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title Azure CLI vs Azure Developer CLI - differences and when to use each
description Learn the differences between Azure CLI (az) and Azure Developer CLI (azd), including their purpose, capabilities, and when to use each tool for your Azure workflow.
ms.service azure-cli
ms.custom devx-track-azurecli
ms.topic concept-article
keywords azure cli vs azure developer cli, az vs azd, azure cli comparison, azure developer cli vs azure cli, azd cli

Azure CLI vs Azure Developer CLI

Azure CLI (az) and Azure Developer CLI (azd) are both command-line tools for working with Azure, but they serve different purposes. This article explains the differences and helps you choose the right tool for your workflow.

Overview

Feature Azure CLI (az) Azure Developer CLI (azd)
Primary purpose Manage Azure resources Streamline developer workflows
Audience IT admins, DevOps, developers Application developers
Scope Individual resource management End-to-end app deployment
Command prefix az azd
Install package azure-cli azure-dev

Azure CLI (az)

Azure CLI is a cross-platform tool for managing Azure resources. It provides direct access to Azure Resource Manager operations, enabling you to create, configure, and manage individual Azure services.

When to use Azure CLI

  • Create and manage individual Azure resources (VMs, storage accounts, databases).
  • Automate infrastructure provisioning and configuration.
  • Query resource properties and manage role-based access control (RBAC).
  • Script repetitive Azure management tasks.
  • Work with Azure services at the resource level.

Example Azure CLI commands

# Create a resource group
az group create --name myResourceGroup --location eastus

# Create a virtual machine
az vm create --resource-group myResourceGroup --name myVM --image Ubuntu2204

# List storage accounts
az storage account list --output table

Azure Developer CLI (azd)

Azure Developer CLI is a developer-centric tool that accelerates the time it takes to get your application running in Azure. It uses application templates that include infrastructure-as-code (IaC) files and configuration to provision and deploy resources.

When to use Azure Developer CLI

  • Scaffold a new application from a template and deploy it to Azure.
  • Provision infrastructure and deploy application code in a single workflow.
  • Set up CI/CD pipelines for your application.
  • Work with Azure Developer CLI templates (azd templates) for repeatable deployments.
  • Manage the full application lifecycle from development to production.

Example Azure Developer CLI commands

# Initialize a new project from a template
azd init --template todo-nodejs-mongo

# Provision infrastructure and deploy the application
azd up

# Deploy code changes only
azd deploy

# Set up a CI/CD pipeline
azd pipeline config

Key differences

Scope of operations

  • Azure CLI operates at the resource level. You create and manage individual Azure services such as virtual machines, databases, and networking components.
  • Azure Developer CLI operates at the application level. You provision and deploy entire application stacks defined in templates.

Infrastructure definition

  • Azure CLI uses imperative commands. You specify each step to create and configure resources.
  • Azure Developer CLI uses declarative templates (Bicep or Terraform) to define infrastructure. The tool handles the orchestration.

Workflow focus

  • Azure CLI focuses on Azure resource management and automation.
  • Azure Developer CLI focuses on the inner-loop and outer-loop developer experience, from writing code to deploying applications.

Using both tools together

Azure CLI and Azure Developer CLI are complementary. A common workflow is:

  1. Use az to create and configure individual Azure resources or automate infrastructure tasks.
  2. Use azd to scaffold and deploy full application stacks from templates.
  3. Combine both tools in CI/CD pipelines for end-to-end workflows that manage infrastructure and application code.

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