Prod stage that requires managerial approval

General Steps

Set up Manager Approval stage

This Stage will have no task applied to it.

Set up stage:
  1. On the main pipeline screen in the Stages section select + Add -> New stage.
  2. Select to start with an empty job.
  3. Give the stage a name of Production - Manager Approval.
Configure the Pre-deployment trigger:
  1. On this new stage click on the lighting bolt icon to see the Pre-deployment triggers.
    1. Change the trigger from After release to Manual only.
    2. Enable Pre-deployment approvals and select the relevant group as Approvers.
    3. Set the Approval order to be Any one user.

Set up Production - Deploy stage

Container App
Set up stage:
  1. On the main pipeline screen in the Stages section select + Add -> New stage.
  2. Select to start with an empty job.
  3. Give the stage a name of Production - Deploy.
Configure the first task:
  1. On the Stages section on your Production - Deploy stage click on 1 job, 0 task to view in more detail.
  2. On the Agent job tab click the + button to add a new task. Do a search for cli and add the task Azure Cli.
  3. Fill in the empty fields
    1. Give a Display name of Install container app extension.
    2. Select the relevant Azure Subscription, for this stage it should be Microsoft Azure Enterprise 2025.
    3. Script Type - PowerShell.
    4. Script Location - Inline script.
    5. Inline Script -
    az deployment group create `
--resource-group "$(ResourceGroupName)" `
--template-file ` "$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/_Ofqual.InfrastructurePrd/bicep/contApps/main_containerApp.bicep" `
--parameters ` "@$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/{repo-name}/drop/Bicep/{name-of-config-file}" `
--parameters "imageTag=$(Build.BuildId)"
Set up Pipeline Variables

The scope for the following variables should all be Production - Deploy to match the name of the Production - Deploy Stage.

  1. On the tabs at the top of the main pipeline screen click on Variables.
  2. Under Pipeline variables add in the following:
    1. Name: AcrUri Value: input the relevant container registry uri.
    2. Name: AppName Value: input the relevant app name e.g ofq-prod...
    3. Name: ImageUri Value: input the relevant uri.
    4. Name: ResourceGroupName Value: input the relevant resource group.
App Service (DEPRECATED)

This is only to be used on legacy systems; new systems should deploy to container apps or function apps instead

Set up stage:
  1. On the main pipeline screen in the Stages section select + Add -> New stage.
  2. Select the task Azure App Service deployment.
  3. Give the stage a name of Production - Deploy.
Configure the Pre-deployment trigger:
  1. On this new stage click on the lighting bolt icon to see the Pre-deployment triggers.
    1. Change the trigger from After release to After stage.
    2. From the dropdown list select the stage Production - Manager Approval.
    3. Enable Pre-deployment approvals and select the relevant group as Approvers.
    4. Set the Approval order to be Any one user.
Configure the task:
  1. Click on 1 job, 1 task to view the task in more detail.
  2. Fill in the empty fields.
    1. Select the relevant Azure Subscription, for this stage it should be Microsoft Azure Enterprise 2024.
    2. App type Web App on Linux.
    3. App service name - select the relevant App service. e.g ofq-prod..
  3. If you click on to the Deploy Azure App Service task you should see the fields have been auto filled based on the fields you completed above.

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