Azure Static Web Apps

Overview

Azure Static Web Apps (SWA) hosts static frontends with optional serverless API backends. The SWA CLI (swa) provides local development emulation and deployment capabilities.

Key features:

• Local emulator with API proxy and auth simulation
• Framework auto-detection and configuration
• Direct deployment to Azure
• Database connections support

Config files:

• swa-cli.config.json - CLI settings, created by swa init (never create manually)
• staticwebapp.config.json - Runtime config (routes, auth, headers, API runtime) - can be created manually

General Instructions

Installation

npm install -D @azure/static-web-apps-cli

Verify: npx swa --version

Quick Start Workflow

IMPORTANT: Always use swa init to create configuration files. Never manually create swa-cli.config.json.

1. swa init - Required first step - auto-detects framework and creates swa-cli.config.json
2. swa start - Run local emulator at http://localhost:4280
3. swa login - Authenticate with Azure
4. swa deploy - Deploy to Azure

Configuration Files

swa-cli.config.json - Created by swa init, do not create manually:

• Run swa init for interactive setup with framework detection
• Run swa init --yes to accept auto-detected defaults
• Edit the generated file only to customize settings after initialization

Example of generated config (for reference only):

{
  "$schema": "https://aka.ms/azure/static-web-apps-cli/schema",
  "configurations": {
    "app": {
      "appLocation": ".",
      "apiLocation": "api",
      "outputLocation": "dist",
      "appBuildCommand": "npm run build",
      "run": "npm run dev",
      "appDevserverUrl": "http://localhost:3000"
    }
  }
}

staticwebapp.config.json (in app source or output folder) - This file CAN be created manually for runtime configuration:

{
  "navigationFallback": {
    "rewrite": "/index.html",
    "exclude": ["/images/*", "/css/*"]
  },
  "routes": [
    { "route": "/api/*", "allowedRoles": ["authenticated"] }
  ],
  "platform": {
    "apiRuntime": "node:20"
  }
}

Command-line Reference

swa login

Authenticate with Azure for deployment.

swa login                              # Interactive login
swa login --subscription-id <id>       # Specific subscription
swa login --clear-credentials          # Clear cached credentials

Flags: --subscription-id, -S | --resource-group, -R | --tenant-id, -T | --client-id, -C | --client-secret, -CS | --app-name, -n

swa init

Configure a new SWA project based on an existing frontend and (optional) API. Detects frameworks automatically.

swa init                    # Interactive setup
swa init --yes              # Accept defaults

swa build

Build frontend and/or API.

swa build                   # Build using config
swa build --auto            # Auto-detect and build
swa build myApp             # Build specific configuration

Flags: --app-location, -a | --api-location, -i | --output-location, -O | --app-build-command, -A | --api-build-command, -I

swa start

Start local development emulator.

swa start                                    # Serve from outputLocation
swa start ./dist                             # Serve specific folder
swa start http://localhost:3000              # Proxy to dev server
swa start ./dist --api-location ./api        # With API folder
swa start http://localhost:3000 --run "npm start"  # Auto-start dev server

Common framework ports:

Framework	Port
React/Vue/Next.js	3000
Angular	4200
Vite	5173

Key flags:

• --port, -p - Emulator port (default: 4280)
• --api-location, -i - API folder path
• --api-port, -j - API port (default: 7071)
• --run, -r - Command to start dev server
• --open, -o - Open browser automatically
• --ssl, -s - Enable HTTPS

swa deploy

Deploy to Azure Static Web Apps.

swa deploy                              # Deploy using config
swa deploy ./dist                       # Deploy specific folder
swa deploy --env production             # Deploy to production
swa deploy --deployment-token <TOKEN>   # Use deployment token
swa deploy --dry-run                    # Preview without deploying

Get deployment token:

• Azure Portal: Static Web App → Overview → Manage deployment token
• CLI: swa deploy --print-token
• Environment variable: SWA_CLI_DEPLOYMENT_TOKEN

Key flags:

• --env - Target environment (preview or production)
• --deployment-token, -d - Deployment token
• --app-name, -n - Azure SWA resource name

swa db

Initialize database connections.

swa db init --database-type mssql
swa db init --database-type postgresql
swa db init --database-type cosmosdb_nosql

Scenarios

Create SWA from Existing Frontend and Backend

Always run swa init before swa start or swa deploy. Do not manually create swa-cli.config.json.

