Get Started with Azure Functions

Welcome to Azure Functions, a serverless compute service that enables you to run small pieces of code, called "functions," without the complexity of building and managing infrastructure. With Azure Functions, you can build applications by using any language, all powered by events.

What are Azure Functions?

Azure Functions are event-driven, on-demand code execution units. They are designed to solve common programming tasks and integrate with other Azure services and third-party services. Key benefits include:

Event-driven: Functions can be triggered by a wide range of events, such as HTTP requests, timer schedules, messages in queues, or changes in databases.
Serverless: You don't need to provision or manage servers. Azure automatically handles the infrastructure, scaling, and patching.
Pay-as-you-go: You are charged only for the time your code runs and the resources it consumes.
Polyglot: Support for multiple programming languages like C#, JavaScript, Python, Java, PowerShell, and more.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

Azure Subscription: If you don't have one, sign up for a free Azure account.
Development Environment:
- Azure Functions Core Tools
- Your preferred IDE (e.g., Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, IntelliJ IDEA)
- Relevant language SDKs (e.g., Node.js, Python, .NET)

Create Your First Function

Let's create a simple HTTP-triggered function using the Azure Functions Core Tools.

1. Initialize a New Project

Open your terminal or command prompt, navigate to a folder where you want to create your project, and run the following command:

                    Terminal Command
                    bash
                

func init MyFunctionApp --worker-runtime node --docker

This command initializes a new Azure Functions project named MyFunctionApp. We've specified Node.js as the runtime and included Docker support.

2. Create an HTTP Trigger Function

Navigate into your project directory and create a new HTTP-triggered function:

                    Terminal Command
                    bash
                

cd MyFunctionApp
func new --template "HTTP trigger" --name HttpTriggerExample

This creates a new function named HttpTriggerExample using the "HTTP trigger" template.

3. Run Your Function Locally

Start the Azure Functions host:

                    Terminal Command
                    bash
                

func start

The output will show the local URL for your HTTP trigger. It will typically look something like:

Http Functions:
                HttpTriggerExample: [GET,POST] http://localhost:7071/api/HttpTriggerExample

Open this URL in your web browser or use a tool like curl or Postman to send a request. You should see a response like:

                    Response
                    json
                

{
  "message": "Go ahead and send some data to the input parameter. The HTTP triggered function executed successfully."
}

4. Deploy to Azure

Once you're ready to deploy your function to Azure, you can use the Azure CLI or your preferred deployment method.

Learn More About Deployment

Next Steps

Congratulations on creating your first Azure Function! To further explore, consider:

Understanding core concepts.
Learning about different language and runtime options.
Exploring various trigger and binding integrations.