Azure Blob Storage Quickstart

Step 1: Create an Azure Storage Account

First, you need an Azure Storage account. If you don't have one, you can create it through the Azure portal.

1. Sign in to the Azure portal.
2. Click Create a resource.
3. Search for Storage account and select it.
4. Click Create.
5. Fill in the required details: Subscription, Resource group, Storage account name (globally unique), Region, and Performance tier.
6. Under the Advanced tab, ensure Blob storage is enabled.
7. Review and click Create.

Step 2: Create a Container

Within your storage account, you'll create containers to organize your blobs. Think of containers like folders.

1. Navigate to your newly created Storage Account in the Azure portal.
2. Under Data storage, select Containers.
3. Click + Container.
4. Enter a name for your container (e.g., my-blobs).
5. Set the public access level (e.g., Private (no anonymous access) for security).
6. Click Create.

Step 3: Upload a Blob

Now, let's upload a file (a blob) to your container.

1. Click on the container you just created.
2. Click the Upload button.
3. Select the file you wish to upload from your local machine.
4. Optionally, you can set Blob type (Block blob is common) and Access tier.
5. Click Upload.

You should now see your uploaded file listed within the container.

Step 4: Access Your Blob

You can access your blob via its URL. For private containers, you'll need appropriate authentication credentials.

To get the URL:

1. In the container view, click on the blob you uploaded.
2. Click the Download button. A popup will show the Blob URL. Copy this URL.

If your container is set to private, accessing this URL directly will result in an authentication error. For programmatic access, you'll use connection strings or Shared Access Signatures (SAS).