tools-only Azure Developer CLI Deployment
Azure Developer CLI (azd) provides the fastest and most automated way to deploy Simple Chat. This method handles resource provisioning, configuration, and application deployment with minimal manual steps.
Overview
Azure Developer CLI is Microsoft's tool for streamlined application deployment to Azure. For Simple Chat, azd:
- Provisions all required Azure resources
- Configures service connections
- Deploys the application code
- Sets up monitoring and logging
Prerequisites
Required Software
- Azure Developer CLI (install guide)
- Git for repository cloning
- Azure CLI (usually installed with azd)
Azure Requirements
- Azure subscription with contributor access
- Resource quota for required services in target region
- Permissions to create service principals (if not using existing)
Supported Environments
- ✅ Azure Commercial
- ✅ Azure Government (with environment configuration)
- ✅ Local development environments
- ✅ CI/CD pipelines
Quick Start
1. Clone Repository
git clone https://github.com/microsoft/simplechat.git
cd simplechat
2. Initialize and Deploy
# Initialize the project
azd init
# Deploy to Azure
azd up
3. Follow Prompts
The azd up command will prompt for:
- Subscription selection
- Target region
- Environment name (used for resource naming)
- Additional configuration options
Detailed Deployment Steps
Step 1: Environment Setup
Initialize project:
azd init
Select template (if prompted):
- Choose "Simple Chat" from available templates
- Or use the current directory if already cloned
Step 2: Configuration
Set environment variables (optional):
# For Azure Government
azd env set AZURE_ENVIRONMENT usgovernment
# For custom regions
azd env set AZURE_LOCATION "East US 2"
# For specific naming prefix
azd env set RESOURCE_PREFIX "myorg"
Review configuration:
azd env get-values
Step 3: Deploy Resources
Full deployment:
azd up
This command:
- Provisions infrastructure using Bicep templates
- Configures services with proper connections
- Deploys application code to App Service
- Sets up monitoring and logging
- Outputs connection information
Step 4: Verify Deployment
Check deployment status:
azd show
Get application URL:
azd env get-values | grep APP_URL
Test application:
- Open the provided URL in browser
- Verify login functionality
- Test basic chat functionality
Configuration Options
Environment Variables
Set these before running azd up to customize deployment:
Core Settings:
# Deployment region
azd env set AZURE_LOCATION "East US"
# Resource naming prefix
azd env set RESOURCE_PREFIX "simplechat"
# Environment type (affects SKUs)
azd env set ENVIRONMENT_TYPE "dev|staging|prod"
Service Configuration:
# Enable specific features
azd env set ENABLE_CONTENT_SAFETY "true"
azd env set ENABLE_IMAGE_GENERATION "true"
azd env set ENABLE_REDIS_CACHE "true"
# Set service tiers
azd env set APP_SERVICE_SKU "P1v3"
azd env set COSMOS_DB_THROUGHPUT "1000"
azd env set SEARCH_SKU "standard"
Azure Government:
azd env set AZURE_ENVIRONMENT "usgovernment"
azd env set AZURE_LOCATION "USGov Virginia"
Resource Sizing
Development/Testing:
azd env set ENVIRONMENT_TYPE "dev"
# Uses: B1 App Service, 400 RU/s Cosmos, Basic Search
Production:
azd env set ENVIRONMENT_TYPE "prod"
# Uses: P1v3 App Service, 1000 RU/s Cosmos, Standard Search
Custom Sizing:
azd env set APP_SERVICE_SKU "P2v3"
azd env set COSMOS_DB_THROUGHPUT "4000"
azd env set SEARCH_SKU "standard2"
azd env set OPENAI_SKU "S0"
Post-Deployment Configuration
Access Admin Settings
- Navigate to deployed application
- Sign in with Azure AD account
- Assign admin role if needed:
# Get app registration details azd env get-values | grep APP_REGISTRATION # Assign admin role in Azure AD
Configure Application Features
Required configurations:
- Test all service connections in Admin Settings
- Configure default system prompt
- Set up document classification (optional)
- Enable additional features as needed
Recommended configurations:
- Set up Content Safety thresholds
- Configure file size limits
- Set conversation history limits
- Enable enhanced citations
Set Up Monitoring
Application Insights:
- Automatically configured by azd
- Access through Azure Portal
- Set up custom alerts and dashboards
