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You can use Azure Developer CLI (azd) to initialize a sample project, sign in to Azure, and provision and deploy the app with three commands: azd init, azd auth login, and azd up. “From zero” here means an empty project directory—not a computer without tools, an Azure account, or a subscription.

Before you start: install azd and choose a template

Install Azure Developer CLI before opening the project directory. Microsoft documents platform-specific options, including winget install microsoft.azd on Windows, brew install azure/azd/azd on macOS, and curl -fsSL https://aka.ms/install-azd.sh | bash on Linux. Installation methods can differ; Microsoft notes that the Linux install script installs Git CLI and Bicep CLI within azd’s scope. Check the current installation instructions for your platform and package-manager situation.

You also need an Azure account with an active subscription for the documented deployment, plus the runtime prerequisites of the template you select. Those prerequisites vary by language and sample: for example, a template may require Node.js and npm, Python, .NET, or OpenJDK and Docker. Check the selected template’s current README rather than assuming old version requirements remain valid.

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A template is more than sample source code. It combines an application with azd configuration and infrastructure definitions. In a typical project, src contains deployable app code, infra contains infrastructure assets, and azure.yaml maps services to resources. That configuration determines what azd deploys; azd does not infer a complete production architecture from arbitrary source code. Before deploying, read the template README and review its architecture diagram and resource list.

1. Initialize a template with azd init

Open an empty directory in a terminal and run:

azd init --template <template-name>

Replace <template-name> with a template identifier. Microsoft’s quickstart uses examples such as todo-nodejs-mongo, todo-python-mongo, todo-csharp-cosmos-sql, and todo-java-mongo-aca. These are examples from the documentation, not a guarantee that every template is equally current or suitable for your needs.

azd clones and initializes the selected template, then asks you to name an environment. Choose a name that will help you recognize this deployment later, especially if you expect to create more than one environment.

2. Sign in with azd auth login

Run:

azd auth login

azd opens a browser for Azure sign-in. Complete the sign-in with an identity that can deploy to the subscription you intend to use.

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3. Provision and deploy with azd up

Run:

azd up

When prompted, select the target Azure subscription and location. The command provisions the resources described by the template’s infrastructure configuration, packages the application, and deploys it. Where the template requires it, azd also configures access and managed-identity communication. On completion, it displays links to the deployed app endpoints.

Microsoft describes azd up as a convenience command that combines provisioning, packaging, and deployment. The short command does not make the work instantaneous: provisioning and deployment can take several minutes.

What to check if deployment fails

Resource deployment is unavailable in the selected region

A resource required by the template may not be deployable in the location you chose. For the quickstart sample, Microsoft describes choosing another region and running the command again as an option. Before retrying, verify that the new location supports the template’s required resources and that the intended subscription and environment are still selected.

The template’s setup or runtime requirements are missing

Check the template README for required language runtimes, tools, and setup steps. Requirements differ by template and can change over time; a runtime installed for one sample may not satisfy another.

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Update or remove an azd deployment

Deploy code changes

For routine application-code changes to resources that are already provisioned, use azd deploy. If you change infrastructure, use azd provision to apply the infrastructure configuration. You can also run azd up again to provision and deploy updates using the environment’s configuration.

Clean up resources

azd down is the documented command for cleaning up resources created by a template. Before running it, select and verify the intended environment, then review the template and service’s data implications. Do not assume every external resource or stored-data outcome is reversible or identical across templates.

Useful next steps

After the initial deployment, Microsoft documents azd pipeline config for CI/CD setup and azd monitor for health and performance insights. They are follow-on commands, not prerequisites for the three-command beginner deployment. See Microsoft’s Azure Developer CLI quickstart and commands overview for the documented workflow and command details.

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