Tutorial: Deploy a Dapr application to Azure Container Apps with an Azure Resource Manager or Bicep template
Dapr (Distributed Application Runtime) is a runtime that helps you build resilient stateless and stateful microservices. In this tutorial, a sample Dapr application is deployed to Azure Container Apps via an Azure Resource Manager (ARM) or Bicep template.
You learn how to:
- Create an Azure Blob Storage for use as a Dapr state store
- Deploy a Container Apps environment to host container apps
- Deploy two dapr-enabled container apps: one that produces orders and one that consumes orders and stores them
- Verify the interaction between the two microservices.
With Azure Container Apps, you get a fully managed version of the Dapr APIs when building microservices. When you use Dapr in Azure Container Apps, you can enable sidecars to run next to your microservices that provide a rich set of capabilities. Available Dapr APIs include Service to Service calls, Pub/Sub, Event Bindings, State Stores, and Actors.
In this tutorial, you deploy the same applications from the Dapr Hello World quickstart.
The application consists of:
- A client (Python) container app to generate messages.
- A service (Node) container app to consume and persist those messages in a state store
The following architecture diagram illustrates the components that make up this tutorial:
Prerequisites
- Install Azure CLI
- An Azure account with an active subscription is required. If you don't already have one, you can create an account for free.
Before you begin
This guide uses the following environment variables:
RESOURCE_GROUP="my-containerapps"
LOCATION="canadacentral"
CONTAINERAPPS_ENVIRONMENT="containerapps-env"
STORAGE_ACCOUNT_CONTAINER="mycontainer"
STORAGE_ACCOUNT="<storage account name>"
Choose a name for STORAGE_ACCOUNT. Storage account names must be unique within Azure. Be from 3 to 24 characters in length and contain numbers and lowercase letters only.
Setup
First, sign in to Azure.
az login
Ensure you're running the latest version of the CLI via the upgrade command.
az upgrade
Next, install the Azure Container Apps extension for the Azure CLI.
az extension add --name containerapp --upgrade
Now that the extension is installed, register the Microsoft.App namespace.
Note
Azure Container Apps resources have migrated from the Microsoft.Web namespace to the Microsoft.App namespace. Refer to Namespace migration from Microsoft.Web to Microsoft.App in March 2022 for more details.
az provider register --namespace Microsoft.App
Create a resource group to organize the services related to your container apps.
az group create \
--name $RESOURCE_GROUP \
--location "$LOCATION"
Set up a state store
Create an Azure Blob Storage account
Use the following command to create an Azure Storage account.
az storage account create \
--name $STORAGE_ACCOUNT \
--resource-group $RESOURCE_GROUP \
--location "$LOCATION" \
--sku Standard_RAGRS \
--kind StorageV2
Once your Azure Blob Storage account is created, you'll create a template where these storage parameters will use environment variable values. The values are passed in via the parameters argument when you deploy your apps with the az deployment group create command.
storage_account_nameuses the value of theSTORAGE_ACCOUNTvariable.storage_container_nameuses the value of theSTORAGE_ACCOUNT_CONTAINERvariable. Dapr creates a container with this name when it doesn't already exist in your Azure Storage account.