Azure Monitor:
- Configure alerts for resource health
- Set up cost monitoring and budgets
- Create dashboards for operational metrics
Advanced Configuration
Custom Bicep Parameters
Modify infrastructure by editing infra/main.parameters.json:
{
"parameters": {
"environmentName": "prod-simple-chat",
"location": "East US",
"appServiceSku": "P1v3",
"cosmosDbThroughput": 1000,
"searchSku": "standard",
"enableContentSafety": true,
"enableRedisCache": true
}
}
Multi-Environment Deployment
Development environment:
azd env select dev
azd up
Production environment:
azd env select prod
azd env set ENVIRONMENT_TYPE "prod"
azd up
CI/CD Integration
GitHub Actions workflow:
- name: Azure Dev CLI Deploy
uses: Azure/azure-dev-cli@v1
with:
azure-credentials: ${{ secrets.AZURE_CREDENTIALS }}
run: |
azd auth login --client-id "${{ secrets.AZURE_CLIENT_ID }}" \
--client-secret "${{ secrets.AZURE_CLIENT_SECRET }}" \
--tenant-id "${{ secrets.AZURE_TENANT_ID }}"
azd deploy
Management Commands
Application Lifecycle
Deploy application updates:
azd deploy
Provision infrastructure changes:
azd provision
Full redeployment:
azd down --purge
azd up
Environment Management
List environments:
azd env list
Switch environments:
azd env select <environment-name>
View configuration:
azd env get-values
Monitoring and Logs
Show deployment info:
azd show
Monitor application:
azd monitor
View logs:
# Application logs
azd logs
# Infrastructure logs
azd logs --infrastructure
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
Authentication failures:
# Re-authenticate
azd auth login
# Check subscription access
az account show
Resource quota issues:
# Check quotas in target region
az vm list-usage --location "East US" --output table
# Try different region
azd env set AZURE_LOCATION "West US 2"
Deployment failures:
# Check deployment logs
azd show --output json
# View detailed logs
azd logs --infrastructure
Service-Specific Issues
Azure OpenAI not available:
- Verify Azure OpenAI is available in target region
- Check subscription whitelist status
- Request access through Azure portal
App Service deployment issues:
- Check App Service logs in Azure portal
- Verify application settings configuration
- Check for startup errors in Application Insights
Cosmos DB connection issues:
- Verify firewall settings allow App Service
- Check connection string configuration
- Test connectivity from App Service console
Recovery Procedures
Rollback deployment:
# Get previous deployment
azd show --output json
# Redeploy specific version
git checkout <previous-version-tag>
azd deploy
Clean slate redeployment:
# Remove all resources
azd down --purge
# Redeploy from scratch
azd up
Best Practices
Pre-Deployment
- ✅ Verify Azure subscription quotas in target region
- ✅ Plan resource naming conventions
- ✅ Review cost estimates for selected SKUs
- ✅ Prepare Azure AD configuration requirements
During Deployment
- ✅ Monitor deployment progress for errors
- ✅ Note down important URLs and connection strings
- ✅ Verify each service comes online successfully
- ✅ Document any custom configurations applied
Post-Deployment
- ✅ Test all application functionality end-to-end
- ✅ Configure monitoring and alerting
- ✅ Set up backup procedures for critical data
- ✅ Document operational procedures for team
Security
- ✅ Review and configure Azure AD app registration
- ✅ Set up proper RBAC roles for users
- ✅ Enable managed identities where possible
- ✅ Configure network security if required
Cost Optimization
Right-Sizing Resources
Monitor and adjust:
- Review cost reports after 30 days of usage
- Adjust service tiers based on actual utilization
- Use autoscaling for variable workloads
- Consider reserved instances for predictable usage
Cost-effective configurations:
# Development environments
azd env set APP_SERVICE_SKU "B1"
azd env set COSMOS_DB_THROUGHPUT "400"
azd env set SEARCH_SKU "basic"
# Production with cost optimization
azd env set ENABLE_REDIS_CACHE "false" # Start without Redis
azd env set COSMOS_DB_AUTOSCALE "true" # Use autoscale for variable load
This Azure Developer CLI approach provides the fastest path from zero to a fully functional Simple Chat deployment with minimal manual configuration required.