Azure Functions triggers and bindings concepts

In this article, you learn the high-level concepts surrounding functions triggers and bindings.

Triggers cause a function to run. A trigger defines how a function is invoked and a function must have exactly one trigger. Triggers can also pass data into your function, as you would with method calls.

Binding to a function is a way of declaratively connecting your functions to other resources; bindings either pass data into your function (an input binding) or enable you to write data out from your function (an output binding) using binding parameters. Your function trigger is essentially a special type of input binding.

You can mix and match different bindings to suit your function's specific scenario. Bindings are optional and a function might have one or multiple input and/or output bindings.

Triggers and bindings let you avoid hardcoding access to other services. Your function receives data (for example, the content of a queue message) in function parameters. You send data (for example, to create a queue message) by using the return value of the function.

Consider the following examples of how you could implement different functions.

Example scenario Trigger Input binding Output binding
A new queue message arrives which runs a function to write to another queue. Queue* None Queue*
A scheduled job reads Blob Storage contents and creates a new Azure Cosmos DB document. Timer Blob Storage Azure Cosmos DB
The Event Grid is used to read an image from Blob Storage and a document from Azure Cosmos DB to send an email. Event Grid Blob Storage and Azure Cosmos DB SendGrid

* Represents different queues

These examples aren't meant to be exhaustive, but are provided to illustrate how you can use triggers and bindings together. For a more comprehensive set of scenarios, see Azure Functions scenarios.

Tip

Functions doesn't require you to use input and output bindings to connect to Azure services. You can always create an Azure SDK client in your code and use it instead for your data transfers. For more information, see Connect to services.

Trigger and binding definitions

Triggers and bindings are defined differently depending on the development language. Make sure to select your language at the top of the article.

Bindings can be either input or output bindings. Not all services support both input and output bindings. See your specific binding extension for specific bindings code examples.

This example shows an HTTP triggered function with an output binding that writes a message to an Azure Storage queue.

For C# class library functions, triggers and bindings are configured by decorating methods and parameters with C# attributes, where the specific attribute applied might depend on the C# runtime model:

The HTTP trigger (HttpTrigger) is defined on the Run method for a function named HttpExample that returns a MultiResponse object:

[Function("HttpExample")]
public static MultiResponse Run([HttpTrigger(AuthorizationLevel.Function, "get", "post")] HttpRequestData req,
    FunctionContext executionContext)
{

This example shows the MultiResponse object definition which both returns an HttpResponse to the HTTP request and also writes a message to a storage queue using a QueueOutput binding:

public class MultiResponse
{
    [QueueOutput("outqueue",Connection = "AzureWebJobsStorage")]
    public string[] Messages { get; set; }
    public HttpResponseData HttpResponse { get; set; }
}

For more information, see the C# isolated worker model guide.

Legacy C# Script functions use a function.json definition file. For more information, see the Azure Functions C# script (.csx) developer reference.

For Java functions, triggers and bindings are configured by annotating specific methods and parameters. This HTTP trigger (@HttpTrigger) is defined on the run method for a function named HttpTriggerQueueOutput, which writes to a storage queue defined by the @QueueOutput annotation on the message parameter:

@FunctionName("HttpExample")
public HttpResponseMessage run(
        @HttpTrigger(name = "req", methods = {HttpMethod.GET, HttpMethod.POST}, authLevel = AuthorizationLevel.ANONYMOUS) 
        HttpRequestMessage<Optional<String>> request, 
        @QueueOutput(name = "msg", queueName = "outqueue", 
        connection = "AzureWebJobsStorage") OutputBinding<String> msg, 
        final ExecutionContext context) {
    context.getLogger().info("Java HTTP trigger processed a request.");

For more information, see the Java developer guide.

The way that triggers and binding are defined for Node.js functions depends on the specific version of Node.js for Functions:

In Node.js for Functions version 4, you configure triggers and bindings using objects exported from the @azure/functions module. For more information, see the Node.js developer guide.

This example is an HTTP triggered function that creates a queue item for each HTTP request received.

The http method on the exported app object defines an HTTP trigger, and the storageQueue method on output defines an output binding on this trigger.

const { app, output } = require('@azure/functions');

const queueOutput = output.storageQueue({
    queueName: 'outqueue',
    connection: 'MyStorageConnectionAppSetting',
});

app.http('httpTrigger1', {
    methods: ['GET', 'POST'],
    authLevel: 'anonymous',
    extraOutputs: [queueOutput],
    handler: async (request, context) => {
        const body = await request.text();
        context.extraOutputs.set(queueOutput, body);
        return { body: 'Created queue item.' };
    },
});

The http method on the exported app object defines an HTTP trigger, and the storageQueue method on output defines an output binding on this trigger.

import { app, HttpRequest, HttpResponseInit, InvocationContext, output } from '@azure/functions';

const queueOutput = output.storageQueue({
    queueName: 'outqueue',
    connection: 'MyStorageConnectionAppSetting',
});

export async function httpTrigger1(request: HttpRequest, context: InvocationContext): Promise<HttpResponseInit> {
    const body = await request.text();
    context.extraOutputs.set(queueOutput, body);
    return { body: 'Created queue item.' };
}

app.http('httpTrigger1', {
    methods: ['GET', 'POST'],
    authLevel: 'anonymous',
    extraOutputs: [queueOutput],
    handler: httpTrigger1,
});

This example function.json file defines the function:

    {
      "authLevel": "function",
      "type": "httpTrigger",
      "direction": "in",
      "name": "Request",
      "methods": [
        "get",
        "post"
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "http",
      "direction": "out",
      "name": "Response"
    },
    {
      "type": "queue",
      "direction": "out",
      "name": "msg",
      "queueName": "outqueue",
      "connection": "AzureWebJobsStorage"
    }
  ]
}

For more information, see the PowerShell developer guide.

