Guide for deploying and exporting ARM templates with Azure CLI, and deploying a web app using those templates

NB you are requested to have a prior knowledge of CLI & ARM for you to go along with this lab.

1. Deploy ARM Templates with Azure CLI

Step 1.1: Understand ARM Templates

ARM templates are JSON files that define Azure resources and their configurations. For this guide:

• template.json: Defines the resources.

• parameters.json: Supplies values for parameters defined in the template.

Step 1.2: Prepare the ARM Template and deploy a keyvault

Here’s a simple example to deploy an Azure Storage account:

template.json:

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "parameters": {
    "vaultName": {
      "type": "string",
      "metadata": {
        "description": "The name of the key vault to be created."
      }
    },
    "keyName": {
      "type": "string",
      "metadata": {
        "description": "The name of the key to be created."
      }
    },

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/key-vault/keys/quick-create-template?toc=%2Fazure%2Fazure-resource-manager%2Ftemplates%2Ftoc.json&tabs=CLI

Step 1.3: Deploy the ARM Template

Run the following Azure CLI command:

az group create \
  --resource-group <ResourceGroupName> \
  --template-file template.json \

• Replace <ResourceGroupName> with your actual resource group name.

• Ensure the template and parameter files are in the same directory.

you should get something like this if you followed the instruction

The outcome on azure portal

2. Export ARM Templates with Azure CLI

Step 2.1: Export from a Resource Group

To export an ARM template from an existing resource group:

az group export \
  --name <ResourceGroupName> \
  --output json > exported-template.json

This command saves the ARM template to a JSON file named exported-template.json.

once done you can go check the azure portal for confirmation

3. Deploy a Web App with ARM Templates and Azure CLI

Before proceeding, create a folder with the name Webapp on you directory because that is where you will be working on.

Step 3.1: Create the Template

For a web app, your template.json could look like this:

Step 3.1: Create the Template

For a web app, your template.json could look like this:

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "resources": [
    {
      "type": "Microsoft.Web/serverfarms",
      "apiVersion": "2021-01-15",
      "name": "[parameters('appServicePlanName')]",
      "location": "[resourceGroup().location]",
      "sku": {
        "name": "F1",
        "tier": "Free",
        "size": "F1",
        "family": "F",
        "capacity": 1
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "Microsoft.Web/sites",
      "apiVersion": "2021-01-15",
      "name": "[parameters('webAppName')]",
      "location": "[resourceGroup().location]",
      "properties": {
        "serverFarmId": "[resourceId('Microsoft.Web/serverfarms', parameters('appServicePlanName'))]",
        "siteConfig": {
          "appSettings": [
            {
              "name": "SCM_DO_BUILD_DURING_DEPLOYMENT",
              "value": "true"
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  ],
  "parameters": {
    "appServicePlanName": {
      "type": "string"
    },
    "webAppName": {
      "type": "string"
    }
  }
}

parameters.json:

jsonCopy code{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentParameters.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "parameters": {
    "webAppName": {
      "value": "myUniqueWebAppName"
    },
    "appServicePlanName": {
      "value": "myAppServicePlan"
    }
  }
}

But before we commence, we have to be sure we are on the right directory, doing that you type in cd (name of the directory) eg. cd web-app enter.

create a resource group

az group create \
  --resource-group <ResourceGroupName> \

Run the following: to deploy the parameters.json & template.json

az deployment group create \
  --resource-group <ResourceGroupName> \
  --template-file template.json \
  --parameters parameters.json

next is to deploy the website, i believe by now you should have gotten a website to use if not use this Fork Github Repo - LINK

It tells you it works, and it has been deployed, you go to your portal copy the default domain paste it into the browser of your choice