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Azure CLI

The Azure CLI is a cross-platform command-line tool for managing Azure resources. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, and can be used interactively or in automation scripts. This guide covers instal

Installation (2025)

Fedora / RHEL / CentOS

sudo rpm --import https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc
sudo dnf install -y https://packages.microsoft.com/config/rhel/9.0/packages-microsoft-prod.rpm
sudo dnf install -y https://packages.microsoft.com/config/rhel/8/packages-microsoft-prod.rpm
sudo dnf install azure-cli

Ubuntu / Debian

curl -sL https://aka.ms/InstallAzureCLIDeb | sudo bash

macOS (Homebrew)

brew update && brew install azure-cli

Windows

winget install -e --id Microsoft.AzureCLI

NixOS Installation & Configuration (2025)

Using Nix Package Manager

# Add to your /etc/nixos/configuration.nix
environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [ azure-cli ];

Apply the configuration:

sudo nixos-rebuild switch

Using Home Manager (per-user)

# Add to your home.nix
home.packages = with pkgs; [ azure-cli ];

Apply the configuration:

home-manager switch

Post-Install Configuration

  • Ensure you have Python 3 available (NixOS provides this by default).

  • If you need to use Azure CLI behind a proxy, set the HTTP_PROXY and HTTPS_PROXY environment variables as described above.

  • For persistent configuration, add proxy variables to your shell profile (e.g., .bashrc, .zshrc).

Proxy Settings

If you are behind a proxy, configure the following environment variables:

# No auth
export HTTP_PROXY=http://[proxy]:[port]
export HTTPS_PROXY=https://[proxy]:[port]

# Basic auth
export HTTP_PROXY=http://[username]:[password]@[proxy]:[port]
export HTTPS_PROXY=https://[username]:[password]@[proxy]:[port]

Running Azure CLI in Docker/Podman

docker run -it mcr.microsoft.com/azure-cli

To use your local SSH keys (for az ssh, az vm, etc.):

docker run -it -v ${HOME}/.ssh:/root/.ssh mcr.microsoft.com/azure-cli

Real-Life DevOps Examples (2025)

1. Login and Set Subscription

az login
az account set --subscription "My-Prod-Subscription"

2. Create a Resource Group

az group create --name devops-rg --location westeurope

3. Deploy Infrastructure with Bicep

az deployment group create \
  --resource-group devops-rg \
  --template-file main.bicep \
  --parameters environment=dev

4. Assign a Managed Identity to a VM

az vm identity assign --name myvm --resource-group devops-rg

5. Use Azure CLI in GitHub Actions

- name: Azure Login
  uses: azure/login@v2
  with:
    creds: ${{ secrets.AZURE_CREDENTIALS }}
- name: Run Azure CLI Script
  run: |
    az group list --output table

Azure CLI Jokes

Why did the Azure resource group break up with the VM? Because it needed more space!

Why do Azure engineers love the CLI? Because it's always az-y to automate!

Why did the Azure cloud get invited to all the parties? Because it always brings the best resources on demand!

More Examples & Resources

Tip: Use az upgrade to keep your CLI up to date!

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