Create Azure Resource Manager (ARM) template
Create an ARM template to deploy a Container Apps environment that includes:
- the associated Log Analytics workspace
- the Application Insights resource for distributed tracing
- a dapr component for the state store
- the two dapr-enabled container apps: hello-k8s-node and hello-k8s-python
Save the following file as hello-world.json:
{
"$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
"contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
"parameters": {
"environment_name": {
"type": "string"
},
"location": {
"defaultValue": "canadacentral",
"type": "string"
},
"storage_account_name": {
"type": "string"
},
"storage_container_name": {
"type": "string"
}
},
"variables": {
"logAnalyticsWorkspaceName": "[concat('logs-', parameters('environment_name'))]",
"appInsightsName": "[concat('appins-', parameters('environment_name'))]"
},
"resources": [
{
"type": "Microsoft.OperationalInsights/workspaces",
"apiVersion": "2021-06-01",
"name": "[variables('logAnalyticsWorkspaceName')]",
"location": "[parameters('location')]",
"properties": {
"retentionInDays": 30,
"features": {
"searchVersion": 1
},
"sku": {
"name": "PerGB2018"
}
}
},
{
"type": "Microsoft.Insights/components",
"apiVersion": "2020-02-02",
"name": "[variables('appInsightsName')]",
"location": "[parameters('location')]",
"kind": "web",
"dependsOn": [
"[resourceId('Microsoft.OperationalInsights/workspaces/', variables('logAnalyticsWorkspaceName'))]"
],
"properties": {
"Application_Type": "web",
"WorkspaceResourceId": "[resourceId('Microsoft.OperationalInsights/workspaces/', variables('logAnalyticsWorkspaceName'))]"
}
},
{
"type": "Microsoft.App/managedEnvironments",
"apiVersion": "2022-03-01",
"name": "[parameters('environment_name')]",
"location": "[parameters('location')]",
"dependsOn": [
"[resourceId('Microsoft.Insights/components/', variables('appInsightsName'))]"
],
"properties": {
"daprAIInstrumentationKey": "[reference(resourceId('Microsoft.Insights/components/', variables('appInsightsName')), '2020-02-02').InstrumentationKey]",
"appLogsConfiguration": {
"destination": "log-analytics",
"logAnalyticsConfiguration": {
"customerId": "[reference(resourceId('Microsoft.OperationalInsights/workspaces/', variables('logAnalyticsWorkspaceName')), '2021-06-01').customerId]",
"sharedKey": "[listKeys(resourceId('Microsoft.OperationalInsights/workspaces/', variables('logAnalyticsWorkspaceName')), '2021-06-01').primarySharedKey]"
}
}
},
"resources": [
{
"type": "daprComponents",
"name": "statestore",
"apiVersion": "2022-03-01",
"dependsOn": [
"[resourceId('Microsoft.App/managedEnvironments/', parameters('environment_name'))]"
],
"properties": {
"componentType": "state.azure.blobstorage",
"version": "v1",
"ignoreErrors": false,
"initTimeout": "5s",
"secrets": [
{
"name": "storageaccountkey",
"value": "[listKeys(resourceId('Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts/', parameters('storage_account_name')), '2021-09-01').keys[0].value]"
}
],
"metadata": [
{
"name": "accountName",
"value": "[parameters('storage_account_name')]"
},
{
"name": "containerName",
"value": "[parameters('storage_container_name')]"
},
{
"name": "accountKey",
"secretRef": "storageaccountkey"
}
],
"scopes": ["nodeapp"]
}
}
]
},
{
"type": "Microsoft.App/containerApps",
"apiVersion": "2022-03-01",
"name": "nodeapp",
"location": "[parameters('location')]",
"dependsOn": [
"[resourceId('Microsoft.App/managedEnvironments/', parameters('environment_name'))]"
],
"properties": {
"managedEnvironmentId": "[resourceId('Microsoft.App/managedEnvironments/', parameters('environment_name'))]",
"configuration": {
"ingress": {
"external": false,
"targetPort": 3000
},
"dapr": {
"enabled": true,
"appId": "nodeapp",
"appProcotol": "http",
"appPort": 3000
}
},
"template": {
"containers": [
{
"image": "dapriosamples/hello-k8s-node:latest",
"name": "hello-k8s-node",
"env": [
{
"name": "APP_PORT",
"value": "3000"
}
],
"resources": {
"cpu": 0.5,
"memory": "1.0Gi"
}
}
],
"scale": {
"minReplicas": 1,
"maxReplicas": 1
}
}
}
},
{
"type": "Microsoft.App/containerApps",
"apiVersion": "2022-03-01",
"name": "pythonapp",
"location": "[parameters('location')]",
"dependsOn": [
"[resourceId('Microsoft.App/managedEnvironments/', parameters('environment_name'))]",
"[resourceId('Microsoft.App/containerApps/', 'nodeapp')]"
],
"properties": {
"managedEnvironmentId": "[resourceId('Microsoft.App/managedEnvironments/', parameters('environment_name'))]",
"configuration": {
"dapr": {
"enabled": true,
"appId": "pythonapp"
}
},
"template": {
"containers": [
{
"image": "dapriosamples/hello-k8s-python:latest",
"name": "hello-k8s-python",
"resources": {
"cpu": 0.5,
"memory": "1.0Gi"
}
}
],
"scale": {
"minReplicas": 1,
"maxReplicas": 1
}
}
}
}
]
}
Create Azure Bicep templates
Create a bicep template to deploy a Container Apps environment that includes:
- the associated Log Analytics workspace
- the Application Insights resource for distributed tracing
- a dapr component for the state store
- the two dapr-enabled container apps: hello-k8s-node and hello-k8s-python
Save the following file as hello-world.bicep:
param environment_name string
param location string = 'canadacentral'
param storage_account_name string
param storage_container_name string
var logAnalyticsWorkspaceName = 'logs-${environment_name}'
var appInsightsName = 'appins-${environment_name}'
resource logAnalyticsWorkspace'Microsoft.OperationalInsights/workspaces@2021-06-01' = {
name: logAnalyticsWorkspaceName
location: location
properties: any({
retentionInDays: 30
features: {
searchVersion: 1
}
sku: {
name: 'PerGB2018'
}
})
}
resource appInsights 'Microsoft.Insights/components@2020-02-02' = {
name: appInsightsName
location: location
kind: 'web'
properties: {
Application_Type: 'web'
WorkspaceResourceId: logAnalyticsWorkspace.id
}
}
resource environment 'Microsoft.App/managedEnvironments@2022-03-01' = {
name: environment_name
location: location
properties: {
daprAIInstrumentationKey: reference(appInsights.id, '2020-02-02').InstrumentationKey
appLogsConfiguration: {
destination: 'log-analytics'
logAnalyticsConfiguration: {
customerId: reference(logAnalyticsWorkspace.id, '2021-06-01').customerId
sharedKey: listKeys(logAnalyticsWorkspace.id, '2021-06-01').primarySharedKey
}
}
}
resource daprComponent 'daprComponents@2022-03-01' = {
name: 'statestore'
properties: {
componentType: 'state.azure.blobstorage'
version: 'v1'
ignoreErrors: false
initTimeout: '5s'
secrets: [
{
name: 'storageaccountkey'
value: listKeys(resourceId('Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts/', storage_account_name), '2021-09-01').keys[0].value
}
]
metadata: [
{
name: 'accountName'
value: storage_account_name
}
{
name: 'containerName'
value: storage_container_name
}
{
name: 'accountKey'
secretRef: 'storageaccountkey'
}
]
scopes: [
'nodeapp'
]
}
}
}
resource nodeapp 'Microsoft.App/containerApps@2022-03-01' = {
name: 'nodeapp'
location: location
properties: {
managedEnvironmentId: environment.id
configuration: {
ingress: {
external: false
targetPort: 3000
}
dapr: {
enabled: true
appId: 'nodeapp'
appProtocol: 'http'
appPort: 3000
}
}
template: {
containers: [
{
image: 'dapriosamples/hello-k8s-node:latest'
name: 'hello-k8s-node'
env: [
{
name: 'APP_PORT'
value: '3000'
}
]
resources: {
cpu: json('0.5')
memory: '1.0Gi'
}
}
]
scale: {
minReplicas: 1
maxReplicas: 1
}
}
}
}
resource pythonapp 'Microsoft.App/containerApps@2022-03-01' = {
name: 'pythonapp'
location: location
properties: {
managedEnvironmentId: environment.id
configuration: {
dapr: {
enabled: true
appId: 'pythonapp'
}
}
template: {
containers: [
{
image: 'dapriosamples/hello-k8s-python:latest'
name: 'hello-k8s-python'
resources: {
cpu: json('0.5')
memory: '1.0Gi'
}
}
]
scale: {
minReplicas: 1
maxReplicas: 1
}
}
}
dependsOn: [
nodeapp
]
}
Note
Container Apps does not currently support the native Dapr components schema. The above example uses the supported schema.
Deploy
Navigate to the directory in which you stored the ARM template file and run the following command:
az deployment group create \
--resource-group "$RESOURCE_GROUP" \
--template-file ./hello-world.json \
--parameters \
environment_name="$CONTAINERAPPS_ENVIRONMENT" \
location="$LOCATION" \
storage_account_name="$STORAGE_ACCOUNT" \
storage_container_name="$STORAGE_ACCOUNT_CONTAINER"
Navigate to the directory in which you stored the Bicep template file and run the following command:
A warning (BCP081) might be displayed. This warning has no effect on the successful deployment of the application.
az deployment group create \
--resource-group "$RESOURCE_GROUP" \
--template-file ./hello-world.bicep \
--parameters \
environment_name="$CONTAINERAPPS_ENVIRONMENT" \
location="$LOCATION" \
storage_account_name="$STORAGE_ACCOUNT" \
storage_container_name="$STORAGE_ACCOUNT_CONTAINER"
This command deploys:
- the Container Apps environment and associated Log Analytics workspace for hosting the hello world dapr solution
- an Application Insights instance for Dapr distributed tracing
- the
nodeappapp server running ontargetPort: 3000with dapr enabled and configured using:"appId": "nodeapp"and"appPort": 3000 - the
daprComponentsobject of"type": "state.azure.blobstorage"scoped for use by thenodeappfor storing state - the headless
pythonappwith no ingress and dapr enabled that calls thenodeappservice via dapr service-to-service communication
Verify the result
Confirm successful state persistence
You can confirm that the services are working correctly by viewing data in your Azure Storage account.
Open the Azure portal in your browser.
Navigate to your storage account.
Select Containers from the menu on the left side.
Select mycontainer.
Verify that you can see the file named
orderin the container.Select on the file.
Select the Edit tab.
Select the Refresh button to observe updates.
View Logs
Data logged via a container app are stored in the ContainerAppConsoleLogs_CL custom table in the Log Analytics workspace. You can view logs through the Azure portal or from the command line. Wait a few minutes for the analytics to arrive for the first time before you query the logged data.
Use the following command to view logs in bash or PowerShell.
LOG_ANALYTICS_WORKSPACE_CLIENT_ID=`az containerapp env show --name $CONTAINERAPPS_ENVIRONMENT --resource-group $RESOURCE_GROUP --query properties.appLogsConfiguration.logAnalyticsConfiguration.customerId --out tsv`
az monitor log-analytics query \
--workspace "$LOG_ANALYTICS_WORKSPACE_CLIENT_ID" \
--analytics-query "ContainerAppConsoleLogs_CL | where ContainerAppName_s == 'nodeapp' and (Log_s contains 'persisted' or Log_s contains 'order') | project ContainerAppName_s, Log_s, TimeGenerated | take 5" \
--out table
The following output demonstrates the type of response to expect from the command.
ContainerAppName_s Log_s TableName TimeGenerated
-------------------- ------------------------------- ------------- ------------------------
nodeapp Got a new order! Order ID: 61 PrimaryResult 2021-10-22T21:31:46.184Z
nodeapp Successfully persisted state. PrimaryResult 2021-10-22T21:31:46.184Z
nodeapp Got a new order! Order ID: 62 PrimaryResult 2021-10-22T22:01:57.174Z
nodeapp Successfully persisted state. PrimaryResult 2021-10-22T22:01:57.174Z
nodeapp Got a new order! Order ID: 63 PrimaryResult 2021-10-22T22:45:44.618Z
Clean up resources
Once you're done, run the following command to delete your resource group along with all the resources you created in this tutorial.
az group delete \
--resource-group $RESOURCE_GROUP
Note
Since pythonapp continuously makes calls to nodeapp with messages that get persisted into your configured state store, it is important to complete these cleanup steps to avoid ongoing billable operations.
Tip
Having issues? Let us know on GitHub by opening an issue in the Azure Container Apps repo.
Next steps
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