CLI Commands

3.1 Anatomy of an Azure CLI Command

Every Azure CLI command follows the same basic structure:

bashCopyEditaz <group> <subgroup> <command> --parameters

Part

Meaning

Example

az

The Azure CLI tool itself

<group>

The Azure service group

vm, group, storage

<subgroup>

Optional: further subgrouping

vm extension, network nsg

<command>

The action you want to perform

create, list, delete

--parameters

Additional options or settings

--name myVM --location eastus

🛠️ Example:

Create a resource group:

bashCopyEditaz group create --name myResourceGroup --location eastus

group = working with resource groups
create = action to create a new one
--name and --location = parameters to define it

📚 3.2 Using Built-In Help

Azure CLI has built-in help everywhere.

If you ever forget a command or need examples:

bashCopyEditaz --help

Help for a specific group:

bashCopyEditaz vm --help

Help for a specific command:

bashCopyEditaz vm create --help

👉 Tip: Look at the Examples section in the help output. It saves time!

🎨 3.3 Understanding Output Formats

You can control how Azure CLI shows you the results with --output (or -o).

Output Format

Usage

Best For

JSON

--output json

Full detail, automation scripts

Table

--output table

Human-readable summaries

YAML

--output yaml

Structured, readable config

JSONC

--output jsonc (colored JSON)

Developers, colored JSON output

None

--output none

When you only care about the result, not the output

🛠️ Example:

List all resource groups as a table:

bashCopyEditaz group list --output table

Output:

Name

Location

Status

myResourceGroup

eastus

Succeeded

Much easier to read than raw JSON!

🔍 3.4 Filtering with --query (JMESPath)

Azure CLI supports powerful filtering using --query.

JMESPath is a query language for JSON data that lets you select specific parts of output.

🛠️ Example:

List only the names of all resource groups:

bashCopyEditaz group list --query "[].name" --output table

Output:

Name

myResourceGroup

testRG

Another Example: Get the ID of the first VM in the list:

bashCopyEditaz vm list --query "[0].id" --output tsv

(tsv = tab-separated value, just the value, no JSON)

🧠 Tip: You can combine --query and --output to make CLI results beautiful and precise.

⚡ 3.5 Common Parameters You’ll Always See

Parameter

Purpose

Example

--name or -n

Name of the resource

--name myVM

--resource-group or -g

Name of the Resource Group

--resource-group myRG

--location or -l

Azure Region

--location eastus

--output or -o

Format the output

--output table

--query

Filter the output

--query "[].name"

You’ll use these over and over again across all Azure CLI commands.

📝 Module 3 Summary

Topic

Key Points

CLI command structure

az <group> <command> --parameters

Built-in help

az <group> <command> --help

Output formats

JSON (default), Table, YAML, JSONC

Filtering output

--query with JMESPath syntax

Common parameters

--name, --resource-group, --location, --output

Last updated 16 hours ago

CLI Commands

3.1 Anatomy of an Azure CLI Command

Every Azure CLI command follows the same basic structure:

bashCopyEditaz <group> <subgroup> <command> --parameters

Part

Meaning

Example

az

The Azure CLI tool itself

<group>

The Azure service group

vm, group, storage

<subgroup>

Optional: further subgrouping

vm extension, network nsg

<command>

The action you want to perform

create, list, delete

--parameters

Additional options or settings

--name myVM --location eastus

🛠️ Example:

Create a resource group:

bashCopyEditaz group create --name myResourceGroup --location eastus

group = working with resource groups
create = action to create a new one
--name and --location = parameters to define it

📚 3.2 Using Built-In Help

Azure CLI has built-in help everywhere.

If you ever forget a command or need examples:

bashCopyEditaz --help

Help for a specific group:

bashCopyEditaz vm --help

Help for a specific command:

bashCopyEditaz vm create --help

👉 Tip: Look at the Examples section in the help output. It saves time!

🎨 3.3 Understanding Output Formats

You can control how Azure CLI shows you the results with --output (or -o).

Output Format

Usage

Best For

JSON

--output json

Full detail, automation scripts

Table

--output table

Human-readable summaries

YAML

--output yaml

Structured, readable config

JSONC

--output jsonc (colored JSON)

Developers, colored JSON output

None

--output none

When you only care about the result, not the output

🛠️ Example:

List all resource groups as a table:

bashCopyEditaz group list --output table

Output:

Name

Location

Status

myResourceGroup

eastus

Succeeded

Much easier to read than raw JSON!

🔍 3.4 Filtering with --query (JMESPath)

Azure CLI supports powerful filtering using --query.

JMESPath is a query language for JSON data that lets you select specific parts of output.

🛠️ Example:

List only the names of all resource groups:

bashCopyEditaz group list --query "[].name" --output table

Output:

Name

myResourceGroup

testRG

Another Example: Get the ID of the first VM in the list:

bashCopyEditaz vm list --query "[0].id" --output tsv

(tsv = tab-separated value, just the value, no JSON)

🧠 Tip: You can combine --query and --output to make CLI results beautiful and precise.

⚡ 3.5 Common Parameters You’ll Always See

Parameter

Purpose

Example

--name or -n

Name of the resource

--name myVM

--resource-group or -g

Name of the Resource Group

--resource-group myRG

--location or -l

Azure Region

--location eastus

--output or -o

Format the output

--output table

--query

Filter the output

--query "[].name"

You’ll use these over and over again across all Azure CLI commands.

📝 Module 3 Summary

Topic

Key Points

CLI command structure

az <group> <command> --parameters

Built-in help

az <group> <command> --help

Output formats

JSON (default), Table, YAML, JSONC

Filtering output

--query with JMESPath syntax

Common parameters

--name, --resource-group, --location, --output

Last updated 16 hours ago