Quickstart: Create and publish an Azure Managed Application definition

This quickstart provides an introduction to working with Azure Managed Applications. You create and publish a managed application definition that's stored in your service catalog and is intended for members of your organization.

To publish a managed application to your service catalog, do the following tasks:

• Create an Azure Resource Manager template (ARM template) that defines the resources that deploy with the managed application.
• Define the user interface elements for the portal when deploying the managed application.
• Create a .zip package that contains the required JSON files. The .zip package file has a 120-MB limit for a service catalog's managed application definition.
• Publish the managed application definition so it's available in your service catalog.

If your managed application definition is more than 120 MB or if you want to use your own storage account for your organization's compliance reasons, go to Quickstart: Bring your own storage to create and publish an Azure Managed Application definition.

You can use Bicep to develop a managed application definition but it must be converted to ARM template JSON before you can publish the definition in Azure. For more information, go to Quickstart: Use Bicep to create and publish an Azure Managed Application definition.

You can also use Bicep deploy a managed application definition from your service catalog. For more information, go to Quickstart: Use Bicep to deploy an Azure Managed Application definition.

Prerequisites

To complete this quickstart, you need the following items:

• An Azure account with an active subscription and permissions to Microsoft Entra resources like users, groups, or service principals. If you don't have an account, create a free account before you begin.
• Visual Studio Code with the latest Azure Resource Manager Tools extension. For Bicep files, install the Bicep extension for Visual Studio Code.
• Install the latest version of Azure PowerShell or Azure CLI.

Create the ARM template

Every managed application definition includes a file named mainTemplate.json. The template defines the Azure resources to deploy and is no different than a regular ARM template.

Open Visual Studio Code, create a file with the case-sensitive name mainTemplate.json and save it.

Add the following JSON and save the file. It defines the resources to deploy an App Service and App Service plan. The template uses the App Service Basic plan (B1) that has pay-as-you-go costs. For more information, see Azure App Service on Linux pricing.

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "parameters": {
    "location": {
      "type": "string",
      "defaultValue": "[resourceGroup().location]"
    },
    "appServicePlanName": {
      "type": "string",
      "maxLength": 40,
      "metadata": {
        "description": "App Service plan name."
      }
    },
    "appServiceNamePrefix": {
      "type": "string",
      "maxLength": 47,
      "metadata": {
        "description": "App Service name prefix."
      }
    }
  },
  "variables": {
    "appServicePlanSku": "B1",
    "appServicePlanCapacity": 1,
    "appServiceName": "[format('{0}{1}', parameters('appServiceNamePrefix'), uniqueString(resourceGroup().id))]",
    "linuxFxVersion": "DOTNETCORE|8.0"
  },
  "resources": [
    {
      "type": "Microsoft.Web/serverfarms",
      "apiVersion": "2023-01-01",
      "name": "[parameters('appServicePlanName')]",
      "location": "[parameters('location')]",
      "sku": {
        "name": "[variables('appServicePlanSku')]",
        "capacity": "[variables('appServicePlanCapacity')]"
      },
      "kind": "linux",
      "properties": {
        "zoneRedundant": false,
        "reserved": true
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "Microsoft.Web/sites",
      "apiVersion": "2023-01-01",
      "name": "[variables('appServiceName')]",
      "location": "[parameters('location')]",
      "properties": {
        "serverFarmId": "[resourceId('Microsoft.Web/serverfarms', parameters('appServicePlanName'))]",
        "httpsOnly": true,
        "redundancyMode": "None",
        "siteConfig": {
          "linuxFxVersion": "[variables('linuxFxVersion')]",
          "minTlsVersion": "1.2",
          "ftpsState": "Disabled"
        }
      },
      "dependsOn": [
        "[resourceId('Microsoft.Web/serverfarms', parameters('appServicePlanName'))]"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "outputs": {
    "appServicePlan": {
      "type": "string",
      "value": "[parameters('appServicePlanName')]"
    },
    "appServiceApp": {
      "type": "string",
      "value": "[reference(resourceId('Microsoft.Web/sites', variables('appServiceName')), '2023-01-01').defaultHostName]"
    }
  }
}

Define your portal experience

As a publisher, you define the portal experience to create the managed application. The createUiDefinition.json file generates the portal's user interface. You define how users provide input for each parameter using control elements like drop-downs and text boxes.

