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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

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://autogineer.com/agent-skills/microsoft/azure-app-onboard/download
  2. 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

PropertyValue
Best forDevelopers who know what to build but not which Azure services to use
InputsBusiness idea or existing codebase, budget/scale preferences (optional)
OutputsArchitecture plan, cost estimate, IaC files, deployed Azure resources
PhasesDiscover → 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

ScenarioUse Instead
Run azd up or execute an existing deploymentazure-deploy
Optimize existing Azure spendcost-optimization from the optional azure-cost plugin
Generate Bicep/Terraform for a known architectureazure-prepare
Validate infrastructure or run preflight checksazure-validate
Troubleshoot a running Azure deploymentazure-diagnostics
Deploy to or manage AKS/Kubernetes directlyazure-kubernetes
Look up or list existing Azure resourcesazure-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.

#StepActionReference
1Session check + Azure loginCreate/resume session, verify Azure CLI auth, resolve subscription + user identity⛔ You MUST read session-protocol.md
2Scope triageCheck azd markers, triage question. Empty workspace or code-only (no infra) → Step 3 directly.⛔ Read intent-gathering.md § Scope Triage
3Prereq 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.
4Gather intentPresent prereq results, confirm stack + Azure services, ask remaining questions.⛔ Read intent-gathering.md § After Prereq Returns
5Plan architectureWrite prepare-plan.json.⛔ You MUST read prepare/PHASE.md
6Scaffold approval gateDisplay plan for user approval BEFORE generating any files.⛔ Read approval-gates.md § Scaffold Gate
7ScaffoldGenerate IaC, self-review. Write scaffold-manifest.json. Update context.json.⛔ You MUST read scaffold/PHASE.md
8Deploy approval gateDisplay validation summary. ⛔ After approval: FIRST read deploy-checklist.md → deploy/PHASE.md. NEVER {"skill": "azure-deploy"}.⛔ Read approval-gates.md § Deploy Gate
9DeployExecute IaC, health-check. Write deploy-result.json.⛔ You MUST read deploy/PHASE.md
10HandoffSurface deployment identity, cleanup commands, next steps.⛔ You MUST read handoff-protocol.md

Error Handling

ErrorRemediation
Phase failsHalt, report phase + error. User decides: retry, skip, abort.
MCP server unavailableSkip affected checks, add disclaimer to costEstimate.assumptions[] and every approval gate.
Missing RBACReport required role + az role assignment command.

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

Files

prepare/references/sku-quota-validation.md

SKU Quota Validation Procedure

Pre-deploy quota and offer restriction checks. Read during prepare Step 5 before deploying.

For SKU selection (budget tiers, modifier rules, defaults), see sku-matrix.md.

Quota Validation Procedure

⛔ Use az rest, NOT az quota list. The az quota list CLI extension triggers a full extension metadata scan on startup. If ANY installed extension has a permission error (common: azure-devops WinError 5 on Windows), the entire command fails. az rest is a built-in command that bypasses extension loading entirely and hits the same REST API. Quota increases are free — you only pay for resources actually used.

⛔ what-if does NOT catch App Service quota errors. az deployment sub what-if returns Succeeded even when the target SKU has limit=0. The quota rejection only surfaces at actual az deployment sub create time. This means the prepare-phase quota check is the ONLY pre-deploy safety net — do not skip or shortcut it.

⛔ Do NOT use az vm list-usage, az appservice list-locations, or mcp_azure_mcp_quota for quota checks. They return misleading data — see Anti-Patterns below.

Region Selection

Build the scan list dynamically — do NOT hardcode a fixed set of regions:

  1. User's preferred region — read context.json.azure.region or context.json.overrides[] for a region preference. If stated, scan that region first.

  2. Nearest alternates — add 3–4 regions geographically close to the user's preferred region from the global pool below.

  3. If no user preference — default to a well-supported region (e.g., eastus2) and scan 4 alternates from the user's likely geography (infer from subscription tenant location or ask).

Global region pool: eastus2, eastus, westus2, centralus, westeurope, northeurope, australiaeast, japaneast, southeastasia, brazilsouth

Agent: adapt shell syntax to detected environment. PowerShell shown below; use equivalent syntax on bash/zsh (e.g., for region in eastus eastus2 ...; do ... done).

⛔ PowerShell ? in URLs: When building az rest URLs with variable interpolation, PowerShell may strip ? from ?api-version=. Always use the URL inline in double quotes (as shown below), NOT via a $url variable. If you must use a variable, wrap the ? with a backtick: `?api-version=.

Per-Provider Scripts

Use az rest for all quota checks. Query BOTH limit AND usage (limit alone is insufficient).

App Service: Query quota + usages endpoints per region:

$sub = '{subscriptionId}'; $sku = '{sku}'
@('{userRegion}','{alt1}','{alt2}','{alt3}') | ForEach-Object {
  $limit = az rest --method get --url "https://management.azure.com/subscriptions/$sub/providers/Microsoft.Web/locations/$_/providers/Microsoft.Quota/quotas/$sku?api-version=2023-02-01" --query "properties.limit.value" -o tsv 2>$null
  $used  = az rest --method get --url "https://management.azure.com/subscriptions/$sub/providers/Microsoft.Web/locations/$_/providers/Microsoft.Quota/usages/$sku?api-version=2023-02-01" --query "properties.usages.value" -o tsv 2>$null
  # limit=0 with used=-1 is the API's "Free tier not offered here" sentinel — treat limit<=0 as BLOCKED and clamp negative usage so 0-(-1) does NOT become a false-positive 1.
  $ln = if ($limit) { [int]$limit } else { $null }; $un = if ($used) { [int]$used } else { 0 }
  $avail = if ($null -eq $ln) { 'unknown' } elseif ($ln -le 0) { 0 } else { $ln - [math]::Max(0, $un) }
  Write-Host "$_ : $sku limit=$limit available=$avail"
}

