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