Azure CLI and Cloud Shell - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - Azure CLI and Cloud Shell

Start Cloud Shell

↓

Choose Shell Type

↓

Initialize Environment

↓

Run Azure CLI Commands

↓

Receive Command Output

↓

Continue or Exit Shell

This flow shows how you start Azure Cloud Shell, choose your shell type, run Azure CLI commands, and get outputs.

Execution Sample

Azure

az group create --name MyResourceGroup --location eastus
az vm list --resource-group MyResourceGroup

Creates a resource group named MyResourceGroup in eastus, then lists VMs in that group.

Process Table

Step	Action	Command	Result	Notes
1	Start Cloud Shell	N/A	Cloud Shell environment ready	User opens Cloud Shell in browser or portal
2	Choose Shell Type	Select Bash or PowerShell	Shell environment initialized	User picks preferred shell
3	Run Command	az group create --name MyResourceGroup --location eastus	Resource group created	Azure confirms creation
4	Run Command	az vm list --resource-group MyResourceGroup	Empty list []	No VMs yet in the group
5	Exit Shell	exit	Shell session ends	User closes Cloud Shell
6	End	N/A	Session closed	No further commands

💡 User exits Cloud Shell or closes session

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 3	After Step 4	Final
CloudShellStatus	Not started	Running	Running	Closed
ResourceGroup	None	MyResourceGroup created	MyResourceGroup exists	MyResourceGroup exists
VMList	None	None	Empty list []	Empty list []

Key Moments - 2 Insights

Why does the VM list show empty after creating the resource group?

Because creating a resource group does not create any VMs. The execution_table row 4 shows the VM list command returns an empty list.

What happens if you close the browser tab without typing 'exit'?

The Cloud Shell session ends anyway, as shown in execution_table row 5 and 6, the session closes when the user leaves.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution_table, what is the result of running 'az group create' command at step 3?

A Shell environment initialized

B Resource group created

C Empty list []

D Shell session ends

💡 Hint

Check execution_table row 3 under Result column

At which step does the Cloud Shell environment become ready to accept commands?

A Step 2

B Step 3

C Step 1

D Step 4

💡 Hint

Look at execution_table row 1 and 2 for environment readiness

If you run 'az vm list' before creating a resource group, what would you expect in the VMList variable?

A Empty list or error

B List of VMs in all groups

C Resource group created

D Shell environment initialized

💡 Hint

Refer to variable_tracker VMList before and after step 4

Concept Snapshot

Azure CLI runs commands in Cloud Shell, a browser-based terminal.
Start Cloud Shell, pick Bash or PowerShell.
Run commands like 'az group create' to manage resources.
Outputs show success or data like VM lists.
Exit shell to end session.

Full Transcript

Azure Cloud Shell is a browser-based terminal that lets you run Azure CLI commands without setup. You start Cloud Shell, choose Bash or PowerShell, and get a ready environment. You can create resources like a resource group using commands such as 'az group create --name MyResourceGroup --location eastus'. After creation, you can list virtual machines in that group with 'az vm list --resource-group MyResourceGroup', which will show an empty list if no VMs exist. When finished, you type 'exit' or close the browser tab to end the session. This flow helps beginners see how commands run step-by-step and how the environment changes.