Create and configure Azure App Service
📘Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104)
1. What Is Azure App Service?
Azure App Service is a fully managed Platform as a Service (PaaS) offering that allows you to host:
- Web applications
- REST APIs
- Mobile back-end applications
- Background jobs (using Azure WebJobs)
Because Microsoft manages the underlying infrastructure, you do not need to worry about patching servers, managing load balancers, or handling runtime installations. You only focus on your application.
2. Key Concepts You Must Know Before Creating an App Service
When creating an App Service, Azure requires several components to be chosen. Understanding these is essential for the exam.
2.1 App Service Plan
An App Service must always run inside an App Service Plan, which defines:
- The region (location)
- Pricing tier (cost, performance, features)
- The number of instances (for scaling)
- Supported OS (Windows, Linux)
Think of the App Service Plan as the “compute resource” and the App Service itself as the “application” running on it.
2.2 Runtime Stack / Runtime Environment
This defines the technology your application uses, such as:
- .NET / .NET Core
- Java
- Node.js
- Python
- PHP
- Ruby
If using Windows OS, you can also run ASP.NET or .NET Framework apps.
2.3 Region (Location)
You choose a region that is closest to:
- Your users (for better performance)
- Your organization’s existing Azure resources (for compliance and latency)
2.4 Resource Group
An App Service must belong to a resource group, which helps organize related Azure resources.
2.5 Operating System
You can choose between:
- Windows
- Linux
Linux is typically used for open-source technologies like Node.js or Python, while Windows is often used for .NET Framework applications.
2.6 Deployment Options
When creating the App Service, you can configure deployment integration such as:
- Azure Repos (Azure DevOps)
- GitHub
- Bitbucket
- Local Git
- FTP/S
- ZIP Deploy
- Container registry (if using containerized apps)
3. Steps to Create an App Service (Portal)
Below are the steps exactly as you should understand them for the AZ-104 exam.
Step 1: Navigate to App Services
- Sign in to the Azure Portal.
- Search for App Services in the search bar.
- Click Create → Web App.
Step 2: Basics Tab
This is the most important section.
Subscription
Choose your Azure subscription.
Resource Group
Select an existing resource group or create a new one.
Name
This becomes the domain name part:
<appname>.azurewebsites.net
This name must be globally unique.
Publish
Choose:
- Code (normal applications)
- Container (if deploying a Docker container)
Runtime Stack
Select the language/framework (example: .NET 8, Node.js 20, Python 3.12).
Operating System
Choose Windows or Linux.
Region
Select the region where the app will be hosted.
App Service Plan
Either:
- Select an existing plan
- Create a new plan
For a new plan:
- Choose the pricing tier
- Set performance levels (CPU, memory, scaling features)
Step 3: Monitoring
You can enable:
Application Insights
- Monitors performance
- Detects failures
- Tracks requests
- Provides logs
This is not required but highly recommended for production workloads.
Step 4: Tags
Tags help organize billing or cost tracking.
Example:Environment = Production,Department = IT
Step 5: Review + Create
Azure validates your settings.
Click Create to deploy the App Service.
Deployment takes a few seconds to a few minutes.
4. What Happens After Deployment?
Your App Service is live immediately and can be accessed using:
https://<appname>.azurewebsites.net
You can then:
- Deploy application code
- Configure scaling
- Enable authentication (Azure AD, social logins, Microsoft accounts)
- Set environment variables
- Connect to databases
- Enable backups
- Set custom domains and certificates
The AZ-104 exam expects you to know where to find these configurations but does not require deep development knowledge.
5. Important App Service Configuration Areas (Exam Focus)
5.1 Configuration
Contains:
- Application settings (environment variables)
- Connection strings
- Default documents (for Windows apps)
- General settings (stack, platform, .NET version)
5.2 Deployment Center
Used for CI/CD pipelines and external repository connections.
5.3 Custom Domains
Bind custom domains like:
www.companyapp.com
Requires DNS configuration.
5.4 TLS/SSL Settings
You can:
- Add certificates
- Enforce HTTPS
- Configure minimum TLS version
5.5 Networking
Configure:
- VNet integration
- Private endpoints
- Access restrictions
- Hybrid connections
These settings are important for secure enterprise environments.
6. IT-Based Real Use Cases (Beginner-Friendly)
Use Case 1: Hosting an Internal Company Web Tool
An IT department may create an App Service to host an internal dashboard for monitoring employee systems.
Use Case 2: Hosting a REST API for Business Applications
A company may host their API on App Service so that mobile or web applications can access business data stored in Azure SQL or storage accounts.
Use Case 3: Running a Web Portal for Customers
Organizations often deploy customer-facing portals or public-facing websites on App Service due to automatic scaling and built-in security features.
7. Exam Tips for “Create an App Service”
✔ Understand what an App Service Plan is and how it relates to the App Service
✔ Know how to choose the runtime stack
✔ Know Windows vs Linux differences at a high level
✔ Remember that the App Service name must be globally unique
✔ Know where to enable Application Insights
✔ Know the deployment options (GitHub, Azure Repos, FTP, ZIP, containers)
✔ Know that App Services support both scaling up and scaling out (covered separately)
✔ Understand how App Service integrates with networking (VNet, private endpoints, access restrictions)
8. Summary
Creating an App Service is a core task for Azure Administrators. It involves selecting the correct resource group, App Service plan, runtime, operating system, region, and monitoring options. Once created, the service provides a secure and scalable environment for hosting applications without managing servers.
Mastering this process is essential for passing the AZ-104 exam and for real-world IT operations.
