How to Build a Modular Pipeline with Multiple Processes in Azure DevOps

Introduction

In modern DevOps practices, modular pipelines are essential for scaling automation, improving reusability, and simplifying maintenance. Rather than writing a single monolithic YAML file, you can break your pipeline into multiple stages, with each step defined in its own reusable pipeline template. This approach is ideal for complex projects that require sequential steps such as database creation, script execution, API deployment, frontend deployment, and more.

Objectives

• Understand how to create a main YAML pipeline that delegates tasks to child pipelines.
• Learn to organize your project folder for maintainability.
• Build reusable templates for each step in a multi-step deployment process.

Recommended Folder Structure

1. Master Pipeline (main-installer.yml)

This is the entry point, responsible for orchestrating each step.

2. Reusable Pipeline Template Example (0_pipeline-create-db.yml)

Advantages of Modular Pipelines

Tips for Success

• Use variable groups to centralize configuration.
• Prefer template referencing for stronger structure.
• Validate each child YAML independently before integrating.
• Use naming conventions like 0_, 1_, 2_ to define order clearly.

Conclusion

Building pipelines with reusable steps makes your DevOps lifecycle clean, scalable, and maintainable. By structuring your YAMLs and folders properly, you reduce complexity and empower collaboration across your team. This architecture is ideal for projects with multiple deployment stages such as infrastructure, scripts, API, and UI.