# 1. Install CLI
npm install -D @azure/static-web-apps-cli

# 2. Initialize - REQUIRED: creates swa-cli.config.json with auto-detected settings
npx swa init              # Interactive mode
# OR
npx swa init --yes        # Accept auto-detected defaults

# 3. Build application (if needed)
npm run build

# 4. Test locally (uses settings from swa-cli.config.json)
npx swa start

# 5. Deploy
npx swa login
npx swa deploy --env production

Add Azure Functions Backend

1. Create API folder:

mkdir api && cd api
func init --worker-runtime node --model V4
func new --name message --template "HTTP trigger"

2. Example function (api/src/functions/message.js):

const { app } = require('@azure/functions');

app.http('message', {
    methods: ['GET', 'POST'],
    authLevel: 'anonymous',
    handler: async (request) => {
        const name = request.query.get('name') || 'World';
        return { jsonBody: { message: `Hello, ${name}!` } };
    }
});

3. Set API runtime in staticwebapp.config.json:

{
  "platform": { "apiRuntime": "node:20" }
}

4. Update CLI config in swa-cli.config.json:

{
  "configurations": {
    "app": { "apiLocation": "api" }
  }
}

5. Test locally:

npx swa start ./dist --api-location ./api
# Access API at http://localhost:4280/api/message

Supported API runtimes: node:18, node:20, node:22, dotnet:8.0, dotnet-isolated:8.0, python:3.10, python:3.11

Set Up GitHub Actions Deployment

1. Create SWA resource in Azure Portal or via Azure CLI
2. Link GitHub repository - workflow auto-generated, or create manually:

.github/workflows/azure-static-web-apps.yml:

name: Azure Static Web Apps CI/CD

on:
  push:
    branches: [main]
  pull_request:
    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened, closed]
    branches: [main]

jobs:
  build_and_deploy:
    if: github.event_name == 'push' || (github.event_name == 'pull_request' && github.event.action != 'closed')
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - name: Build And Deploy
        uses: Azure/static-web-apps-deploy@v1
        with:
          azure_static_web_apps_api_token: ${{ secrets.AZURE_STATIC_WEB_APPS_API_TOKEN }}
          repo_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
          action: upload
          app_location: /
          api_location: api
          output_location: dist

  close_pr:
    if: github.event_name == 'pull_request' && github.event.action == 'closed'
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: Azure/static-web-apps-deploy@v1
        with:
          azure_static_web_apps_api_token: ${{ secrets.AZURE_STATIC_WEB_APPS_API_TOKEN }}
          action: close

3. Add secret: Copy deployment token to repository secret AZURE_STATIC_WEB_APPS_API_TOKEN

Workflow settings:

• app_location - Frontend source path
• api_location - API source path
• output_location - Built output folder
• skip_app_build: true - Skip if pre-built
• app_build_command - Custom build command

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
404 on client routes	Add navigationFallback with rewrite: "/index.html" to staticwebapp.config.json
API returns 404	Verify api folder structure, ensure platform.apiRuntime is set, check function exports
Build output not found	Verify output_location matches actual build output directory
Auth not working locally	Use /.auth/login/<provider> to access auth emulator UI
CORS errors	APIs under /api/* are same-origin; external APIs need CORS headers
Deployment token expired	Regenerate in Azure Portal → Static Web App → Manage deployment token
Config not applied	Ensure staticwebapp.config.json is in app_location or output_location
Local API timeout	Default is 45 seconds; optimize function or check for blocking calls

Debug commands:

swa start --verbose log        # Verbose output
swa deploy --dry-run           # Preview deployment
swa --print-config             # Show resolved configuration