Mayank's Blog

While working on a React based static website recently, there was a need to see exactly what was deployed in the Dev/Test environments to reduce confusion amongst teams. I wanted to show something like this: A quick look at the site's footer should show the Git Commit Hash and Build Number which was deployed and click through to actual commits and build results. Let's see how we achieved this using Azure DevOps. Git Commit Hash Azure DevOps exposes a variable called  $(Build.SourceVersion) which contains the hash of the commit. So I defined a variable in the Build Pipeline using it. Build Id and Build Number Azure DevOps also exposes two release time variables  $(Build.BuildId) and  $(Build.BuildNumber) which can be used to define custom variables in the pipeline. So we have a total of 3 variables defined: Next we use these variables in our React App. I created 3 global variables in index.html and assigned a token value to them. < script   type = "text/JavaScri...

My three year old daughter today asked me if I would take her to the mall. This would normally have been an ordinary request but these are extraordinary times. I had to say no. She bargained - What if she wore a mask? To escape the situation, I had to put the blame entirely on Narendra Modi. 😉 When I see someone coming towards me on the road When would we go back to normal? This is a question on everyone's mind. But how do you define normal? Let's examine this objectively. The current lock down cannot last forever. Sooner or later it will have to be lifted for people to earn livelihoods. It may be lifted in phases but don't expect schools, malls, or places of social gathering to be opened up anytime soon. Any potential vaccine is still forever  12-18 months away. Even if a vaccine is invented quicker than that, production, distribution and finally vaccination itself would take years. People would keep falling sick due to COVID-19 and dying and there is nothing we can do to...

Imagine getting into a fight with your partner. Perhaps you are not happy with something your partner has said or done. What do you do next? Do you talk things out or do you threaten to divorce your partner unless they agree to your demands. Even if they agree in the short-term, do you really think that your relationship would be same as before? Same goes with resignation. I have seen many of my colleagues stomping feet, saying that they will resign from the organisation if their wishes are not fulfilled. Sometimes these demands are justified, sometimes not. Either way, before resigning or threatening to resign have you talked to your manager about your concerns? Have you gotten no support or only empty promises from your manager? Do you feel that there is no scope of things improving in your workplace? If your answer is yes to any of these, please by all means resign. This applies to managers as well. If you are not able to support your employees during their tenure; don...