Azure App Services allows you to choose the development platform from varied programming languages. Develop and deploy web applications in .NET, .NET Core, Java, Node.js, Python, HTML, Ruby, or PHP.
Web based applications requires Internet connection for its operations. User communication commenced with HTTP includes the online games, shared spreadsheets, networking sites etc. It provides flexibility of installation on specific machine or direct access. In case of user-installed application, the internet connection is must to the external server.
Features of Web-based applications:
- Internet and browser dependent availability
- Universal accessibility has no location barrier
- Host Server stores the data of user and business processes
- Can function from various web browsers
- Server controlled scalable applications
- Designed to serve large number of users
- Independent access to the application
- The data has greater importance and is not shared with other users
Examples of web-based applications are internet banking; e-mail service, online ticket/ hotel booking, online shopping etc.
Lately these applications have presence and store the data on cloud. Cloud computing has saved space on servers and the maintenance costs have reduced tremendously.
Platform as a Service (PaaS) provides a base to develop, run, launch, and manage applications. It is suitable for small and medium size businesses for developing their software. Save yourself from complexity of maintaining the infrastructure.
Benefits of Azure Services for web applications:
- Run applications on Windows and Linux based environments
- Automated management of applications
- Build web applications easily
- Serverless or On-demand Code
- Improved productivity of development and operations
- Better control with fully managed platform
- Simplifies complexities
- Built-in CI/CD quickens the feature updates
- Speedy launch of websites and applications
- Increase productivity of developers
- Predictive analysis of application related challenges
- Consistency and security of applications
Azure Services eases the creation of web application with the pre-existing templates. Build, view, and publish with minimum efforts.
Azure Services for web applications enables explicit development with the service category. Create web applications for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Blockchain, and Internet of Things.
With the particular type of web application, the services you need to attach may differ.
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: An artificial Intelligence application uses BOT services. Bots made using the simple and natural language, images and speech are simple to use. Its design specifically empowers the customer support team to serve customers.
You can build a BOT for any platform such as Facebook, Website etc. Indian company is creating Indian avatar of Amazon Alexa or Google Home. Bot would be capable to interact with users in over 18 Indian languages.
Machine Learning is advance level of understanding the user requirements and learning from the user’s behaviour. The experience it provides user after number of activities is unique. It recognizes the user, their preferences and can recommend based on activities. Bot are for products and services both. Services as interactive online courses machine learning is reliable right from development until hosting.
- Blockchain: Azure Blockchain Service allows building and expanding applications. Business logic and app development has interweaving link that Azure services recognise.
Build Smart Contracts using Azure Blockchain Service with use of VS Code and Azure DevOps. VS Code extension, allows us to perform coding, testing, debugging of contracts. It helps to deploy the contracts locally on a private chain or onto the public blockchain networks. Automation of tests is possible with the extension.
Development in VS Code can connect with Azure DevOps; so that you can deliver the build, release pipelines, include access control, and abide by security policies must for organizations.
The serverless Azure Blockchain Service and pre-coded development tool enables sending data from ledgers. The flow and logic app connector, through microservices and databases sends and receives data from ledgers.
- Internet of Things: Azure Services IoT Central has several features that allow connecting, monitoring, and managing IoT application with ease. The service, through SaaS provides infrastructure; thus, the IoT development, management, and operational costs fall off.
These hosted IoT platform helps in expansion of business by providing advanced and quality products or services to the customers.
Process simplification for IoT development by investing few hours enables initial set up to the final build in production. The dependency and costs of advance skills for development when eliminated makes customization of solutions feasible.
It works towards introducing immediate solutions to market. The azure services offer end-to-end IoT security like access and integration. It alerts using notifications for the identified problems when the system malfunctions. The prediction of system’s condition helps to reduce the servicing expenses.
Azure IoT Central automates the business processes. You can generate work orders, schedule delivery, and track inventory. Take actions in order to minimise equipment downtime and improve service efficiency. Immediate and real-time integration raises accuracy in actionable items and forecasts.
8 Azure Services for your web applications:
- Undelete for App Services: This feature is available across all service plans. Restore the sites deleted in span of 30 days. The content, configuration and host name (*.azurewebsites.net) of the deleted app is still accessible.
- Deleted apps list: Azure CLI allows you to list the deleted apps. The record ID of the deleted site is required to restore the app.
- API and Web Apps: Both API and Web Apps have same functionality due to which the API Apps icon is no more available on Azure Portal. If required search the API App in marketplace. API menu category offers customization of API specific functionality.
- Azure App Configuration: It does central management of the application settings and controls access security. It speeds up coding and release of features to production using flags. This service is presently available in selected regions such as East/ West and Central US, West Europe and Southeast Asia.
- Azure Monitor’s API: It confers a concentrated view of changes for web apps. This tool reveals the changes that can affect the applications such as connection string, IP configuration rule, or changes in deployment file. It helps scanning latest changes, detects the crashes, helps you identify and resolve the issues faster.
- App Service Linux: It commences integration of Linux based web applications with the virtual network. It is part of standard and premium plans of azure and now available in preview. Uninterrupted free tier App Service for over a month for the Linux based web applications. Its low cost opens ways for experimentation prior to investing on large scale.
- App Service support for Java 11: The application service support for Java 11 on Linux and Windows are available so that you can run Java apps without subscribing for it. This service supports the latest LTS versions of java and enables you to fix the bugs. Microsoft will support Java 11 until September 2026. Users of Java 7 & 8 can explore the changed API to adopt new versions for trial.
- Azure Services of full screen: Azure Services for Apps offers the full screen experience. Create applications and publish workflow easily. This new experience directs you all the way through the key decision making whether it is selecting operating system, application and publishing related concerns.
Updates and features that Azure Services introduces are exceptional and have benefits for app makers and users.
Organizations can build secure web applications with the azure app services. Web app services saves the user and application data from potential attacks by threat detection. It assists in monitoring health of entire solutions, to fix configuration, development and deployment issues, remedies for various identified issues and create new opportunities for business.
