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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

scaffold/references/subagent-iac-gen.md

Subagent Template — IaC Generation (Steps 5–8)

Generate deployment-ready IaC from prepare-plan.json. Follow the workflow below — each step specifies which reference to read and what to do with it.

Critical Rules

  • ⛔ Do NOT invoke ANY skills — no {"skill": "azure-validate"}, {"skill": "azure-deploy"}, {"skill": "azure-prepare"}, or any other skill call. Use the procedures in THIS file only.

  • ⛔ Do NOT generate azure.yaml

  • ⛔ Do NOT modify app source code — only write files under infra/ (and Dockerfile.azure if needed)

  • ⛔ Do NOT run app build/test/lint commands (npm test, npm run build, pnpm build, python -m pytest, dotnet build, etc.). Only validate generated IaC via az bicep build.

Input (provided by caller)

FieldSourceRequired
prepare-plan.json contentSession folder — services, naming, quotas, cost, deploymentVariablesYES (verbatim)
context.json.overridesiacFormat, detectedInfraProviderYES
buildRequirementsFrom prereq-output.json — runtime, deps, DockerfilesYES
warnings[]From prereq-output.json — prereq warnings requiring IaC fixes (env var overrides, config changes). Applied during Steps 3–4.YES
Compute targetsApp Service/Functions, Container Apps, or both + whether PostgreSQL/Redis presentYES
apiVersionsMap of resourceType → latestGAVersion from main-thread MCP lookup. Use these versions in generated Bicep — do NOT use versions from training data. If "MCP unavailable" — see Step 1 for fallback.YES

Output

ArtifactLocation
infra/main.bicep (or main.tf)Workspace infra/
infra/main.parameters.json (or variables.tf)Workspace infra/
infra/modules/{service}.bicep per serviceWorkspace infra/modules/
File listReturn to caller for scaffold-manifest.json.files[]

Workflow

Step 1 — Read skeleton + tag patterns

Read bicep-patterns.md (Bicep) OR terraform-patterns.md (Terraform) — NOT both.

Do: Extract the main.bicep skeleton structure (targetScope, parameters, variables, resource group, module calls). Extract the 5-tag block definition. Use prepare-plan.json.naming for all resource names — never derive names with take(), substring(), uniqueString(), or string manipulation. The 4-char session suffix in the plan names already provides uniqueness. ⛔ For each resource 'Type@Version' declaration, use the version from apiVersions input. If type missing from map, use version from reference file examples.

⛔ If apiVersions is "MCP unavailable" or missing a resource type: run az provider show --namespace {ns} --query "resourceTypes[?resourceType=='{type}'].apiVersions[?!contains(@, 'preview')] | [0][0]" -o tsv for each missing provider — this filters to GA-only and picks the latest. NEVER fall back to training data — hallucinated API versions cause multiple deploy healing cycles.

Step 2 — Read compute-target patterns

Read ONLY the compute-target reference(s) matching the plan, if the plan has multiple compute targets, read each matching file.:

Do: Generate compute module(s) using the patterns from each reference file. F1/D1 App Service: do NOT generate Dockerfile, do NOT add managed identity (OOM). App Service health probe: if prereq-output.json.healthEndpoint is non-null, set siteConfig.healthCheckPath to that value; otherwise omit (do NOT default to /).

Step 3 — Read security patterns

⛔ You MUST read bicep-patterns-security.md. It contains Key Vault config, managed identity, HTTPS/TLS, and credential hygiene rules. Apply to every generated module.

Step 4 — Read generation rules

Read iac-generation-rules.md.

Do: Apply ALL rules from the reference file to every generated module. The file contains mandatory tag definitions, naming constraints, security patterns, env var completeness checks, and Dockerfile generation rules. Do NOT skip any section — every rule applies.

Step 5 — Read env var + secrets wiring

Read env-var-secrets.md.

Do: For each component in the plan, read .env.example (or .env.sample, config files like Pydantic Settings, Django settings.py) from the workspace. Map every env var to either: (1) a Bicep parameter, (2) a KV secret reference, or (3) a value derived from other resources (e.g., DB connection string from the DB module output). Wire these into the compute module's appSettings (App Service) or env (Container Apps).

Step 6 — Generate data modules (if needed)

ONLY if PostgreSQL, MySQL, or Redis is in the plan. Skip if none are present.