In this example, the user interface prompts you to input the App Service name prefix and App Service plan's name. During deployment of mainTemplate.json the appServiceName variables uses the uniqueString function to append a 13-character string to the name prefix so the name is globally unique across Azure.

Open Visual Studio Code, create a file with the case-sensitive name createUiDefinition.json and save it.

Add the following JSON code to the file and save it.

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/0.1.2-preview/CreateUIDefinition.MultiVm.json#",
  "handler": "Microsoft.Azure.CreateUIDef",
  "version": "0.1.2-preview",
  "parameters": {
    "basics": [
      {}
    ],
    "steps": [
      {
        "name": "webAppSettings",
        "label": "Web App settings",
        "subLabel": {
          "preValidation": "Configure the web app settings",
          "postValidation": "Completed"
        },
        "elements": [
          {
            "name": "appServicePlanName",
            "type": "Microsoft.Common.TextBox",
            "label": "App Service plan name",
            "placeholder": "App Service plan name",
            "defaultValue": "",
            "toolTip": "Use alphanumeric characters or hyphens with a maximum of 40 characters.",
            "constraints": {
              "required": true,
              "regex": "^[a-z0-9A-Z-]{1,40}$",
              "validationMessage": "Only alphanumeric characters or hyphens are allowed, with a maximum of 40 characters."
            },
            "visible": true
          },
          {
            "name": "appServiceName",
            "type": "Microsoft.Common.TextBox",
            "label": "App Service name prefix",
            "placeholder": "App Service name prefix",
            "defaultValue": "",
            "toolTip": "Use alphanumeric characters or hyphens with minimum of 2 characters and maximum of 47 characters.",
            "constraints": {
              "required": true,
              "regex": "^[a-z0-9A-Z-]{2,47}$",
              "validationMessage": "Only alphanumeric characters or hyphens are allowed, with a minimum of 2 characters and maximum of 47 characters."
            },
            "visible": true
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "outputs": {
      "location": "[location()]",
      "appServicePlanName": "[steps('webAppSettings').appServicePlanName]",
      "appServiceNamePrefix": "[steps('webAppSettings').appServiceName]"
    }
  }
}

To learn more, see Get started with CreateUiDefinition.

Package the files

Add the two files to a package file named app.zip. The two files must be at the root level of the .zip file. If the files are in a folder, when you create the managed application definition, you receive an error that states the required files aren't present.

Upload app.zip to an Azure storage account so you can use it when you deploy the managed application's definition. The storage account name must be globally unique across Azure and the length must be 3-24 characters with only lowercase letters and numbers. In the command, replace the placeholder <pkgstorageaccountname> including the angle brackets (<>), with your unique storage account name.

Azure PowerShell

In Visual Studio Code, open a new PowerShell terminal and sign in to your Azure subscription.

Connect-AzAccount

The command opens your default browser and prompts you to sign in to Azure. For more information, go to Sign in with Azure PowerShell.

New-AzResourceGroup -Name packageStorageGroup -Location westus

$pkgstorageparms = @{
  ResourceGroupName = "packageStorageGroup"
  Name = "<pkgstorageaccountname>"
  Location = "westus"
  SkuName = "Standard_LRS"
  Kind = "StorageV2"
  MinimumTlsVersion = "TLS1_2"
  AllowBlobPublicAccess = $true
  AllowSharedKeyAccess = $false
}

$pkgstorageaccount = New-AzStorageAccount @pkgstorageparms

The $pkgstorageparms variable uses PowerShell splatting to improve readability for the parameter values used in the command to create the new storage account. Splatting is used in other PowerShell commands that use multiple parameter values.

