Build your first AI Agent with Azure App Service

Want to build your first AI agent? Already have apps you want to add agentic capabilities to? Maybe you've heard of Azure App Service, or you're already running your applications on it. Either way, App Service makes building and deploying AI-powered applications incredibly straightforward—and here's how to get started.

Azure App Service is the go-to platform for building your first AI application because it eliminates infrastructure complexity while delivering enterprise-grade capabilities. As a fully managed Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), it offers native integration with Azure AI services like Azure OpenAI, built-in DevOps support with GitHub Actions and Codespaces, and multi-language flexibility so you can build with what you know. Security is built-in with network isolation, encryption, and role-based access control, while Azure handles patching, updates, and high availability—letting you focus on innovation, not infrastructure management.

Getting Started with AI on App Service

Whether you're building your first chatbot or a sophisticated multi-agent system, here are some of the key capabilities you can explore:

Chatbots & RAG Applications

• Build chatbots powered by Azure OpenAI
• Create RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) apps with Azure AI Search
• Develop intelligent web apps that combine your data with large language models

Agentic Web Applications

• Transform traditional CRUD apps with conversational, agentic capabilities
• Use frameworks like Microsoft Semantic Kernel, LangGraph, or Azure AI Foundry Agent Service
• Build agents that can reason, plan, and take actions on behalf of users

OpenAPI Tool Integration

• Expose your existing web app APIs to AI agents using OpenAPI specifications
• Add your App Service apps as tools in Azure AI Foundry Agent Service
• Let AI agents interact with your existing REST APIs seamlessly

Model Context Protocol (MCP) Servers

• Integrate your web apps as MCP servers to extend AI agent capabilities
• Connect to personal AI agents like GitHub Copilot Chat
• Expose your app's functionality without major rearchitecture

Ready to get hands-on? Check out the App Service AI Integration landing page for complete tutorials, code samples, and step-by-step guides across .NET, Python, Java, and Node.js.

Ready to Go Deeper?

If you're ready for more advanced scenarios and want to dive into production-grade agent development, explore Microsoft Agent Framework—Microsoft's new direction for building robust, scalable AI agents. We've created a comprehensive 3-part blog series that walks through building sophisticated agents on App Service:

• Part 1: Build Long-Running AI Agents – Learn how to build stateful agents that can handle complex, multi-turn conversations and long-running tasks.
• Part 2: Advanced Agent Patterns – Explore advanced patterns for building production-ready agents with proper error handling, observability, and scaling.
• Part 3: Client-Side Multi-Agent Orchestration – Discover how to orchestrate multiple specialized agents working together to solve complex problems.

Start Building Today

Whether you're just getting started with AI agents or looking to add intelligent capabilities to your existing applications, Azure App Service provides the platform, tools, and integrations you need to succeed. Explore the resources above and start building your next intelligent application today!