Azure App Onboard

MicrosoftOfficialCreated by Microsoft

Skill
Workflow
Cloud and DevOps
MIT
Low risk
Has scripts

From the author

End-to-end orchestrator: from a business idea, app idea, or existing app to running Azure deployment with cost estimates and pre-deploy approval. Analyzes your app, auto-detects the right Azure services, scaffolds infrastructure code, and deploys — tailored to your app, not a template. Handles moving existing apps to Azure without rewriting or with minimal changes. WHEN: bring your app to Azure, plan my app, cost to run, is my code ready to deploy, deploy my app to the cloud, deploy all my services, what Azure services do I need, plan my Azure deployment, deploy my new app to Azure, one-click deploy, I have an app and want it on Azure, migrate my app to Azure, help me get started, build an app, no code yet, starter project. DO NOT USE FOR: use azd for deployment(use azure-deploy), optimizing existing costs (use cost-optimization), code readiness checks only (use azure-app-onboard-prereq).

— the description by Microsoft

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

Azure App Onboard is a comprehensive workflow agent designed to take a business idea or an existing codebase and transition it to a running Azure deployment. It automates the entire lifecycle from initial discovery and architecture planning to infrastructure scaffolding and final deployment. The skill is built to be intelligent and tailored, analyzing the specific requirements of your application rather than relying on generic templates. It includes built-in approval gates for both the architecture plan and the final deployment, ensuring you maintain control over costs and resource configuration throughout the process.

What it does

Analyzes your application code or business idea to determine the optimal Azure service stack.
Generates custom infrastructure-as-code (IaC) files tailored to your specific application needs.
Provides detailed cost estimates for the proposed Azure infrastructure before deployment.
Executes the deployment of resources directly to your Azure subscription.
Handles the migration of existing applications to Azure with minimal code changes.
Provides a structured, step-by-step onboarding experience for developers of all experience levels.

When to use it

When you have an application and want to deploy it to Azure but are unsure which services to use.
When you need to migrate an existing application to the cloud without a complete rewrite.
When you require a cost estimate for your infrastructure before committing to a deployment.
When you need guided, end-to-end assistance for setting up a new Azure project.
When you want to verify if your current codebase is ready for a cloud deployment.

Advantages

Eliminates guesswork by auto-detecting the right Azure services for your specific stack.
Reduces manual effort by automating the scaffolding of infrastructure-as-code.
Ensures transparency with mandatory approval gates for architecture and deployment.
Provides cost visibility early in the planning phase.
Supports a wide range of scenarios from greenfield projects to existing app migrations.

Usage examples

“I have a Python web app and want to deploy it to Azure. Can you help me get started?”: The agent will initiate the discovery phase, scan your codebase, propose an architecture, and guide you through the deployment process.
“I need to move my existing application to Azure, but I'm not sure what services I need. Can you plan this for me?”: The agent will analyze your app's requirements, suggest the appropriate Azure services, and provide a cost estimate for your approval.

Install

Download the skill as a ZIP:
https://autogineer.com/agent-skills/microsoft/azure-app-onboard/download

Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip azure-app-onboard.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by Microsoft

Azure App Onboard

⛔ Every repo goes through the full pipeline (Steps 1–10). No exceptions. Do not skip steps, refuse, or short-circuit based on what you recognize. Follow the Workflow table below sequentially — read each step's references before acting.

Quick Reference

Property	Value
Best for	Developers who know what to build but not which Azure services to use
Inputs	Business idea or existing codebase, budget/scale preferences (optional)
Outputs	Architecture plan, cost estimate, IaC files, deployed Azure resources
Phases	Discover → Architect → Scaffold → Deploy (self-contained, no external skill calls)

When to Use This Skill

Deploy existing code without knowing which Azure services to use
Check if your existing code is ready to deploy to Azure
Move an existing app to Azure without rewriting or with minimal changes
Get cost estimates before committing to infrastructure
Understand architecture decisions and rejected alternatives
Get answers to Azure architecture or service selection questions (e.g., "What database should I use?")
Get guided Azure onboarding without prior experience

When NOT to Use

Scenario	Use Instead
Run `azd up` or execute an existing deployment	`azure-deploy`
Optimize existing Azure spend	`cost-optimization` from the optional `azure-cost` plugin
Generate Bicep/Terraform for a known architecture	`azure-prepare`
Validate infrastructure or run preflight checks	`azure-validate`
Troubleshoot a running Azure deployment	`azure-diagnostics`
Deploy to or manage AKS/Kubernetes directly	`azure-kubernetes`
Look up or list existing Azure resources	`azure-resource-lookup`

If cost-optimization is unavailable, explain that it is provided by the optional azure-cost plugin and direct the user to their client's supported plugin installation flow; do not imply the handoff completed.

