Introduction: Azure Developer CLI (Command-Line Interface) is a powerful tool that allows developers to interact with various Azure services and resources from the command line. In this blog post, we will explore what Azure Developer CLI is, its key features, and provide step-by-step instructions on how to use it effectively. We will also include examples to demonstrate its capabilities.
What is Azure Developer CLI?
Azure Developer CLI is a command-line interface provided by Microsoft Azure to manage and automate Azure resources. It provides a streamlined experience for developers to create, deploy, and manage Azure resources without relying on a graphical user interface. The CLI is designed to be cross-platform, making it accessible to developers on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Key Features of Azure Developer CLI:
- Cross-platform compatibility: Azure Developer CLI is built to work seamlessly across different operating systems, enabling developers to use their preferred platform.
- Resource management: It offers a unified approach to create, manage, and delete Azure resources, such as virtual machines, storage accounts, databases, and more.
- Scripting and automation: The CLI allows developers to automate resource deployment and management tasks using scripts, enabling repeatable and scalable workflows.
- Integration with Azure services: It provides support for a wide range of Azure services, including Azure App Service, Azure Functions, Azure SQL Database, Azure Cosmos DB, and many others.
- Extensibility: Azure Developer CLI supports extensions and customizations, allowing developers to enhance its functionality to suit their specific needs.
Getting Started with Azure Developer CLI:
- Installation:
- Visit the Azure CLI installation page (https://docs.microsoft.com/cli/azure/install-azure-cli) and follow the instructions for your operating system.
- Once installed, open a terminal or command prompt to access the Azure Developer CLI.
- Login and Authentication:
- Use the command
az loginto authenticate with your Azure account. Follow the instructions to complete the login process. - After successful authentication, you can access and manage Azure resources associated with your account.
- Use the command
- Working with Azure resources:
- To create a resource group, use the command
az group create --name MyResourceGroup --location eastus. - To create a virtual machine, use the command
az vm create --resource-group MyResourceGroup --name MyVM --image UbuntuLTS --admin-username azureuser --generate-ssh-keys. - To list the virtual machines in a resource group, use the command
az vm list --resource-group MyResourceGroup.
- To create a resource group, use the command
- Scripting and Automation:
- Azure Developer CLI commands can be included in scripts to automate resource management tasks.
- Save a set of commands in a script file with the
.shextension and execute it usingbash script.sh(for Linux/macOS) or.\script.sh(for Windows).
Conclusion:
Azure Developer CLI provides developers with a flexible and efficient way to manage Azure resources from the command line. In this blog post, we introduced Azure Developer CLI, highlighted its key features, and provided a beginner’s guide to getting started. By leveraging Azure Developer CLI, developers can streamline their workflows, automate resource management, and enhance productivity when working with Azure services.