Azure App Service - Deploying Web Applications

What is Azure App Service?

Azure App Service is a **fully managed platform-as-a-service (PaaS)** for hosting web applications, REST APIs, and backend services. It allows developers to deploy and scale web apps without managing infrastructure.

Why Use Azure App Service?

Scalability: Auto-scale applications based on traffic.
Multiple Languages: Supports .NET, Java, Python, Node.js, PHP.
Integrated CI/CD: Deploy directly from GitHub, Azure DevOps.
Security: Supports authentication via Azure AD, OAuth, and custom domains.

How to Create an Azure App Service (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Login to Azure Portal

Go to Azure Portal and sign in.

Step 2: Create a Web App

Click on "Create a resource" → Select "App Service".

Step 3: Configure Basic Settings

Subscription: Choose your Azure subscription.
Resource Group: Create or select an existing group.
App Name: Enter a unique name (e.g., mywebapp123).
Runtime Stack: Choose .NET, Node.js, Python, Java, PHP.
Region: Select the nearest Azure region.

Step 4: Choose Pricing Plan

For small projects, choose the **Free (F1) plan**, or for production, select **Standard (S1) or Premium (P1V2)**.

Step 5: Review and Create

Click "Review + Create" and wait for deployment.

Deploying an App to Azure App Service

1. Deploy Using GitHub Actions

Azure App Service integrates with GitHub Actions for automatic deployment.

name: Deploy to Azure App Service

on:
  push:
    branches:
      - main

jobs:
  build-and-deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout Code
        uses: actions/checkout@v2

      - name: Login to Azure
        uses: azure/login@v1
        with:
          creds: ${{ secrets.AZURE_CREDENTIALS }}

      - name: Deploy to Azure App Service
        uses: azure/webapps-deploy@v2
        with:
          app-name: "mywebapp123"
          slot-name: "production"
          package: .

2. Deploy Using Azure CLI

If you prefer manual deployment, use the Azure CLI:

az webapp up --name mywebapp123 --resource-group MyResourceGroup --runtime "PYTHON:3.8"

3. Deploy Using FTP

Azure App Service provides an FTP connection for manual uploads.

Scaling Azure App Service

Azure App Service supports both **manual scaling** and **auto-scaling**.

Manual Scaling

az webapp scale --resource-group MyResourceGroup --name mywebapp123 --instance-count 3

Auto-Scaling

Enable auto-scaling based on CPU usage.

Securing Azure App Service

Use **Azure Application Gateway** for DDoS protection.
Enable **HTTPS Only** in app settings.
Use **Azure Key Vault** for storing sensitive configurations.

Cost Optimization Tips

Use **Free Tier** for testing and development.
Turn off apps when not in use.
Use **Reserved Instances** for discounts.

Conclusion

Azure App Service is a powerful PaaS offering that makes deploying, scaling, and managing web applications seamless. With built-in CI/CD and security features, it is an ideal choice for hosting modern applications.

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What is Azure App Service