Pipeline Rules

⛔ You MUST read references/pipeline-rules.md at the start of every AppOnboard session. It contains approval gates, phase lifecycle, session artifacts, deploy-as-is, and security baseline rules.

Workflow

⛔ Deploy recovery: After deploy gate approval OR before any az deployment/az webapp deploy/az acr build — if you haven't read deploy/PHASE.md, read .copilot-azure/sessions/{id}/deploy-checklist.md first, then deploy/PHASE.md. ⛔ NEVER invoke {"skill": "azure-deploy"} — that is a DIFFERENT skill for a DIFFERENT workflow.

⛔ Post-scaffold transition (MANDATORY): Immediately after scaffold-manifest.json is written, YOUR NEXT ACTION MUST be Step 8 (Deploy Approval Gate) — NOT a summary report, NOT a "here are the generated files" message, NOT a completion signal. Confirm context.json has completedPhases: [...,"scaffold"] + currentPhase: "deploy" (update it yourself if the scaffold subagent didn't). Re-read approval-gates.md § Deploy Gate if evicted from context (scaffold reference loading is heavy), then present the exact prompt: "🚀 Ready to deploy? (Yes / Run manually / Edit plan / Cancel)". This gate is the LAST content in your response — wait for the user's reply.

#	Step	Action	Reference
1	Session check + Azure login	Create/resume session, verify Azure CLI auth, resolve subscription + user identity	⛔ You MUST read session-protocol.md
2	Scope triage	Check azd markers, triage question. Empty workspace or code-only (no infra) → Step 3 directly.	⛔ Read intent-gathering.md § Scope Triage
3	Prereq scan	⛔ Skip if `completedPhases` includes `"prereq"`. Otherwise: invoke `{"skill": "azure-app-onboard-prereq"}`. Write `prereq-output.json`, update `context.json`. Halt if: `overallHealth: "blocked"` OR `routeToSkill` set.
4	Gather intent	Present prereq results, confirm stack + Azure services, ask remaining questions.	⛔ Read intent-gathering.md § After Prereq Returns
5	Plan architecture	Write `prepare-plan.json`.	⛔ You MUST read prepare/PHASE.md
6	Scaffold approval gate	Display plan for user approval BEFORE generating any files.	⛔ Read approval-gates.md § Scaffold Gate
7	Scaffold	Generate IaC, self-review. Write `scaffold-manifest.json`. Update `context.json`.	⛔ You MUST read scaffold/PHASE.md
8	Deploy approval gate	Display validation summary. ⛔ After approval: FIRST read deploy-checklist.md → deploy/PHASE.md. NEVER `{"skill": "azure-deploy"}`.	⛔ Read approval-gates.md § Deploy Gate
9	Deploy	Execute IaC, health-check. Write `deploy-result.json`.	⛔ You MUST read deploy/PHASE.md
10	Handoff	Surface deployment identity, cleanup commands, next steps.	⛔ You MUST read `handoff-protocol.md`

Error Handling

Error	Remediation
Phase fails	Halt, report phase + error. User decides: retry, skip, abort.
MCP server unavailable	Skip affected checks, add disclaimer to `costEstimate.assumptions[]` and every approval gate.
Missing RBAC	Report required role + `az role assignment` command.

Shared references: MCP tools (cross-phase tool parameters) | IaC resources (Azure resource docs for troubleshooting)

