Using StringList Parameters in Azure DevOps Pipelines

Azure DevOps YAML pipelines now support the stringList parameter type, which allows you to present multiple selectable options as checkboxes in the pipeline UI.

This blog explains a pipeline that uses a stringList parameter with three values: dev, qa, and prod. After adding the region parameter as a stringList, the pipeline looks similar to the image below.

Find the sample YAML pipeline script below. It creates multiple pipeline stages based on the values provided in the region parameter.

parameters:
  - name: regions
    type: stringList
    displayName: Regions
    values:
      - Dev
      - QA
      - Prd

stages:
  - stage: Build_AND_Test
    displayName: "build and test"
    jobs:
      - job: BuildAndTestJob
        steps:
          - task: PowerShell@2
            inputs:
              targetType: 'inline'
              script: |
                Write-Host "This is build and unit test stage"

  - ${{ each stage in parameters.regions }}:
    - stage: ${{ stage }}
      displayName: Deploy to ${{ stage }}
      jobs:
        - job: DeployJob_${{ stage }}
          displayName: Deploy job for ${{ stage }}
          steps:
            - task: PowerShell@2
              displayName: Print stage name
              inputs:
                targetType: 'inline'
                script: |
                  Write-Host "Running deployment for environment: ${{ stage }}"

After running the pipeline with all three-parameter values dev, qa, and prod selected, the pipeline run will appear as shown below.