Microsoft refreshes Azure DevOps update plans into 2019

Microsoft recently updated its features timeline for Azure DevOps, offering a glimpse into the offering's near future. A slew of updates are due out in Q4 of 2018, followed by others into 2019.

Sharing will be enabled for upstream users within the same Azure Active Directory to swap code, following on to updates with work item linking. A YAML editor is being added for both web and Visual Studio Code, to support users creating integration definitions. Other updates include new search and filter options for Git pull requests, new rich text description control, Python ecosystem package hosting, connections to Azure AD as well as new dashboards, analytics, encryption at rest for disks and more.

Heading into 2019, in Q1 Microsoft is adding multi-stage pipelines, GVFS for Mac, a new settings page for security and organization settings, extensible pool providers and work item support for markdown editing. User licenses will change, allowing direct purchasing through the user's page as well as charging one for every users in the same Azure subscription. Auditing will be added in Q2, focused at first on project updates such as renaming, creating or deleting, and any changes in security.

Further out, beyond Q2 of 2019, Microsoft plans to offer a work item form with the goal of discussion control "front and center," as part of a trend toward greater capability for description and discussion control.

Azure DevOps ...