Powershell

Releasing a build is typically the final step in the process of developing code. For PowerShell, this takes the form of getting our signed scripts and modules onto target servers to be available for use. This can be easily achieved in Azure DevOps.

Deployment Groups/Targets

The deployment tasks will run on the targets will recieve the scripts. Before that, a Deployment Group needs to be created. This is done by navigating to Pipelines > Deplyment Groups and clicking “Add new deployment group”. The group needs to be given a name.

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Once we start doing processes like putting PowerShell code into git repositories, signing it and effectively creating new versions of it, it becomes useful to be able to automatically manage the versioning of our scripts and modules. The version number acts as an easy visual indicator of whether the script is the latest or not.

Introducing Token Replacement

Since the version number will change with each “build”, we will want to put in some sort of place holder value – a token. In my sample module, I change the version value to reference this token:

# Version number of this module.
ModuleVersion = '#{fullVersion}#'

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PowerShell uses Execution Policies to control whether a script can be run or not. Some of these policies rely on scripts being digitally signed by a trusted publisher. By signing your scripts, you can look at implementing a more restrictive Execution Policy that increases security. The first step in this process is getting a certificate.

Code Signing Certificate

To sign your scripts, you need a special type of certificate, one for code signing. If your scripts will be for internal use only and your organisation has an internal PKI, then using a code signing certificate from that PKI will be enough. If you are writing scripts or modules for consumption by a broader audience, then you’ll need a code signing certificate from a 3rd party Certificate Authority.

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PowerShell has been around for 15 years now. One of the changes that has happened in the IT industry in that time is the rise of DevOps, and the associated tools and technology with it. If we consider the process of creating and consuming PowerShell scripts, it can be applied to the major stages of software development – test, build, release. By using the methods associated with this, we can look at improving the quality of PowerShell code we deliver.

Why Do Code Testing?

Code testing can cover a broad spectrum of activities. At the most basic end is syntax checking or a “linter” to perform static code checking. At the complex end, there’s things like unit tests. For the sake of this example, I’ll be using a “linter”, the PS Script Analyzer. By using such a tool on our code, we can establish whether it meets minimum quality requirements. PS Script Analyzer comes with an array of built-in rules and can be extended with your own rules.

Creating The Code Test Pipeline

The first step is to create a pipeline that will perform the code testing activities. In my case, I’m using Azure DevOps, but a similar approach can be used with Github. The pipeline itself is relatively simple, with two tasks. One will install the PS Script Analyzer module, as it’s not installed by default on Azure DevOps agents. The second task will execute the analysis process. The pipeline code is shown below:

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