After you create the storage account, add the role assignment Storage Blob Data Contributor to the storage account scope. Assign access to your Microsoft Entra user account. Depending on your access level in Azure, you might need other permissions assigned by your administrator. For more information, see Assign an Azure role for access to blob data and Assign Azure roles using the Azure portal.

After you add the role to the storage account, it takes a few minutes to become active in Azure. You can then create the context needed to create the container and upload the file.

$pkgstoragecontext = New-AzStorageContext -StorageAccountName $pkgstorageaccount.StorageAccountName -UseConnectedAccount

New-AzStorageContainer -Name appcontainer -Context $pkgstoragecontext -Permission blob

$blobparms = @{
  File = "app.zip"
  Container = "appcontainer"
  Blob = "app.zip"
  Context = $pkgstoragecontext
}

Set-AzStorageBlobContent @blobparms

Azure CLI

In Visual Studio Code, open a new Bash terminal session and sign in to your Azure subscription. If you have Git installed, select Git Bash.

az login

The command opens your default browser and prompts you to sign in to Azure. For more information, go to Sign in with Azure CLI.

az group create --name packageStorageGroup --location westus

az storage account create \
  --name <pkgstorageaccountname> \
  --resource-group packageStorageGroup \
  --location westus \
  --sku Standard_LRS \
  --kind StorageV2 \
  --min-tls-version TLS1_2 \
  --allow-blob-public-access true \
  --allow-shared-key-access false

pkgstgacct=$(az storage account show \
  --resource-group packageStorageGroup \
  --name <pkgstorageaccountname> \
  --query name \
  --output tsv)

The backslash (\) is a line continuation character to improve readability of the command's parameters and is used in many of the Azure CLI commands. The pkgstgacct variable contains the storage account name for use in other commands.

After you create the storage account, add the role assignment Storage Blob Data Contributor to the storage account scope. Assign access to your Microsoft Entra user account. Depending on your access level in Azure, you might need other permissions assigned by your administrator. For more information, see Assign an Azure role for access to blob data.

After you add the role to the storage account, it takes a few minutes to become active in Azure. You can then use the parameter --auth-mode login in the commands to create the container and upload the file.

az storage container create \
  --account-name $pkgstgacct \
  --name appcontainer \
  --auth-mode login \
  --public-access blob

az storage blob upload \
  --account-name $pkgstgacct \
  --container-name appcontainer \
  --auth-mode login \
  --name "app.zip" \
  --file "app.zip"

For more information about storage authentication, see Choose how to authorize access to blob data with Azure CLI.

Portal

Create a storage account in a new resource group:

1. Sign in to the Azure portal.

2. Select Create a resource from the portal's Home page.

   

3. Search for storage account and select it from the available options.

4. Select Create on the Storage accounts page.

   

5. On the Basics tab, enter the required information.

   

   • Resource group: Select Create new to create the packageStorageGroup resource group.
   • Storage account name: Enter a unique storage account name. The storage account name must be globally unique across Azure and the length must be 3-24 characters with only lowercase letters and numbers.
   • Region: West US
   • Performance: Standard
   • Redundancy: Locally-redundant storage (LRS).

6. On the Advanced tab, use the following settings.

   • Select Require secure transfer for REST API operations.
   • Select Allow enabling anonymous access on individual containers.
   • Uncheck the box Enable storage account key access.
   • Verify Minimum TLS version is Version 1.2.

7. Accept the defaults on the other tabs.

8. Select Review + create and then select Create.

9. Select Go to resource to go to the storage account.

After you create the storage account, add the role assignment Storage Blob Data Contributor to the storage account scope. Assign access to your Microsoft Entra user account. Depending on your access level in Azure, you might need other permissions assigned by your administrator. For more information, see Assign an Azure role for access to blob data. After you add the role to the storage account, it takes a few minutes to become active in Azure.

Create a container and upload the app.zip file:

1. Go to Data storage and select Containers.

   

2. Configure the container's properties and select Create.

   

   • Name: appcontainer.
   • Public access level: Select Blob.

