Introduction to Azure CLI

What is Azure CLI?

Azure CLI (Command-Line Interface) is a cross-platform tool that allows you to create, manage, and configure Azure resources directly from your command line or terminal.

Instead of clicking around in the Azure Portal, you use simple text commands like:

az vm create --name myVM --resource-group myRG --image UbuntuLTS

Key Features:

Feature	Details
Cross-platform	Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux
Scriptable	Automate tasks and deployments
Consistent Experience	Same commands across environments
Supports JSON/YAML Output	Useful for parsing and automation
Extendable	Can install additional modules ("extensions")

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Why Use Azure CLI?

Here’s why people love using Azure CLI:

Portal (GUI)	Azure CLI (Command Line)
Manual and click-based	Fast, repeatable, and scriptable
Harder to automate	Easy to integrate into scripts and pipelines
Better for one-off simple tasks	Better for repetitive or complex tasks
User-friendly for beginners	Powerful for professionals and DevOps teams

You use the Portal when you want visual simplicity, You use the CLI when you want speed, automation, and control.

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How Azure CLI Fits into the Azure Ecosystem

In Azure, you can interact with your resources in four main ways:

Method	Description	Example Tool
Portal	Web-based user interface (click around)	portal.azure.com
Azure CLI	Text-based, command-line interface	az vm create
PowerShell	Scripting environment for system administration	New-AzVM (PowerShell Cmdlet)
SDKs/APIs	Programmatic access using code	Python SDK, REST API

Azure CLI sits in the middle — perfect for engineers, sysadmins, developers, and cloud pros who need power and speed without having to write full applications.

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Azure CLI vs PowerShell vs Portal

Feature	Portal	Azure CLI	Azure PowerShell
User Interface	Graphical	Command-line (bash-like)	Command-line (PowerShell)
OS Support	Browser-based	Windows, Mac, Linux	Primarily Windows (cross-platform with PowerShell Core)
Learning Curve	Easy	Easy to moderate	Moderate
Scripting	No	Yes	Yes (more system admin tasks)
Best For	Beginners, quick tasks	Automation, DevOps	Deep administration and complex scripting

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Common Use Cases for Azure CLI

You’ll use Azure CLI often for tasks like:

• Deploying VMs, Storage, Databases

• Managing Resource Groups

• Setting up Networking (VNets, NSGs, Subnets)

• Automating DevOps pipelines

• Troubleshooting and monitoring

• Scripting Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Example: Deploying a Linux VM in seconds:

az vm create --resource-group myResourceGroup --name myVM --image UbuntuLTS