PostgreSQL Flexible Server module — include the AllowAllAzureServicesAndResourcesWithinAzureIps (0.0.0.0) firewall rule, extension allow-list (azure.extensions config: uuid-ossp,pgcrypto,pg_trgm), SSL enforcement, storage config (default 32 GB). Set the server version from prepare-plan.json.services[].version (capabilities-verified) — do NOT hardcode or guess. Use @secure() param administratorLoginPassword — deploy generates the value once and reuses it on redeploy; do NOT bake a value.

MySQL Flexible Server module — mirror the PostgreSQL module, with the MySQL-only deltas: require_secure_transport: ON config, the server version from prepare-plan.json.services[].version (ARM rejects major-only strings like '8.0' — needs an exact patch such as '8.0.21'), and a flexibleServers/databases child resource for the compose-declared DB name (e.g. MYSQLDB_DATABASE) so the app's schema DB exists in IaC before the container starts. See bicep-patterns-data.md § MySQL Flexible Server Module.

Redis Cache module — Basic SKU, enableNonSslPort: false, minimumTlsVersion: '1.2'. Store hostname + access key in Key Vault. ⛔ Known Bicep type issue: sku property may cause BCP035/BCP187 warnings — these are false positives. If deploy fails with InvalidRequestBody for properties.sku.name, create via az redis create --sku Basic --vm-size c0 then reference with existing keyword in Bicep.

Wire connection strings via Key Vault secretRef (Container Apps) or @Microsoft.KeyVault() (App Service). ⛔ Container Apps: KV secretRef entries MUST be gated behind isPlaceholder — Phase 1 deploys with secrets: []. See bicep-container-apps.md § Two-Phase Wiring.

Step 7 — Generate all files

⛔ Before writing ANY file, verify: (1) KV uses enableRbacAuthorization: true, NO enablePurgeProtection, NO access policies. (2) No secrets in module outputs — secrets flow through KV only. (3) API versions from apiVersions input, not memory. (4) Container Apps: no revisionSuffix, placeholder image as default, isPlaceholder conditionals on registries/secrets.

Do: Create the infra/ directory and write all files:

  1. infra/bicepconfig.json — write { "formatting": { "newlineKind": "LF" } } if it doesn't already exist (user's repo may have one). LF is critical because Bicep triple-quoted strings pass content literally to ARM, and \r bytes crash /bin/sh in containers.

  2. infra/main.bicep — subscription scope, RG creation with tags, module calls for all services + role-assignments module (KV deployer + app-to-KV RBAC), all unconditional.

  3. infra/main.parameters.json — ARM JSON format (NOT .bicepparam). Include environmentName, location, sessionId, deployedBy, createdAt. ⛔ createdAt value: run Get-Date -Format "o" in terminal to get the current ISO 8601 timestamp — NEVER use a hardcoded or placeholder date. Do NOT include @secure() params (passed at deploy time). Include deployerObjectId param (deploy phase passes via az ad signed-in-user show --query id -o tsv).

  4. infra/modules/{service}.bicep — one module per service from the plan, PLUS role-assignments.bicep (KV Secrets Officer for deployer, KV Secrets User for app identity if MI enabled — see bicep-patterns-security.md § Key Vault Deployer RBAC).

  5. If buildRequirements.hasBuildKitSyntax == true: ⛔ create {component}/Dockerfile.azure per dockerfile-generation.md § ACR Build Compatibility.

  6. If Container Apps and component has NO Dockerfile: read dockerfile-generation.md and generate one. Follow the layer ordering, port alignment, and security defaults from that reference — do NOT generate from memory.

⛔ Health probes for Container Apps: Probe path priority: (1) prereq-output.json.healthEndpoint if non-null, (2) first detected GET route from the app, (3) / only if the app has a root handler. Do NOT default to / for APIs that only serve sub-paths — returns 404, blocks activation. For DB apps: use /healthz not /readyz (DB not wired in Phase 1).

Step 8 — Validate syntax

Do: Run az bicep build --file infra/main.bicep --stdout > $null. If errors, fix and re-run (max 2 attempts). Do NOT use the azure-validate skill.

Step 9 — Return results

Do: Return the list of generated files and any validation notes to the caller. Keep status report ≤1500 tokens.

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.

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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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