Can't Access Source Code - Site is Running Fine

Question

Hello support, I am in a situation where my developer has left. I'm running an Azure app service that is using .Net version 8.0. The web app makes some calls to GPT.

I noticed in the deployment center, I can see the source is GitHub and I can see the branch, but I cannot access it and the developer has gone radio silent (he was recently busted and kicked off of UpWork). However, I am ready to assume dev responsibilities for my project.

The app is deployed and is stable in its current state, I'm just trying to get ahold of the source code. I can see all the typical .Net files deployed in the wwwroot, but wondering if there is any way I can download them since there is a lot of DLLs visible in the deployment also.

What are my options and what can I do?

Help appreciated!

Answer 1

Hi @DataCarniv0r,

Thank you for reaching us regarding try to access your Azure app's source code after your developer's departure. Since the application is running fine but you can't get to the GitHub repository.

Since your Azure App Service (.NET 8.0) app is running properly and you can see the GitHub connection in Deployment Center (even without repo access), you can still download the deployed files directly from Azure.

Option 1: Download Files Using Kudu (Advanced Tools)

Kudu is the built-in tool in Azure App Service that lets you browse and download your deployed application files directly from the server. It’s the easiest browser-based method to access the contents of D:\home\site\wwwroot (where your app runs)
Steps:

1. Go to Azure Portal > open your App Service
2. In the left menu, under Development Tools, select Advanced Tools.
3. Click Go to open Kudu (https://<yourappname>.scm.azurewebsites.net).
4. In Kudu, select Debug Console > CMD (or PowerShell).
5. Navigate to site\wwwroot.

Here you’ll see all deployed files, such as DLL files , appsettings.json, Static files (.js, .css, etc.), Razor views (.cshtml) if not precompile
To download:

• Single file : Click the file and choose Download.
• Entire wwwroot folder : Use the Zip/Download option to download everything as a ZIP file.

This method gives you a full copy of the live deployment directly from Azure, without needing external tools.

Option 2: Use FTPS (FTP over SSL) – For Bulk Downloads

FTPS is a secure file transfer method supported by Azure App Service. It’s useful when you want to download large amounts of deployed content using an FTP client.

Steps:

1. In the Azure Portal, open your App Service.
2. Go to Deployment Center > FTPS credentials.
3. Copy the FTPS endpoint (for example: ftps://<your-app-name>.azurewebsites.net/site/wwwroot).
4. Use the Application scope credentials shown there.

• Username is usually: <your-app-name>\$<your-app-name>
• Reset the password if needed.

For better security, go to: Configuration > General settings > FTP state and set it to FTPS Only.
Use an FTPS client like FileZilla, WinSCP, or Cyberduck and connect using the FTPS protocol (port 21 explicit or 990 implicit). Enter the FTPS endpoint as the host and use the credentials from the Azure portal. After connecting, go to /site/wwwroot to download individual files or entire folders. This gives you full access to your deployed application files.

Recover Near-Original Source Code (Decompile DLLs):

If the original source code isn’t available, you can decompile the deployed .NET assemblies.

First, download your main DLL (for example, YourApp.dll) and related dependencies from wwwroot using Kudu or FTPS.

Then use a free decompilation tool such as:

• ILSpy (open source) – load the DLL and export the decompiled C# files or a full project.
• JetBrains dotPeek – open the assembly and export it as a Visual Studio solution.

You can also use Visual Studio to decompile assemblies directly by enabling the “Decompile source code” option.

The recovered code will closely match the original logic (including API integrations), but it won’t include original comments and may not preserve exact naming. After exporting, create a new .NET 8 project locally, add the files, run dotnet restore, and test the application.

Recommended Next steps:
Review the downloaded files for any hard-coded secrets (like API keys) and move them to Application Settings as environment variables. Create your own GitHub repo, upload the recovered code, and update Deployment Center to use your repo. If needed, temporarily disable WEBSITE_RUN_FROM_PACKAGE for easier edits, but re-enable it for production stability.

Reference:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/resources-kudu
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/deploy-zip?tabs=cli
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/deploy-ftp?tabs=portal
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/deploy-configure-credentials?tabs=cli
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/debugger/decompilation?view=visualstudio

Kindly let us know if the above comment helps or you need further assistance on this issue.

Please "accept" if the information helped you. This will help us and others in the community as well.

Answer 2

Hi,

You can download the deployed web app files using FTP, however, this will likely not include all the source files. For example, based on your description your web app includes .dll files, but not the original source code files that were used to create the dlls.

Having the deployed files is better than nothing, since at least a portion will be things like html and css, which are plain text. Worst case having the dlls would help another developer to reverse engineer difficult parts while re-creating source.

In the portal, browse to your web app, on left click Deployment -- Deployment Center. Next, on right click on FTPS Credentials tab. On this tab you will find the FTPS endpoint, username, and password that you need to enter into your FTP client. With this information you can use Filezilla or similar to connect and download the deployed files.

Best thing would be to get access to the Github repo so you have full access to original source files.

Please click Accept Answer and upvote if the above was helpful.

Thanks.

-TP

Answer 3

To access the source code of your Azure App Service web app, you have a few options:

1. Download the Files via FTP: You can use an FTP client to connect to your Azure App Service and download the files from the wwwroot directory. To do this, you will need the FTP credentials, which can be found in the Azure portal under your App Service's Deployment Center or Settings > Deployment Credentials.
2. Kudu Console: You can access the Kudu console by navigating to https://<your-app-name>.scm.azurewebsites.net. This console allows you to browse the file system of your app, and you can download files directly from there.
3. GitHub Repository Access: Since you mentioned that the source is hosted on GitHub, if you have access to the GitHub account where the repository is located, you can clone or download the repository directly from GitHub. If you do not have access, you may need to reach out to GitHub support or the previous developer for assistance.
4. Azure CLI or Azure PowerShell: If you are familiar with Azure CLI or PowerShell, you can use these tools to download files from your Azure App Service.
5. Contact Azure Support: If you are unable to retrieve the source code using the above methods, consider reaching out to Azure support for assistance.

Make sure to secure your access to the GitHub repository and any sensitive information related to your app as you take over the development responsibilities.

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References:

• Deployment FAQs for Web Apps in Azure
• Quickstart: Deploy an ASP.NET web app