The way that the function is defined depends on the version of Python for Functions:

In Python for Functions version 2, you define the function directly in code using decorators.

app = func.FunctionApp(http_auth_level=func.AuthLevel.ANONYMOUS)

@app.route(route="HttpExample")
@app.queue_output(arg_name="msg", queue_name="outqueue", connection="AzureWebJobsStorage")
def HttpExample(req: func.HttpRequest, msg: func.Out [func.QueueMessage]) -> func.HttpResponse:
    logging.info('Python HTTP trigger function processed a request.')

Add bindings to a function

You can connect your function to other services by using input or output bindings. Add a binding by adding its specific definitions to your function. To learn how, see Add bindings to an existing function in Azure Functions.

Supported bindings

This table shows the bindings that are supported in the major versions of the Azure Functions runtime:

Type 1.x1 2.x and higher2 Trigger Input Output
Blob storage
Azure Cosmos DB
Azure Data Explorer
Azure SQL
Dapr4
Event Grid
Event Hubs
HTTP & webhooks
IoT Hub
Kafka3
Mobile Apps
Notification Hubs
Queue storage
Redis
RabbitMQ3
SendGrid
Service Bus
SignalR
Table storage
Timer
Twilio

Notes:

  1. Support will end for version 1.x of the Azure Functions runtime on September 14, 2026. We highly recommend that you migrate your apps to version 4.x for full support.
  2. Starting with the version 2.x runtime, all bindings except HTTP and Timer must be registered. See Register binding extensions.
  3. Triggers aren't supported in the Consumption plan. Requires runtime-driven triggers.
  4. Supported in Kubernetes, IoT Edge, and other self-hosted modes only.

For information about which bindings are in preview or are approved for production use, see Supported languages.

Specific binding extension versions are only supported while the underlying service SDK is supported. Changes to support in the underlying service SDK version affect the support for the consuming extension.

Bindings code examples

Use the following table to find more examples of specific binding types that show you how to work with bindings in your functions. First, choose the language tab that corresponds to your project.

Binding code for C# depends on the specific process model.

Service Examples Samples
Blob storage Trigger
Input
Output
Link
Azure Cosmos DB Trigger
Input
Output
Link
Azure Data Explorer Input
Output
Link
Azure SQL Trigger
Input
Output
Link
Event Grid Trigger
Output
Link
Event Hubs Trigger
Output
IoT Hub Trigger
Output
HTTP Trigger Link
Queue storage Trigger
Output
Link
RabbitMQ Trigger
Output
SendGrid Output
Service Bus Trigger
Output
Link
SignalR Trigger
Input
Output
Table storage Input
Output
Timer Trigger Link
Twilio Output Link
Service Examples Samples
Blob storage Trigger
Input
Output
Link
Azure Cosmos DB Trigger
Input
Output
Link
Azure Data Explorer Input
Output
Link
Azure SQL Trigger
Input
Output
Event Grid Trigger
Output
Link
Event Hubs Trigger
Output
IoT Hub Trigger
Output
HTTP Trigger Link
Queue storage Trigger
Output
Link
RabbitMQ Trigger
Output
SendGrid Output
Service Bus Trigger
Output
Link
SignalR Trigger
Input
Output
Table storage Input
Output
Timer Trigger Link
Twilio Output Link
Service Examples Samples
Blob storage Trigger
Input
Output
Link
Azure Cosmos DB Trigger
Input
Output
Link
Azure Data Explorer Input
Output
Azure SQL Trigger
Input
Output
Link
Event Grid Trigger
Output
Link
Event Hubs Trigger
Output
IoT Hub Trigger
Output
HTTP Trigger Link
Queue storage Trigger
Output
Link
RabbitMQ Trigger
Output
SendGrid Output
Service Bus Trigger
Output
Link
SignalR Trigger
Input
Output
Table storage Input
Output
Timer Trigger Link
Twilio Output Link
Service Examples Samples
Blob storage Trigger
Input
Output
Link
Azure Cosmos DB Trigger
Input
Output
Link
Azure SQL Trigger
Input
Output
Event Grid Trigger
Output
Link
Event Hubs Trigger
Output
IoT Hub Trigger
Output
HTTP Trigger Link
Queue storage Trigger
Output
Link
RabbitMQ Trigger
Output
SendGrid Output
Service Bus Trigger
Output
Link
SignalR Trigger
Input
Output
Table storage Input
Output
Timer Trigger Link
Twilio Output Link

Binding code for Python depends on the Python model version.

Service Examples Samples
Blob storage Trigger
Input
Output
Link
Azure Cosmos DB Trigger
Input
Output
Link
Azure Data Explorer Input
Output
Azure SQL Trigger
Input
Output
Link
Event Grid Trigger
Output
Link
Event Hubs Trigger
Output
IoT Hub Trigger
Output
HTTP Trigger Link
Queue storage Trigger
Output
Link
RabbitMQ Trigger
Output
SendGrid Output
Service Bus Trigger
Output
Link
SignalR Trigger
Input
Output
Table storage Input
Output
Timer Trigger Link
Twilio Output Link

Custom bindings

You can create custom input and output bindings. Bindings must be authored in .NET, but can be consumed from any supported language. For more information about creating custom bindings, see Creating custom input and output bindings.