Files

ATTRIBUTION.mdAdded by AutoGineer983 B
LICENSELicence file added by AutoGineer1.1 KiB
SKILL.md6.6 KiB
deploy/PHASE.md7.5 KiB
deploy/references/approval-gate-template.md2.9 KiB
deploy/references/blocked-patterns.md5.7 KiB
deploy/references/code-deployment-appservice.md4.6 KiB
deploy/references/code-deployment-container-apps.md8.4 KiB
deploy/references/code-deployment-swa.md5.7 KiB
deploy/references/database-post-deploy.md4.5 KiB
deploy/references/deploy-checklist-template.md10.1 KiB
deploy/references/deploy-safety.md4.5 KiB
deploy/references/deploy-schemas.tsScript3.5 KiB
deploy/references/error-classification.md3.6 KiB
deploy/references/health-check-patterns.md5.5 KiB
deploy/references/mcp-tools.md5.5 KiB
deploy/references/portal-links.md3.1 KiB
deploy/references/preflight-checks.md4.4 KiB
deploy/references/subagent-preflight.md5.1 KiB
prepare/PHASE.md6.4 KiB
prepare/references/deploy-strategy.md6.8 KiB
prepare/references/mcp-tools.md5.6 KiB
prepare/references/naming-patterns.md4.6 KiB
prepare/references/prepare-schemas.tsScript7.0 KiB
prepare/references/pricing-guide-services.md8.4 KiB
prepare/references/pricing-guide.md4.0 KiB
prepare/references/service-mapping.md8.5 KiB
prepare/references/sku-matrix.md3.2 KiB
prepare/references/sku-quota-validation.md9.0 KiB
prepare/references/subagent-pricing.md2.5 KiB
prepare/references/subagent-quota.md3.5 KiB
prepare/references/validation-rubric.md2.3 KiB
references/approval-gates.md8.4 KiB
references/azd-template-routing.md4.7 KiB
references/handoff-protocol.md7.8 KiB
references/iac-resources.md2.6 KiB
references/intent-gathering.md2.2 KiB
references/mcp-tool-reference.md3.7 KiB
references/pipeline-rules-runtime.md3.5 KiB
references/pipeline-rules.md6.3 KiB
references/session-protocol.md8.0 KiB
references/session-schemas.tsScript5.2 KiB
references/subscription-resolution.md2.1 KiB
scaffold/PHASE.md14.2 KiB
scaffold/references/bicep-app-service.md5.4 KiB
scaffold/references/bicep-container-apps.md9.3 KiB
scaffold/references/bicep-patterns-data.md4.0 KiB
scaffold/references/bicep-patterns-security.md7.8 KiB
scaffold/references/bicep-patterns.md6.8 KiB
scaffold/references/bicep-swa.md757 B
scaffold/references/cicd-pipelines.md325 B
scaffold/references/dockerfile-generation.md4.1 KiB
scaffold/references/env-var-secrets.md4.1 KiB
scaffold/references/error-handling.md1.5 KiB
scaffold/references/iac-generation-rules.md6.6 KiB
scaffold/references/mcp-tools.md7.0 KiB
scaffold/references/rbac-roles.md3.8 KiB
scaffold/references/scaffold-healing-rules.md3.3 KiB
scaffold/references/scaffold-schemas.tsScript3.5 KiB
scaffold/references/self-healing.md2.3 KiB
scaffold/references/self-review-checklist.md9.0 KiB
scaffold/references/self-review-procedure.md2.3 KiB
scaffold/references/subagent-iac-gen.md9.5 KiB
scaffold/references/subagent-review.md3.5 KiB
scaffold/references/subagent-validate.md7.2 KiB
scaffold/references/terraform-patterns.md6.9 KiB
scaffold/references/validation-and-manifest.md5.1 KiB
scaffold/references/waf-checklist.md2.3 KiB
scaffold/scripts/scaffold-conformance.ps1Script12.8 KiB
scaffold/scripts/scaffold-conformance.shScript13.8 KiB

deploy/references/deploy-safety.md

Deploy Safety

Hook-based safety rules for the deploy phase. Block destructive operations.

deploy-result.json Skeleton

Created by scaffold validate sub-agent. If missing at deploy Step 5b, create from deploy-schemas.ts with status: "in-progress". Append to deploymentNames[] on each healing retry.

Deploy Checklist (compaction-safe — generated at Step 5b)

⛔ You MUST read deploy-checklist-template.md at Step 5b to generate the checklist. Write the result to .copilot-azure/sessions/{id}/deploy-checklist.md. Re-read the generated checklist after every long-running command, failed health check, and conversation compaction.

Finalize deploy-result.json (Step 8)

Overwrite the skeleton with real values:

status → "succeeded" or "failed"
deploymentNames → ALL names used (initial + retries)
healthStatus → worst across endpoints
duration.completedUtc → now
resourceResults → one entry per resource from az deployment operation list

Blocked Patterns

⛔ You MUST read blocked-patterns.md before running ANY az command during the deploy phase. This file contains every command the agent is forbidden from executing. Block decisions are non-negotiable — user must run blocked commands manually outside AppOnboard.

