GitHub Actions - Building and deploying a Python Web App to Azure

Same pipelines different name

Currently, when I am deploying resources in Azure I am employing Azure Pipelines within Azure DevOps. However, as Microsoft has acquired GitHub its services become more relevant to the Azure environment. Naturally I wanted to get familiar with building and deploying resources through GitHub, especially GitHub Action, which is the counterpart to Azure Pipelines.

A test case

To get familiar with GitHub Actions I build a simple Python web app and deployed it to the Azure environment. It was easier than expected.

Step 1 - Create a GitHub repository by importing a quickstart template for a Python web app

Step 2 - Enable GitHub Actions in the settings of your repository

Step 3 - Create an Azure Web App instance in the Azure portal with the correct Python runtime stack

Step 4 - Create a new workflow yaml file in GitHub Actions by choosing a workflow template

Step 5 - Download the publish profile (basically credentials) from your previously created Azure web app instance

Step 6 - Create an Actions secret containing the publish profile in GitHub

Step 7 - Configure the workflow yaml file according to its comments

Step 8 - Run (and probably debug the workflow)

Step 9 - Check out your new fancy Azure web app