Azure Docs

Azure Container Instances (ACI)

Run containers without managing servers. ACI is the fastest and simplest way to run a container in Azure.

Introduction to Azure Container Instances

Azure Container Instances (ACI) offers the fastest way to build and run containers in Azure. It allows you to deploy containers without having to manage virtual machines or container orchestrators. ACI is a great solution for scenarios that don't require a full container orchestration platform like Kubernetes.

Why Choose ACI?

ACI simplifies your container deployment workflow by abstracting away the underlying infrastructure. This means you can focus on your application code rather than the complexities of managing servers.

  • Simplicity: Deploy containers with a single command or API call.
  • Speed: Start your containers in seconds.
  • Cost-Effective: Pay only for the resources your containers consume, per second.
  • Integration: Seamlessly integrates with other Azure services.

Getting Started with ACI

Begin your journey with ACI by exploring these fundamental steps:

  1. Create a Container Group: A container group is a collection of one or more containers that share the same network resources, storage, and compute. You can create a container group using the Azure portal, Azure CLI, Azure PowerShell, or programmatically with Azure SDKs. 
    
az container create \
    --resource-group myResourceGroup \
    --name myContainer \
    --image mcr.microsoft.com/azuredocs/aci-helloworld \
    --dns-name-label myaci-helloworld \
    --ports 80
  2. Access Your Container: Once deployed, your container is accessible via its assigned IP address or DNS name.
  3. Manage and Monitor: Utilize Azure Monitor and other tools to track performance and logs.

Key Features

Serverless Compute

Run containers without provisioning or managing any underlying infrastructure.

Virtual Network Integration

Deploy containers directly into an Azure Virtual Network for secure communication.

Persistent Storage

Mount Azure Files shares for durable data persistence.

Configuration Options

Specify CPU, memory, OS type, environment variables, and more.

Monitoring and Logging

Integrate with Azure Monitor for comprehensive insights.

Security

Leverage Azure's robust security features for your containerized applications.

Common Use Cases for ACI

ACI is ideal for a variety of container workloads:

  • Simple Web Applications: Deploy single-container web apps quickly.
  • Event-Driven Background Tasks: Run short-lived tasks triggered by events.
  • Build and Test Jobs: Execute CI/CD pipeline tasks.
  • Data Processing: Run batch jobs and data transformations.
  • Development and Testing: Easily spin up containerized environments for developers.

ACI Pricing

ACI pricing is simple and pay-as-you-go, based on the vCPU and memory allocated to your container instances and the duration they run. You are billed per second, with a one-minute minimum.

View detailed ACI pricing information.

Hands-on Tutorials

Learn to deploy and manage containers with ACI through these practical tutorials:

Using ACI with SDKs and CLI

Automate your container deployments with Azure's powerful tools:

  • Azure CLI: A command-line tool for managing Azure resources.
  • Azure PowerShell: Another command-line interface for Azure management.
  • Azure SDKs: Libraries for various programming languages (Python, .NET, Java, Node.js) to interact with ACI programmatically.

Explore the ACI REST API documentation for advanced integration.