Using YAML for Azure Pipelines is ok, but I think there are some major disadvantages which I think would lead developers to use something else. Evidently, YAML is popular, and Microsoft chose it for Azure Pipelines, but I don't understand why.
Disadvantages:
- YAML scripts are difficult to debug.
- It is very inconvenient to run YAML scripts locally, if debugging is needed.
- The task parameters for most YAML tasks is not natural for developers coming from programmatic build scripts.
Advantages:
- YAML can be easier to read than a scripted language, like Powershell
- YAML includes common build tasks, which can be easier to implement than it would be with a scripted language, like Powershell
I realize that we can use a scripting language, like Powershell, in Azure Pipelines today, but should we? Is YAML really the future?