Develop Azure Functions with Azure Function Core Tools in VSCode

Developing Azure Functions with Azure Function Core Tools in VSCode is a game-changer for developers.

Azure Function Core Tools in VSCode allows you to create, run, and debug Azure Functions directly within the Visual Studio Code (VSCode) environment.

With this tool, you can create a new Azure Function project in a matter of seconds, and start developing and testing your functions right away.

You can also use the built-in VSCode debugger to step through your code and identify any issues, making the development process much more efficient.

To get started with Azure Function Core Tools in VSCode, you'll need to meet certain pre-requisites. You can install Visual Studio Code on one of the supported platforms.

Azure Functions extension is also required, which you can install separately or as part of the Azure Tools extension pack. This pack is recommended for working with Azure resources.

An active Azure subscription is necessary, and if you don't have one, you can create an account directly from the extension in Visual Studio Code.

Here's a list of the required pre-requisites for app development:

You'll also need to install the C# extension for Visual Studio Code, .NET (CLI), and the Debugger for Java extension, depending on your chosen programming language.

Creating an Azure Functions project is a straightforward process. You can create a new project using the Azure Functions: Create New Project command in Visual Studio Code.

To create a project, open the command palette and search for Azure Functions: Create New Project. Select the directory location for your project workspace, and then choose Select. You can either create a new folder or choose an empty folder for the project workspace.

Select a language for your project, and then choose the HTTP trigger function template. For the function name, enter HttpExample, and select Function authorization. This authorization level requires that you provide a function key when you call the function endpoint.

You can also create a new Azure Functions project by clicking on the New Project icon under Azure Functions in the panel and browsing a directory to start with.

Here are the steps to create a new Azure Functions project:

Once you have created a project, you need to configure it to run locally. The Functions runtime uses an Azure Storage account internally for all trigger types other than HTTP and webhooks. So, you need to set the Values.AzureWebJobsStorage key to a valid Azure Storage account connection string.

To set the storage account connection string, open Cloud Explorer, expand Storage Account > Your Storage Account, and then select Properties and copy the Primary Connection String value. In your project, open the local.settings.json file and set the value of the AzureWebJobsStorage key to the connection string you copied.

To set up Azure Functions in Visual Studio Code, you'll need to install the Azure Functions extension. This extension is available for search in the Visual Studio Code extension search field.

You can also create a new Azure Functions project by clicking on the Azure icon in the sidebar and then clicking the Create New Project button in the workspace section. It will ask you similar questions as the terminal command to set up the project.

The extension should look like the Azure Functions extension, which you can search for in the extension search field.

When you create a new project in VS Code, you'll notice that several files are generated for you. The project template creates a project in your chosen language and installs the required dependencies. These files are essential for running and testing your functions.

The host.json file is a crucial configuration file that lets you customize the Functions host settings. These settings apply when you're running functions locally and when you're running them in Azure.

A Dockerfile is also generated, which lets you create a containerized function app from your project. However, this file is only created when you run the command Azure Functions: Create New Containerized Project.

Here are some key files generated for different programming models:

These files are the foundation of your project, and understanding what they do will help you navigate and customize your project settings.

To set up Visual Studio Code (VS Code) for Azure Functions, you'll need to install the Azure Functions extension. This extension provides a seamless authoring experience, allowing you to create, run, and debug Azure Functions directly within VS Code.

To install the extension, open VS Code and search for "Azure functions" in the extension search field. The extension should look like this: Azure Functions.

Once installed, you can create a new Azure Functions project by clicking on the Azure icon in the sidebar and then clicking the Create New Project button in the workspace section. This will prompt you to set up the project, similar to running a terminal command.

You can also run individual functions using the Azure Functions extension. This allows you to test and debug your functions without having to deploy them to Azure. To run a function, open the command palette and enter "Azure Functions: Execute function now", and select your Azure subscription, function app, and the function you want to run.

Here are the steps to run a function in Azure:

1. In the command palette, enter Azure Functions: Execute function now, and select your Azure subscription.

2. Choose your function app in Azure.

3. Select the function you want to run.

4. Type the message body of the request in the Enter request body field.

5. Press Enter to send the request to your function.

Note that when running functions in Azure, the extension uses your Azure account to automatically retrieve the keys needed to start the function.

If you've created application settings in Azure, you can download them into your local.settings.json file by using the Azure Functions: Download Remote Settings command. This command will decrypt, update, and re-encrypt the file if it's encrypted.

You'll be prompted to choose how to proceed if there are settings with conflicting values in the two locations. This ensures that your local settings match the ones in Azure.

To avoid any issues, make sure to add any settings you create in Azure to your local project. This will keep your settings in sync across both environments.

The process is straightforward, and you can refer to the Azure Functions documentation for more information.

Function Development is a breeze with Azure Functions Core Tools in VS Code. You can add a new function to an existing project based on one of the predefined Functions trigger templates.

To create a new function, select F1 to open the command palette and then find and run the command Azure Functions: Create Function. Follow the prompts to choose your trigger type and define the required attributes of the trigger.

If your trigger requires an access key or connection string, get that item ready before you create the function trigger. This action adds a new C# class library (.cs) file to your project, creating a new folder with a new function.json file and the new code file.

To add a function to your project, you can select F1 to open the command palette in Visual Studio Code and run the command Azure Functions: Create Function. This action adds a new C# class library (.cs) file to your project.

You'll then follow the prompts to choose your trigger type and define the required attributes of the trigger. If your trigger requires an access key or connection string, get that item ready before you create the function trigger.

Visual Studio Code creates a new folder in the project, containing a new function.json file and the new code file, which is a C# class library by default.

Alternatively, you can add a new function to an existing project based on one of the predefined Functions trigger templates. This action also creates a new folder in the project, but with a JavaScript code file instead.

For Python projects, Visual Studio Code adds new function code to the function_app.py file or another Python file you select.

To define the output binding that writes data to a storage queue, you'll need to consider your Node.js model version. The way you define the output binding depends on the version of your Node.js model.

If you prefer to work with C# script projects, you must select C# script as the default language in the Azure Functions extension settings.

To do this, go to File > Preferences > Settings, then navigate to User Settings > Extensions > Azure Functions, and select C#Script from Azure Function: Project Language.

This will generate and publish C# script (.csx) project files when you create new projects.

You won't be prompted to choose a project language anymore, as the default language is now set.

To create projects in other languages, you'll need to change this setting or remove it from the user settings.json file.

Here are the steps to set C# script as the default language: