• When deploying Node.js to Azure, the default entry file is server.js.
• Make sure to set the port in your app to something like: const port = process.env.port || 8000; so that Azure can use it's preferred port.

• 2 ways to setup up Node.js on Azure:

  1. In a Virtual Machine
  2. In an App Service

Azure Virtual Machines

• Virtual Machine: In the Azure Portal, select 'Virtual machines' and follow the prompts: e.g. Ubuntu, SSD + SSH public key for authentication
• In iterm2/terminal: ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 2084
• Remember your passphrase if you set one
• Once setup: ssh username@IP.ADD.RES.S
• I had trouble using a non-standard key, as such, I ended up using the default: rsa_id

• Once logged in, run:

  sudo apt-get update
  sudo apt-get install nodejs
  sudo apt-get install npm
  

• Then run: nodejs -v to check your version and if all is well. *On your local, install the Azure CLI via Homebrew:

  brew update 
  brew install azure-cli
  

• A few commands to get you started:

  az -h 
  az vm -h
  az login
  az stop
  az deallocate
  az start
  az account set --subscription your-subcription-name
  az vm list --output-table
  az vm deallocate --name your-vm-name --resource-group your-resource-group
  

• You can then setup Local Git as a deployment source to Azure.

  cd your-project
  git init
  git add .
  git commit -m 'First commit'
  git add remote azure http://the-azure-git-url.git
  git push azure master
  az webapp browse --name your-app-name --resource-group your-resource-group 
  

• Once that is done, you can setup deployment slots as:

  az webapp -h
  az webapp deployment slot swap --slot your-slot-name --name your-app-name --resource-group your-resource-group-name
  

Azure App Service

• az group create --location 'location-name' --name your-app-service-name
• az appservice plan create --name your-app-service-name --resource your-resource-name --sku FREE
• az webapp create --name your-app-name --resource-group your-resource-group-name --plan your-plan-name
• az webapp deployment source config-local-git --name your-app-name --resource-group your-resource-group-name
• Then connect your add your Azure git remote, add/commit and push.