Using DotNET 7 in AWS CodeBuild a Step by Step Guide

Sep 11, 2023 · 4 min read · AWS Cloud Cloud Karamchari DevOps Codebuild ·

AWS CodeBuild is a powerful continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) service that allows developers to automate their build and test processes in the cloud. While AWS CodeBuild provides managed environments with various software tools pre-installed, there may be situations where you need to use a specific version of a tool that is not included in the default environments. In this guide, we'll explore how to use .NET 7 in AWS CodeBuild by creating a custom build environment.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the details, here are the prerequisites for using .NET 7 in AWS CodeBuild:

An AWS account: You should have an AWS account set up and be familiar with basic AWS concepts.
Basic knowledge of AWS CodeBuild: Understanding how to create and configure AWS CodeBuild projects is essential.

Option 1: Creating a Custom Docker Image

Building a Docker Image with .NET 7.x

Step 1: Create a Dockerfile

A Dockerfile is a script used to create a Docker image with specific configurations. In our case, we'll use it to install .NET 7.x. Here's a sample Dockerfile:

 1# Use an existing image as the base
 2FROM amazonlinux:2
 3
 4# Install dependencies
 5RUN yum install -y tar gzip
 6
 7# Download and install .NET 7
 8RUN curl -SL --output dotnet.tar.gz https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/7e149197-6f12-4f19-8c20-3ff0e3a6f2a2/1edee4ac25b870e7d7f584f694fc9e68/dotnet-sdk-7.1.401-linux-x64.tar.gz \
 9    && mkdir -p /usr/share/dotnet \
10    && tar -zxf dotnet.tar.gz -C /usr/share/dotnet \
11    && rm dotnet.tar.gz \
12    && ln -s /usr/share/dotnet/dotnet /usr/bin/dotnet
13
14# Set environment variables
15ENV DOTNET_ROOT=/usr/share/dotnet
16ENV PATH=${PATH}:/usr/share/dotnet

This Dockerfile installs .NET 7.x on top of an Amazon Linux 2 base image.

Step 2: Build and Push the Docker Image

To build the Docker image, use the docker build command:

1docker build -t custom-dotnet7-image .

Next, push the image to a container registry (e.g., Amazon ECR):

1# Authenticate with your container registry (e.g., Amazon ECR)
2aws ecr get-login-password --region your-region | docker login --username AWS --password-stdin your-account-id.dkr.ecr.your-region.amazonaws.com
3
4# Tag the image
5docker tag custom-dotnet7-image:latest your-account-id.dkr.ecr.your-region.amazonaws.com/custom-dotnet7-image:latest
6
7# Push the image
8docker push your-account-id.dkr.ecr.your-region.amazonaws.com/custom-dotnet7-image:latest

Step 3: Configure AWS CodeBuild

Now, let's set up an AWS CodeBuild project:

Open the AWS Management Console and navigate to the AWS CodeBuild service.
Click "Create build project."
Enter a project name and description.
In the "Source" section, configure your source repository settings.
In the "Environment" section:
- For "Environment image," choose "Custom image."
- In the "Custom image type" field, enter the URI of the Docker image you pushed to the container registry (e.g., your-account-id.dkr.ecr.your-region.amazonaws.com/custom-dotnet7-image:latest).
In the "Service role" section, choose an existing service role or create a new one with permissions to access your container registry and other necessary resources.

In the "Buildspec" section, provide a buildspec file if you have specific build and test commands. For example:

 1version: 0.2
 2
 3phases:
 4  build:
 5    commands:
 6      - dotnet build MyProject.sln
 7      - dotnet test MyProject.Tests.csproj
 8
 9artifacts:
10  files: '**/*'

Click "Create build project."

Now, your AWS CodeBuild project is configured to use the custom Docker image with .NET 7.x. When you trigger a build, AWS CodeBuild will create an environment based on this image and execute your build commands.

Option 2: Explore Managed CodeBuild Environments

Checking for .NET 7.x Support

AWS CodeBuild offers managed environments with pre-installed tools. To check if .NET 7.x is supported in a managed environment, follow these steps:

Step 1: Review AWS CodeBuild Environments

Open the AWS Management Console and navigate to the AWS CodeBuild service.
Click "Create build project."
In the "Environment" section, you'll see a list of available managed environments.
Review the environment names and versions to see if there is one that includes .NET 7.x. AWS frequently updates these environments, so check for the latest options.

Step 2: Configure AWS CodeBuild

If you find a managed environment that supports .NET 7.x, you can configure your AWS CodeBuild project to use it:

Choose the appropriate managed environment in the "Environment" section when creating or updating your AWS CodeBuild project.
Configure the rest of your project settings as needed.

By using a managed environment that supports .NET 7.x, you can simplify your AWS CodeBuild setup and avoid the need to create a custom Docker image.

Conclusion

AWS CodeBuild is a flexible and powerful service that allows you to customize your build environments to meet your project's requirements. When working with .NET 7.x in AWS CodeBuild, you have two main options: creating a custom Docker image or using a managed environment that supports the desired .NET version. Choose the option that best fits your project's needs and enjoy the benefits of automated builds and tests in the cloud.

Remember to regularly check AWS documentation and announcements for updates and improvements to AWS CodeBuild environments to stay up-to-date with the latest features and tool versions.