Deploying to Azure App Services

Why Use Azure App Services?

Azure App Services provides a cloud-based, scalable environment to deploy and run applications without managing the underlying infrastructure.

• Supports multiple runtimes: .NET, Java, Node.js, Python, PHP, and more
• Automatic scaling and high availability out of the box
• Built-in support for deployment slots and custom domains
• Integrated security, compliance, and SSL certificates
• Easy integration with CI/CD tools like Azure DevOps and GitHub

Deployment Models

You can deploy to Azure App Services in various ways depending on your team's workflow:

• Manual Deployment: Use the Azure Portal or FTP for ad-hoc deployments
• Azure DevOps Pipelines: Automate deployments through release pipelines
• GitHub Actions: Trigger deployments based on code pushes
• Containers: Deploy Docker containers using Web App for Containers

How to Deploy with Azure DevOps

To enable automated deployment to Azure App Services using Azure DevOps, follow these steps:

1. Create an App Service: In the Azure Portal, provision a new App Service instance.
2. Create a new project and connect it to your Git repository.
3. Create a Build Pipeline: Compile your code and publish artifacts (e.g., ZIP package).
4. Set Up a Release Pipeline: Create a new release pipeline and link your build artifacts.
5. Add Deployment Task: Use the AzureWebApp@1 task to deploy to the App Service.
6. Enable Continuous Deployment: Trigger deployments on code changes or pipeline success.

Sample YAML for Azure App Service Deployment

stages:
- stage: Deploy
  displayName: 'Deploy to Azure App Service'
  jobs:
  - deployment: DeployWebApp
    environment: 'Production'
    strategy:
      runOnce:
        deploy:
          steps:
          - task: AzureWebApp@1
            inputs:
              azureSubscription: 'AzureServiceConnection'
              appName: 'my-web-app'
              package: '$(Pipeline.Workspace)/drop/*.zip'
        

This pipeline deploys your build artifact (ZIP) to a specified Azure App Service using a predefined service connection.

Best Practices for Deploying to App Services

• Use deployment slots (e.g., staging, production) for safe releases
• Enable auto-scaling to handle varying traffic loads
• Implement RBAC and service principals to secure access
• Monitor health using Azure Application Insights
• Support zero-downtime deployments using blue-green deployment strategies

Conclusion

Deploying to Azure App Services using Azure DevOps Pipelines is a robust, scalable, and secure way to release modern web applications. By embracing automation, you minimize downtime, reduce human error, and deliver updates faster and more confidently.

In the next section, you’ll learn how to control deployment flow using Approvals & Gates in Azure Pipelines.