403 Scope Fallback

When az deployment sub create returns 403 (insufficient subscription-scope permissions), do NOT halt immediately:

Restructure Bicep to RG-scope — change targetScope = 'subscription' to resource-group scope, remove the Microsoft.Resources/resourceGroups resource.
Create the RG via CLI — az group create -n {rg} -l {region} --tags app-onboard-skill=true app-onboard-session-id={sessionId} created-at={createdAt} environment={environmentName} deployed-by={deployedBy}. All 5 AppOnboard tags MUST be included.
Retry with az deployment group create — use --resource-group {rg} instead of subscription scope.
Regenerate portal link for RG-scope — $resId must include /resourceGroups/{rg}: $resId = "/subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{rg}/providers/Microsoft.Resources/deployments/$deploymentName". Re-run Write-Output "LINK=$l"; Start-Process $l 2>$null and print new bare URL.
If retry ALSO fails with 403 → classify as ENVIRONMENT_BLOCKING. Surface required role: az role assignment create --role Contributor --assignee {user} --scope /subscriptions/{sub}/resourceGroups/{rg}.

Deploy Checklist

⛔ Use sync shells so state persists. Persist secrets to .copilot-azure/sessions/{id}/deploy-secrets.env — generate each secret ONCE (URL-safe, no /+=), reload in every later shell. Never regenerate an existing key. Key Vault is the durable source of truth for every secret (the file is only a cross-shell reload cache and is git-ignored via .copilot-azure/). NEVER echo or log rendered secret values.
⛔ URL-safe passwords required when app uses URL-based connection strings. Forbidden chars: # @ / ? % : & = + ;. ⛔ az webapp deploy does NOT support --track-status. ⛔ az rest on Windows PowerShell: ALWAYS include --headers "Content-Type=application/json". ⛔ Suppress deployment output: Add --query properties.provisioningState -o tsv to deployment commands. For az acr build, append --no-logs.

Post-Deploy Tag Verification

After deployment, verify all 5 AppOnboard tags: az group show -n {rg} --query tags -o json. Re-apply missing via az tag update.

Deployment Operation Polling

For deployments with >5 resources, poll every 30s: az deployment operation list --name {name} --subscription {sub} --query "[?properties.provisioningState=='Failed']" -o table. Wait for FULL completion before healing — collect ALL errors in one pass.

Re-Approval Gates

Region, service type, or SKU changes from user-approved values → re-present approval gate. Resource name changes → informational only. Same-deployment retries → no re-approval.

Antipatterns

⛔ Do NOT az group delete --no-wait then az group create same name — background deletion takes 5-15 min and destroys the new RG. Use a different name or wait: az group wait --name {rg} --deleted --timeout 900.

Artifact Reconciliation After Healing

After ANY healing that changes deployed resources, update prepare-plan.json, scaffold-manifest.json, and context.json to reflect actual state. Track orphaned RGs in deploy-result.json.orphanedResourceGroups[] immediately when switching to a new RG.

Requirements and compatibility

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Needs: Needs an MCP server, Needs Node.js

Security

What our scanner noticed· Low risk

Instructions that use the network
Scripts that your agent may run

This skill includes scripts that your agent may run. Read them before you use it.

A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.

Attribution and licence

Created by

Microsoft

Publisher

Microsoft (Official)

Source

microsoft/skills · .github/plugins/azure-skills/skills/azure-app-onboard · commit 0696600

Licence

MIT License (redistribution allowed)

LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from .github/plugins/azure-skills/LICENSE)
ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)

Synced

2026-11-09

Also distributed in

microsoft/azure-skills

AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft or Microsoft.

Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download azure-app-onboard.zip

From the author

AutoGineer summary

What it does

When to use it

Advantages

Usage examples

Install

Documentation by Microsoft

Azure App Onboard

Quick Reference

When to Use This Skill

When NOT to Use

Pipeline Rules

Workflow

Error Handling

Files

deploy/references/deploy-safety.md

Deploy Safety

deploy-result.json Skeleton

Deploy Checklist (compaction-safe — generated at Step 5b)

Finalize deploy-result.json (Step 8)

Blocked Patterns

403 Scope Fallback

Deploy Checklist

Post-Deploy Tag Verification

Deployment Operation Polling

Re-Approval Gates

Antipatterns

Artifact Reconciliation After Healing

Requirements and compatibility

Security

Attribution and licence

Related skills

Shipping And Launch

Quantized Export

Deployment Pipeline Design

Gitops Workflow

Spark Environment Setup

Cloud Infrastructure Deployment Engineer

Download ZIP