Before you can run builds by using Team Foundation Build , you must create one or more build definitions. Each build definition contains your instructions about which code projects to compile, what action should trigger a build, what builds should be retained, and where build output should be copied.

Important
Before you create your build definitions, your build server must have the required software to run Java, Ant, or Maven builds. For more information, see Requirements for Running Java, Ant, and Maven Builds with Team Foundation Build.

You must perform additional build configuration, such as such as defining unit tests, in your Ant or Maven build scripts.

Common Tasks

Task Supporting Content

Create a build definition: You can define a new build definition to specify what to projects to build, how they should be built, and where the output should be copied.

Modify a build definition: You can make changes to a build definition. If you are using Visual Studio 2005 Team Foundation Server, you must manually modify build definition files. If you are using Visual Studio Team System 2008 Team Foundation Server or Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2010, you can use a very similar process to that which you used to create the build definition.

Delete a build definition: You can remove build definitions when they are no longer needed.

Note
You cannot delete a build definition until all completed builds for that build definition have been deleted.

Related Tasks

Task Supporting Content

Queue builds to be run: For any builds that are not set to run automatically, you must queue them before they will run.

Running and Monitoring Builds

View and manage builds: You can view queued, in-progress, and completed builds. For each completed build, you can view the build results. You can also assign a build quality to completed builds.

Using Build Explorer to View and Manage Queued, Ongoing, and Completed Builds

See Also