.NET Core 3.1 API fails when using DevOps CI/CD

Question

Deploying a .NET Core 3.1 API Application to an Azure WebApp fails when using DevOps CI/CD Release Pipeline but succeeds when Publishing from Visual Studio

Create .NET Core 3.1 Api App

Create Azure Web App

Create a new resource of type “Web App”

Publish from Visual Studio

Ok, so that works, now here's what happens when trying to deploy using DevOps CI/CD Release Pipeline..

Deploy via DevOps CI/CD

… create another Web App resource junk-devops-cicd ...

deploy via ci/cd pipeline

Create the Build Pipeline

Create the Release Pipeline

So it fails going through CI/CD pipeline. But not VS Publish Manager

Answer 1

Your .net core application build task is wrong. i guess solution is not getting build successfully . try visualstudio build instead of netBuild

And make sure your Artifact Build directory path been set correctly. root path should be $(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)

Answer 2

If the first pipeline you created is a CI pipeline (Build pipeline) you need to select the "ASP .net" template not the "Azure web App". this pipeline will restore nuget,build and publish the artifact of your app in the artifact store of AzureDevops. Then your release pipeline will get this artifact and deploy it into Azure.

the "Azure web App" template is a CI/CD template.

I think the mistake you have mad is deleting some essentials steps for building a package, "Use Nuget" and "Nuget restore".

To build an artifact correctly you need to have those steps: Asp .net build pipline