Thursday Architecture Lesson #1

Azure Compute: VM, App Service, Container Apps or AKS?

Don't memorize the services.

Remember this:

V → VM
Need maximum control or have a legacy workload.

A → App Service
Want managed hosting for web apps or APIs.

C → Container Apps
Want containers without taking on Kubernetes complexity.

K → AKS
You genuinely need Kubernetes capabilities.

🧠 The Architect's Rule:

“Don't choose AKS because you can.
Choose AKS because you need it.”

The right architecture isn't the one with the most powerful technology.

It's the one that gives the business the right balance of:

• Capability
  • Cost
  • Security
  • Scalability
  • Operational complexity

For example, if a simple web application can run effectively on App Service, introducing Kubernetes may add complexity without adding meaningful business value.

The best architects don't ask:

“What is the most advanced technology we can use?”

They ask:

“What is the simplest architecture that meets the requirements?”

💬 Your turn:

If you were modernizing a traditional 3-tier application today, which would you choose first — VM, App Service, Container Apps or AKS?

And most importantly, why?