Azure Functions
Run code with serverless compute.
Overview
Azure Functions is a serverless compute service that lets you run event-triggered code without having to explicitly provision or manage infrastructure. It allows developers to write and deploy small pieces of code that are triggered by a variety of events, such as an HTTP request, a new message in a queue, or a timer. Azure Functions automatically scales based on demand, and you only pay for the compute time you consume.
✨ Key Features
- Event-driven programming model
- Choice of languages (C#, F#, Node.js, Python, Java, PowerShell)
- Integrated security with OAuth providers like Microsoft Entra ID, Google, Facebook
- Durable Functions for stateful workflows
- Flexible hosting plans (Consumption, Premium, App Service)
- Built-in triggers and bindings for seamless integration with other Azure services
🎯 Key Differentiators
- Durable Functions for building stateful serverless workflows
- Excellent local development and debugging experience with Visual Studio and VS Code
- Flexible hosting options to eliminate cold starts or run on dedicated hardware
Unique Value: Enables developers to build event-driven applications more efficiently by abstracting away the underlying infrastructure, leading to faster development and lower operational costs.
🎯 Use Cases (5)
✅ Best For
- Processing file uploads in Blob Storage
- Creating scalable, lightweight HTTP APIs
- Running scheduled tasks for data cleanup or processing
💡 Check With Vendor
Verify these considerations match your specific requirements:
- Long-running, stateful applications (Durable Functions can help, but VMs or containers may be better)
- Workloads requiring fine-grained OS control
🏆 Alternatives
Stands out with its Durable Functions feature for complex orchestrations and a more integrated development experience within the Microsoft ecosystem.
💻 Platforms
🔌 Integrations
🛟 Support Options
- ✓ Email Support
- ✓ Live Chat
- ✓ Phone Support
- ✓ Dedicated Support (Professional Direct, Premier tier)
🔒 Compliance & Security
💰 Pricing
Free tier: Consumption plan includes a monthly free grant of 1 million requests and 400,000 GB-seconds of resource consumption.
🔄 Similar Tools in Azure Tools & Services
Azure Virtual Machines
Scalable, on-demand compute capacity in the cloud to run your business-critical workloads....
Azure Blob Storage
Highly scalable object storage for unstructured data....
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
Managed Kubernetes service for deploying and managing containerized applications....
Azure Virtual Network
The fundamental building block for your private network in Azure....
Azure SQL Database
Managed, intelligent SQL database service....
Azure Cosmos DB
Globally distributed, multi-model NoSQL database service....