Container Apps: /usages gives usage+limit in one call:

az rest --method get --url "https://management.azure.com/subscriptions/$sub/providers/Microsoft.App/locations/{region}/usages?api-version=2024-03-01" --query "value[?name.value=='ManagedEnvironmentCount'].{used:currentValue, limit:limit}" -o json

Static Web Apps: No Microsoft.Quota provider — Free plan caps at ~10 apps/subscription (per docs; may vary, treat as guideline). Count existing Free apps:

az staticwebapp list --query "length([?sku.name=='Free'])" -o tsv

At/near cap → treat SWA Free as UNAVAILABLE (no self-service increase — raises need a support request). Fall back per After Checking.

Storage — default limit 250 accounts/region. Rarely exhausted — skip programmatic check unless the plan requires multiple storage accounts.

Key Vault — no quota API exists (returns NotFound). Default limit ~1000 vaults/subscription. Skip programmatic check.

Interpret Results
  • available > 0 → AVAILABLE. available = 0 / limit <= 0 → BLOCKED (a limit=0, used=-1 response is the API sentinel for "Free tier not offered in this region" — the script clamps it so it does not read as available). 404/empty → fallback candidate.

  • az rest fails → quotaValidation: { verified: false, method: "unverifiable" }.

After Checking
  1. Only offer regions with confirmed capacity — "try anyway" on zero/unconfirmed quota is a known deploy failure. 1b. Free tier missing in requested region but present elsewhere → present BOTH, ranked by cost: (a) free tier in nearest confirmed region ($0, recommended), (b) cheapest tier IN the requested region (show monthly cost + assumptions[] note). User picks — never silently relocate (region may be a data-residency/latency requirement).

  2. Free SKU zero in ALL regions → step down the fallback ladder to the cheapest available option (don't jump to a named tier — let live quota decide):

    • Static-capable app → SWA Free, but only if its cap isn't reached (see Static Web Apps above).

    • No free option left → cheapest available paid tier the app supports. This breaks the "free" promise — add an assumptions[] note stating why (e.g., "No F1 quota in {checkedRegions} and SWA Free cap reached").

    • All tiers exhausted → HALT: specify region, switch compute type, request increase at portal, or cancel.

  3. Write prepare-plan.json.quotaValidation: { verified: true, method: "cli", verifiedRegion, verifiedSku, checkedRegions[], failedResources[] }.

Offer Restriction Check (Database Services)

⛔ what-if/validate do NOT catch LocationIsOfferRestricted. Use capabilities API.

ProviderAPI Version
PostgreSQL2022-12-01
MySQL2023-12-30
$sub = '{subscriptionId}'; $provider = 'Microsoft.DBforPostgreSQL'; $apiVer = '2022-12-01'
@('{userRegion}','{alt1}','{alt2}','{alt3}') | ForEach-Object {
  $result = az rest --method get --url "https://management.azure.com/subscriptions/$sub/providers/$provider/locations/$_/capabilities?api-version=$apiVer" --query "value[0].supportedFlexibleServerEditions[0].name" -o tsv 2>$null
  if ($result) { Write-Host "$_ : $provider AVAILABLE ($result)" } else { Write-Host "$_ : $provider BLOCKED (offer restricted)" }
}

For MySQL: change $provider = 'Microsoft.DBforMySQL' and $apiVer = '2023-12-30'.

⛔ JMESPath MUST start with value[0].. URL MUST include /locations/{region}/. Empty/null response = BLOCKED. Write results to quotaValidation.offerRestrictions[].

⛔ Select the engine version deterministically from the capabilities payload — match the app's detected version, upgrading only to the nearest compatible release. The payload lists supported versions at value[0].supportedFlexibleServerEditions[0].supportedServerVersions[].name (e.g. MySQL: 5.7, 8.0.21, 8.4, 9.5). Using the detected DB version passed by the caller (from context.json.detectedServices[]):

  1. If the exact detected version (or its exact patch) is in the supported list → use it.

  2. Else use the lowest supported version whose major ≥ the detected major (detected 5.7, supported [5.7, 8.0.21, 8.4, 9.5] → 8.0.21). Picking the lowest compatible major — not the newest — avoids the 60+ minute provisioning hangs seen on brand-new majors (e.g. 9.x) and keeps compatibility with the app's driver/ORM. Return it in the quota output's per-service version field; the orchestrator copies it to prepare-plan.json.services[].version at plan-write (exact patch required — see prepare-schemas.ts version). Record the bump in assumptions[] if the detected version was upgraded.

Anti-Patterns

⛔ az quota list (extension failures), az vm list-usage (wrong layer), az appservice list-locations (ignores quota), mcp_azure_mcp_quota (misleading), what-if/validate (false positives).

Deploy Gate Re-Validation

If quotaValidation.verified == false at deploy gate: re-run Per-Provider Scripts above. Pass → update quotaValidation. Fail → present alternatives. az rest fails → warn and proceed.

Sub-Agent Delegation

When delegating from prepare Step 5, provide: subscriptionId, SKU list from prepare-plan.json.services[].sku, preferred region + fallbacks, list of managed database services, and this file's content. See subagent-quota.md for the template.

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)
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