2.2 - Installation & Commands

Today we cover installing AZD on different platforms and explore the complete command reference to become AZD power users.

What You’ll Learn

• How to install AZD on Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Complete AZD command reference
• Configuration and customization options
• Tips and tricks for efficient AZD usage

Resources

Before diving in, review these resources:

1. 📘 Install Azure Developer CLI - Official installation guide
2. 📘 AZD Command Reference - Complete command documentation
3. 📘 AZD Configuration - Customization options

Installation

Windows

Option 1: Windows Package Manager (winget)

winget install microsoft.azd

Option 2: PowerShell Script

powershell -ex AllSigned -c "Invoke-RestMethod 'https://aka.ms/install-azd.ps1' | Invoke-Expression"

Option 3: MSI Installer Download from aka.ms/azd-windows

Verify Installation:

azd version

macOS

Option 1: Homebrew

brew tap azure/azd
brew install azd

Option 2: Install Script

curl -fsSL https://aka.ms/install-azd.sh | bash

Verify Installation:

azd version

Linux

Option 1: Install Script

curl -fsSL https://aka.ms/install-azd.sh | bash

Option 2: Package Managers

Ubuntu/Debian:

curl -sL https://aka.ms/InstallAzureCLIDeb | sudo bash

RHEL/CentOS:

curl -sL https://aka.ms/InstallAzureCLIRPM | sudo bash

Dev Containers

Add to devcontainer.json:

{
  "features": {
    "ghcr.io/azure/azure-dev/azd:latest": {}
  }
}

GitHub Codespaces

Pre-installed in many Azure templates. If not, use install script.

CI/CD Pipelines

GitHub Actions:

- name: Install azd
  uses: Azure/setup-azd@v0.1.0

Azure Pipelines:

- task: Bash@3
  displayName: Install azd
  inputs:
    targetType: inline
    script: |
      curl -fsSL https://aka.ms/install-azd.sh | bash

Complete Command Reference

Core Workflow Commands

Command	Purpose	Example
azd init	Initialize project	azd init --template <template>
azd up	Provision + Deploy	azd up
azd provision	Create infrastructure	azd provision
azd deploy	Deploy application	azd deploy api
azd down	Delete resources	azd down --force

Authentication Commands

Command	Purpose	Example
azd auth login	Sign in to Azure	azd auth login --use-device-code
azd auth logout	Sign out	azd auth logout
azd auth token	Get access token	azd auth token --output json

Environment Commands

Command	Purpose	Example
azd env new	Create environment	azd env new prod
azd env list	List environments	azd env list
azd env select	Set active environment	azd env select dev
azd env set	Set variable	azd env set API_KEY "value"
azd env get-values	Show all variables	azd env get-values
azd env refresh	Sync environment	azd env refresh

Monitoring & Troubleshooting

Command	Purpose	Example
azd monitor	View telemetry	azd monitor --overview
azd show	Show app info	azd show
azd version	Show version	azd version
azd config	Manage config	azd config list

Template Commands

Command	Purpose	Example
azd template list	Browse templates	azd template list
azd template show	Show template details	azd template show <template>
azd template source add	Add template source	azd template source add <name> <url>

Infrastructure Commands

Command	Purpose	Example
azd infra create	Create infra file	azd infra create
azd infra synth	Generate ARM from Bicep	azd infra synth
azd infra delete	Delete infrastructure	azd infra delete

Pipeline Commands

Command	Purpose	Example
azd pipeline config	Configure CI/CD	azd pipeline config

Command Options & Flags

Global Flags

Available on all commands:

--cwd <path>              # Change working directory
--debug                   # Enable debug logging
--no-prompt              # Disable interactive prompts
--output <format>        # Output format: json, table, none
--verbose               # Verbose logging

Example:

azd provision --debug --output json --no-prompt

Common Flags by Command

azd init

--template <name>        # Template to use
--location <region>      # Azure region
--subscription <id>      # Azure subscription

azd provision

--preview               # Show changes without deploying
--no-state             # Don't save state
--no-progress          # Disable progress indicator

azd deploy

--service <name>        # Deploy specific service
--from-package <path>   # Deploy from package
--all                  # Deploy all services

azd down

--force                # Skip confirmation
--purge               # Remove soft-deleted resources
--no-wait            # Don't wait for completion

Configuration

Global Configuration

View Configuration:

azd config list

Set Values:

azd config set defaults.location eastus

azd config set defaults.subscription <subscription-id>

azd config set telemetry.enabled true

azd config set output.format json

Configuration File: ~/.azd/config.json

Project Configuration (azure.yaml)

name: my-app
metadata:
  template: my-app@1.0.0

services:
  api:
    project: ./src/api
    language: python
    host: containerapp

hooks:
  postprovision:
    - echo "Custom hook"

pipeline:
  provider: github

Aliases & Shortcuts

Create shell aliases for frequently used commands:

Bash/Zsh (~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc):

alias azdup='azd up'
alias azdp='azd provision'
alias azdd='azd deploy'
alias azdm='azd monitor --overview'
alias azdown='azd down'

PowerShell (Profile):

function azdup { azd up }
function azdp { azd provision }
function azdd { azd deploy }
function azdm { azd monitor --overview }
function azdown { azd down }

Tips & Tricks

1. Quick Environment Switching

azde() {
  azd env select $1
  azd env get-values
}

azde dev
azde prod

2. Preview Before Deploying

Always preview infrastructure changes:

azd provision --preview
azd provision

3. Deploy Specific Service

When iterating on code:

azd deploy api    # Only deploy API
azd deploy web    # Only deploy web

4. Check Resource Status

azd show

azd show --open-portal

5. Debug Failed Deployments

azd deploy --debug

azd monitor --logs

6. Automate with Scripts

#!/bin/bash

for env in dev test prod; do
  azd env select $env
  azd provision
  azd deploy
done

7. Use Environment Variables

azd env set AZURE_LOCATION eastus \
  API_PORT 8000 \
  LOG_LEVEL DEBUG

8. Export Configuration

azd env get-values > config.txt

Shell Completion

Enable tab completion for faster typing:

Bash:

echo 'source <(azd completion bash)' >> ~/.bashrc

Zsh:

echo 'source <(azd completion zsh)' >> ~/.zshrc

PowerShell:

azd completion powershell | Out-String | Invoke-Expression

Version Management

Check Current Version:

azd version

Update to Latest:

azd upgrade

Install Specific Version:

winget install microsoft.azd --version 1.5.0

curl -fsSL https://aka.ms/install-azd.sh | bash -s -- --version 1.5.0

Uninstallation

Windows:

winget uninstall microsoft.azd

macOS:

brew uninstall azd

Linux:

sudo rm $(which azd)

Ask Copilot

Explore AZD commands:

1. “What are the performance implications of using ‘—debug’ flag in production deployments?”
2. “How do you configure azd to work behind a corporate proxy?”
3. “What’s the best practice for managing azd configuration across a team of developers?”

Related Resources

• AZD CLI Reference
• AZD Release Notes
• AZD Configuration Guide
• AZD GitHub Repository

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Next: Day 10 - Finding Templates

Tomorrow we’ll explore the AZD template gallery and learn how to find the perfect template for your project.