3. Select appcontainer.

4. Select Upload and follow the prompts to upload your app.zip file to the container.

   

   You can drag and drop the file to the portal or browse to the file's location on your computer.

5. After the file is uploaded, select app.zip in the container.

6. Copy the app.zip file's URL from the Overview > URL.

   

Make a note of the app.zip file's URL because you need it to create the managed application definition.

Create the managed application definition

In this section, you get identity information from Microsoft Entra ID, create a resource group, and deploy the managed application definition.

Get group ID and role definition ID

The next step is to select a user, security group, or application for managing the resources for the customer. This identity has permissions on the managed resource group according to the assigned role. The role can be any Azure built-in role like Owner or Contributor.

Azure PowerShell

This example uses a security group, and your Microsoft Entra account should be a member of the group. To get the group's object ID, replace the placeholder <managedAppDemo> including the angle brackets (<>), with your group's name. You use this variable's value when you deploy the managed application definition.

To create a new Microsoft Entra group, go to Manage Microsoft Entra groups and group membership.

$principalid=(Get-AzADGroup -DisplayName <managedAppDemo>).Id

Next, get the role definition ID of the Azure built-in role you want to grant access to the user, group, or application. You use this variable's value when you deploy the managed application definition.

$roleid=(Get-AzRoleDefinition -Name Owner).Id

Azure CLI

This example uses a security group, and your Microsoft Entra account should be a member of the group. To get the group's object ID, replace the placeholder <managedAppDemo> including the angle brackets (<>), with your group's name. You use this variable's value when you deploy the managed application definition.

To create a new Microsoft Entra group, go to Manage Microsoft Entra groups and group membership.

principalid=$(az ad group show --group <managedAppDemo> --query id --output tsv)

Next, get the role definition ID of the Azure built-in role you want to grant access to the user, group, or application. You use this variable's value when you deploy the managed application definition.

roleid=$(az role definition list --name Owner --query [].name --output tsv)

Portal

In the portal, the group ID and role ID are configured when you publish the managed application definition.

Publish the managed application definition

Azure PowerShell

Create a resource group for your managed application definition.

New-AzResourceGroup -Name appDefinitionGroup -Location westus

The blob command creates a variable to store the URL for the package .zip file. That variable is used in the command that creates the managed application definition.

$blob = Get-AzStorageBlob -Container appcontainer -Blob app.zip -Context $pkgstoragecontext

$publishparms = @{
  Name = "sampleManagedApplication"
  Location = "westus"
  ResourceGroupName = "appDefinitionGroup"
  LockLevel = "ReadOnly"
  DisplayName = "Sample managed application"
  Description = "Sample managed application that deploys web resources"
  Authorization = "${principalid}:$roleid"
  PackageFileUri = $blob.ICloudBlob.StorageUri.PrimaryUri.AbsoluteUri
}

New-AzManagedApplicationDefinition @publishparms

When the command completes, you have a managed application definition in your resource group.

Some of the parameters used in the preceding example are:

• ResourceGroupName: The name of the resource group where the managed application definition is created.
• LockLevel: The lockLevel on the managed resource group prevents the customer from performing undesirable operations on this resource group. Currently, ReadOnly is the only supported lock level. ReadOnly specifies that the customer can only read the resources present in the managed resource group. The publisher identities that are granted access to the managed resource group are exempt from the lock level.
• Authorization: Describes the principal ID and the role definition ID that are used to grant permission to the managed resource group.
  • "${principalid}:$roleid" or you can use curly braces for each variable "${principalid}:${roleid}".
  • Use a comma to separate multiple values: "${principalid1}:$roleid1", "${principalid2}:$roleid2".
• PackageFileUri: The location of a .zip package file that contains the required files.

