/azure-kubernetes-app-deploy

Quick Deploy

Deploy an application to an existing AKS cluster with production-grade artifacts.

Section 1: Detection

Scan the project and Azure environment. Ask at most one clarifying question if genuinely ambiguous (multiple Dockerfiles, ACRs, or identities).

Framework Detection

Follow the framework detection table in references/detection.md. Scan for signal files at the project root (and one level deep for monorepos).

Port and Health Endpoint Detection

Follow the port and health endpoint detection tables in references/detection.md (first match wins). If none found, use /health as default in probes.

Existing Artifact Detection

Check for existing Dockerfile and k8s/ (or manifests/, deploy/) directories.

Azure Infrastructure Detection

kubectl config current-context
az aks show -g <rg> -n <cluster> -o json

Extract from cluster details:

• AKS flavor: nodeProvisioningProfile.mode — "Auto" = AKS Automatic, otherwise Standard
• OIDC issuer: oidcIssuerProfile.issuerUrl
• Azure RBAC: aadProfile.enableAzureRBAC

Routing Detection

az aks show -g <rg> -n <cluster> --query '{webAppRoutingEnabled: ingressProfile.webAppRouting.enabled, istioMode: serviceMeshProfile.istio.mode}' -o json

• If webAppRoutingEnabled is not true, stop with error: az aks approuting enable -g <rg> -n <cluster>
• If istioMode is "Enabled" → use Gateway API (gateway.yaml + httproute.yaml, gatewayClassName: istio)
• Otherwise → use Ingress (ingress.yaml, ingressClassName: webapprouting.kubernetes.azure.com)

az acr list -g <rg> -o json
az identity list -g <rg> -o json

ACR-AKS Integration

Verify the AKS kubelet identity can pull images from the detected ACR:

az aks check-acr --resource-group <rg> --name <cluster> --acr <acr-name>.azurecr.io

If the check fails, attach the ACR (requires confirmation): az aks update -g <rg> -n <cluster> --attach-acr <acr-name>

If Azure RBAC is enabled, verify namespace create permission: kubectl auth can-i create namespaces — if no, stop and offer alternatives: have an admin create it, or deploy to an existing namespace.

If any detection command fails, suggest: az login, az account set -s <subscription-id>, az aks get-credentials -g <rg> -n <cluster>.

Knowledge Pack

After framework detection, load the matching pack from knowledge-packs/frameworks/ if available (see SKILL.md).

Knowledge packs influence Dockerfile optimization, probe configuration, and writable paths.

Section 2: File Generation

Write all files in a single response turn.

Dockerfile

If existing Dockerfile: Validate against best practices (multi-stage build, non-root USER, base tags pinned to a stable major tag (not :latest, not a frozen patch), layer caching, .dockerignore). Apply targeted fixes for failures — do not regenerate the file.

If no Dockerfile: Generate from the appropriate template:

Resolve the base image version. The templates carry <LATEST_STABLE_*> placeholders. Before writing the Dockerfile, replace each with the current stable major the project targets, following references/base-images.md (explicit registry/release check; fall back to latest-known with a verify comment). The generated Dockerfile must end up pinned to a concrete major tag — this is required for DS009.

Generate .dockerignore if missing — use the matching template from templates/dockerfiles/<language>.dockerignore.

Kubernetes Manifests

If existing manifests found (in k8s/, manifests/, or deploy/): Validate against AKS Deployment Safeguards (Section 3) and apply targeted fixes. Do not regenerate — improve in place.

If no manifests found: Generate from templates/k8s/ templates. Replace <angle-bracket> placeholders with detected values.

Hostname

Omit the host field from Ingress rules (or Gateway listeners) for initial deployments — traffic routes to the external IP directly. Add host and TLS once the user has a domain.

Resource Sizing

Use the framework-specific defaults from the knowledge pack's "Resource Sizing" section. If no pack is loaded, use requests: {cpu: 100m, memory: 128Mi} and limits: {cpu: 500m, memory: 256Mi}.

Startup Probe

For slow-start frameworks (Java/Spring Boot, .NET with heavy DI), uncomment startupProbe in the deployment template to prevent liveness restarts during init.

Section 3: Safeguards Validation

Validate all generated manifests against DS001-DS013 (reference references/safeguards.md).

• 12 of 13 rules are auto-fixable. DS009 (no :latest tag) is resolved by tagging with git SHA.
• Apply the writable paths from the loaded pack (for readOnlyRootFilesystem: true compliance with DS012).
• Reference references/workload-identity.md for Workload Identity configuration.

AKS Automatic: all violations must be fixed.

AKS Standard: check safeguardsProfile.level:

az aks show -g <rg> -n <cluster> --query 'safeguardsProfile.level' -o tsv

• Enforcement: fix all violations
• Warning or Off: warn, don't block

Section 4: Deploy

Ensure kubectl context

az aks get-credentials -g <resource_group> -n <aks_cluster_name> --overwrite-existing

Verify Gateway API CRDs (only if Istio Gateway API detected)

kubectl get crd gateways.gateway.networking.k8s.io httproutes.gateway.networking.k8s.io 2>/dev/null

If missing: kubectl apply -f https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/gateway-api/releases/latest/download/standard-install.yaml

Build and push

IMAGE_TAG=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)   # fallback: date +%Y%m%d%H%M%S
az acr build --registry <acr_name> --image <app-name>:$IMAGE_TAG --file Dockerfile .

Monorepo: Adjust --file and context to the app subdirectory (e.g., --file apps/myapp/Dockerfile apps/myapp/).

Deploy to cluster

# 1. Create namespace (must succeed before proceeding)
kubectl apply -f k8s/namespace.yaml
kubectl get namespace <namespace> -o name   # verify

# 2. Apply remaining manifests
kubectl apply -f k8s/ --recursive

# 3. Wait for rollout
kubectl rollout status deployment/<app-name> -n <namespace> --timeout=300s

If any step fails, show the error and stop. See references/rollback.md for recovery.

Section 5: Verify

kubectl get pods -n <namespace> -l app=<app-name>
kubectl get gateway -n <namespace> -o jsonpath='{.items[0].status.addresses[0].value}'  # if Gateway API
kubectl get ingress -n <namespace> -o jsonpath='{.items[0].status.loadBalancer.ingress[0].ip}'  # if Ingress

Wait up to 3 minutes for external IP, then curl the health endpoint.