How to Configure Azure as Web Hosting: Complete Tutorial

To host a website on Microsoft Azure, the fastest route is Azure App Service — a managed platform that runs your code without requiring you to manage a server. This tutorial takes you from zero to a live site on Azure with a custom domain and HTTPS.

What Is Azure App Service and Why Use It?

Azure App Service is Microsoft's Platform as a Service (PaaS) solution for hosting web applications. Unlike a virtual machine, you don't manage the operating system — you just deploy your code.

Key advantages:

• Multi-language support: PHP, Python, Node.js, .NET, Java, and Docker containers.
• Continuous deployment: integrates with GitHub, Azure DevOps, or Bitbucket.
• Automatic SSL: free certificates managed by Azure.
• On-demand scaling: scale up or down without downtime.
• Free tier: the Free (F1) plan lets you start at no cost.

For projects already using the Microsoft stack — Office 365, Active Directory, SQL Server — Azure is the natural extension. If you want to compare other options, check out the hosting comparisons section.

Step 1: Create an Azure Account

Go to azure.microsoft.com and click Start free. You'll need:

• A Microsoft account (Outlook, Hotmail, or corporate).
• A phone number for verification.
• A credit card (not charged if you stay on the free tier).

Microsoft gives new accounts $200 USD in credits for 30 days, plus 12 months of selected free services.

Step 2: Create an App Service Plan and Web App

The App Service Plan defines compute resources; the Web App is your application instance. Both are created together:

1. In the Azure Portal, click Create a resource.
2. Search for Web App and select the Microsoft result.
3. Fill in the fields:
   • Subscription: your active subscription.
   • Resource group: create a new one, e.g. rg-mysite-prod.
   • Name: this becomes your subdomain name.azurewebsites.net.
   • Publish: Code (or Docker Container if using Docker).
   • Runtime stack: choose PHP 8.3, Node.js 20, Python 3.12, etc.
   • Region: East US or Central US for best latency from Mexico.
4. Under App Service Plan, choose Free F1 to start (or Basic B1 if you need a custom domain and managed SSL).
5. Click Review + Create → Create.

Within 1–3 minutes your Web App is ready. Azure gives you a URL like mysite.azurewebsites.net that's immediately accessible.

Step 3: Publish Your Code to Azure

There are three main methods — choose what fits your workflow best:

Option A: Deploy from GitHub (recommended)

1. In your Web App, go to Deployment Center.
2. Select GitHub as the source and authorize the connection.
3. Choose your repository and branch (e.g. main).
4. Save. Every push to that branch will automatically deploy your site.

Option B: Upload a ZIP

If you have files ready locally, zip the project root and deploy via the Azure CLI:

az login
az webapp deploy --resource-group rg-mysite-prod \
  --name mysite \
  --src-path ./mysite.zip \
  --type zip

Option C: Classic FTP

In Deployment Center → FTP Credentials you'll find the host, username, and password to upload files with any FTP client.

Step 4: Connect a Custom Domain and Enable HTTPS

The Free F1 plan does not support custom domains. You need at least the Basic B1 plan (~$13 USD/month).

1. In your Web App, go to Custom domains → Add custom domain.
2. Enter your domain (yourdomain.com). Azure will show you the DNS records to create.
3. Go to your registrar's dashboard and create the A and TXT records shown.
4. Click Validate once the records have propagated.

To enable free managed HTTPS:

1. Go to TLS/SSL settings → App Service Managed Certificate.
2. Select your domain and click Add.
3. Azure issues and renews the certificate automatically — no Certbot, no manual configuration.

Azure App Service Pricing for Websites

For most small-business sites, the B1 plan is the practical entry point: custom domain, managed HTTPS, and automatic backups.

If your team would rather leave the setup and maintenance to experts, elenlace.com configures and manages Azure hosting for businesses in Mexico.

Key Takeaways

• Azure App Service is the fastest PaaS path to publishing code on Azure without managing servers.
• The free F1 plan works for testing; production with a custom domain requires at least B1 (~$13/month).
• GitHub integration enables continuous deployment in just a few clicks.
• Free managed SSL is included from the B1 plan onward — no Certbot, no manual renewals.
• For Mexico, choose the Central US or East US region to minimize latency.

Want to get started on Azure without the headache? Talk to elenlace.com and we'll help you pick the right plan and configure everything from scratch.

FAQ

Which Azure App Service plan do I need for a custom domain?

The Shared D1 plan (~$10/month) supports custom domains but not managed SSL. The Basic B1 plan (~$13/month) includes both and is the minimum recommended for production use.

Can I host WordPress on Azure App Service?

Yes. Choose PHP as your runtime, upload the WordPress files, and connect an Azure Database for MySQL. Azure also offers pre-configured WordPress templates in Marketplace to speed up the process.

Is Azure more expensive than traditional shared hosting?

The B1 plan (~$13 USD/month) is comparable to mid-range shared hosting, but with scaling, CI/CD, and automatic HTTPS built in. For projects with variable traffic, Azure can be more cost-effective long-term than an oversized VPS.

How do I scale my Web App as traffic grows?

On the Standard or Premium plan you can enable Autoscale (rules based on CPU, memory, or requests). For smaller needs, simply upgrade manually to the next plan via Scale up in the portal — no downtime required.

Useful resources

Other providers and guides worth comparing:

• GoDaddy
• HostGator México
• Hostinger