Azure CLI

Create a resource group for your managed application definition.

az group create --name appDefinitionGroup --location westus

The blob command creates a variable to store the URL for the package .zip file. That variable is used in the command that creates the managed application definition.

blob=$(az storage blob url \
  --account-name $pkgstgacct \
  --container-name appcontainer \
  --auth-mode login \
  --name app.zip --output tsv)

az managedapp definition create \
  --name "sampleManagedApplication" \
  --location "westus" \
  --resource-group appDefinitionGroup \
  --lock-level ReadOnly \
  --display-name "Sample managed application" \
  --description "Sample managed application that deploys web resources" \
  --authorizations "$principalid:$roleid" \
  --package-file-uri "$blob"

When the command completes, you have a managed application definition in your resource group.

Some of the parameters used in the preceding example are:

• resource-group: The name of the resource group where the managed application definition is created.
• lock-level: The lockLevel on the managed resource group prevents the customer from performing undesirable operations on this resource group. Currently, ReadOnly is the only supported lock level. ReadOnly specifies that the customer can only read the resources present in the managed resource group. The publisher identities that are granted access to the managed resource group are exempt from the lock level.
• authorizations: Describes the principal ID and the role definition ID that are used to grant permission to the managed resource group.
  • "$principalid:$roleid" or you can use curly braces like "${principalid}:${roleid}".
  • Use a space to separate multiple values: "$principalid1:$roleid1" "$principalid2:$roleid2".
• package-file-uri: The location of a .zip package file that contains the required files.

Portal

To publish a managed application definition from the Azure portal, use the following steps.

1. Select Create a resource from the portal's Home page.

2. Search for Service Catalog Managed Application Definition and select it from the available options.

3. Select Create from the Service Catalog Managed Application Definition page.

   

4. On the Basics tab, enter the following information and select Next.

   

   • Project details:
     • Select your subscription name.
     • Create a new resource group named appDefinitionGroup.
   • Instance details:
     • Name: Enter a name like instance-name. The name isn't used in the definition but the form requires an entry.
     • Region: West US
   • Application details:
     • Name: sampleManagedApplication
     • Display name: Sample managed application
     • Description: Sample managed application that deploys web resources

5. On the Package tab, enter the Package file uri for your app.zip file.

6. Ignore the Management settings tab.

7. On the Authentication and lock level tab, enter the following information and then select Review + create.

   

   • Lock level: Select Read Only.

   • Select Add members.

     • Roles: Select Owner.
     • Select principals: Select your group's name like managedAppDemo.

     The Lock level on the managed resource group prevents the customer from performing undesirable operations on this resource group. Read Only specifies that the customer can only read the resources present in the managed resource group. The publisher identities that are granted access to the managed resource group are exempt from the lock level.

8. After Validation Passed is displayed, select Create.

   

When the deployment is complete, you have a managed application definition in your resource group.

Make sure users can see your definition

You have access to the managed application definition, but you want to make sure other users in your organization can access it. Grant them at least the Reader role on the definition. They might have inherited this level of access from the subscription or resource group. To check who has access to the definition and add users or groups, see Assign Azure roles using the Azure portal.

Clean up resources

If you're going to deploy the definition, continue with the Next steps section that links to the article to deploy the definition.

If you're finished with the managed application definition, you can delete the resource groups you created named packageStorageGroup and appDefinitionGroup.

Azure PowerShell

The command prompts you to confirm that you want to remove the resource group.

Remove-AzResourceGroup -Name packageStorageGroup

Remove-AzResourceGroup -Name appDefinitionGroup

Azure CLI

The command prompts for confirmation, and then returns you to command prompt while resources are being deleted.

az group delete --resource-group packageStorageGroup --no-wait

az group delete --resource-group appDefinitionGroup --no-wait

Portal

1. From Azure portal Home, in the search field, enter resource groups.
2. Select Resource groups.
3. Select packageStorageGroup and Delete resource group.
4. To confirm the deletion, enter the resource group name and select Delete.

Use the same steps to delete appDefinitionGroup.

Next steps

You published the managed application definition. The next step is to learn how to deploy an instance of that definition.

Quickstart: Deploy a service catalog managed application