Custom domains and SSL in Azure - Commands & Configuration

Introduction

When you want your website or app to have a friendly web address and a secure connection, you use custom domains and SSL. This lets visitors see your own web address and keeps their data safe with encryption.

When you want your app to be reachable at your own web address like www.myapp.com instead of a generic cloud address.

When you want to protect your users' data by encrypting the connection with HTTPS.

When you want to build trust with visitors by showing a secure padlock in their browser.

When you need to comply with security standards that require encrypted connections.

When you want to manage your domain names and certificates easily within Azure.

Commands

This command links your custom domain www.example.com to your Azure web app so it can respond to requests on that domain.

Terminal

az webapp config hostname add --resource-group example-resource-group --webapp-name example-webapp --hostname www.example.com

Expected Output

No output (command runs silently)

→

--resource-group - Specifies the Azure resource group where your web app is located.

→

--webapp-name - Specifies the name of your Azure web app.

→

--hostname - Specifies the custom domain you want to add.

This command binds an SSL certificate to your web app, enabling HTTPS so visitors connect securely.

Terminal

az webapp config ssl bind --resource-group example-resource-group --name example-webapp --certificate-thumbprint 123ABC456DEF7890 --ssl-type SNI

Expected Output

No output (command runs silently)

→

--certificate-thumbprint - Identifies the SSL certificate to bind by its unique thumbprint.

→

--ssl-type - Specifies the SSL binding type; SNI is common for multiple domains on one IP.

This command uploads your SSL certificate file to Azure so it can be used for your web app.

Terminal

az webapp config ssl upload --resource-group example-resource-group --name example-webapp --certificate-file mycert.pfx --certificate-password MyP@ssw0rd

Expected Output

{"thumbprint": "123ABC456DEF7890"}

→

--certificate-file - Path to your SSL certificate file in PFX format.

→

--certificate-password - Password protecting your PFX certificate file.

This command shows all domain names linked to your web app, confirming your custom domain is set.

Terminal

az webapp show --resource-group example-resource-group --name example-webapp --query hostNames

Expected Output

["example-webapp.azurewebsites.net", "www.example.com"]

→

--query - Filters output to show only the host names.

Key Concept

If you remember nothing else from this pattern, remember: linking your custom domain and uploading then binding an SSL certificate are the two key steps to make your app secure and reachable at your own web address.

Common Mistakes

Trying to bind an SSL certificate before uploading it to Azure.

Azure cannot bind a certificate it does not have, so the command fails.

Always upload the SSL certificate first using az webapp config ssl upload before binding it.

Not verifying DNS settings for the custom domain before adding it to the web app.

If DNS is not correctly set, Azure cannot verify domain ownership and the custom domain won't work.

Make sure your domain's DNS records point to your Azure web app before adding the custom domain.

Using the wrong SSL binding type for your scenario.

Using IP SSL binding when you have multiple domains can cause conflicts and failures.

Use SNI SSL binding for most cases, especially when hosting multiple domains on one app.

Summary

Add your custom domain to your Azure web app with az webapp config hostname add.

Upload your SSL certificate file to Azure using az webapp config ssl upload.

Bind the uploaded SSL certificate to your web app with az webapp config ssl bind to enable HTTPS.

Verify your custom domains linked to the app with az webapp show and check hostNames.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of adding a custom domain to an Azure web app?

easy

A. To increase the storage capacity of the web app

B. To use your own website name instead of Azure's default URL

C. To enable automatic backups of the web app

D. To improve the speed of the web app

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand what a custom domain is

   A custom domain lets you replace the default Azure URL with your own website name, making it easier for visitors to remember.

2. Step 2: Identify the purpose of using a custom domain

   Using your own domain improves branding and trust, not storage or speed.

3. Final Answer:

   To use your own website name instead of Azure's default URL -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Custom domain = Your own website name [OK]

Hint: Custom domain means your own website name, not Azure's URL [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing custom domain with storage or speed features
• Thinking custom domain automatically improves backups
• Assuming custom domain changes app performance

2. Which Azure CLI command is used to bind an SSL certificate to a web app's custom domain?

easy

A. az webapp domain bind

B. az webapp create ssl

C. az ssl certificate add

D. az webapp config ssl bind

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall Azure CLI commands for SSL binding

   The correct command to bind an SSL certificate to a web app is az webapp config ssl bind.

2. Step 2: Eliminate incorrect commands

   az webapp create ssl and az ssl certificate add are not valid commands. az webapp domain bind binds domains but not SSL certificates.

3. Final Answer:

   az webapp config ssl bind -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   SSL bind command = az webapp config ssl bind [OK]

Hint: SSL bind uses 'az webapp config ssl bind' command [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using 'az webapp domain bind' for SSL binding
• Confusing create and bind commands
• Trying non-existent commands like 'az ssl certificate add'

3. Given this Azure CLI command:
az webapp config ssl bind --certificate-thumbprint abc123 --name myapp --resource-group mygroup --ssl-type SNI
What will this command do?

medium

A. Bind the SSL certificate with thumbprint abc123 to the web app myapp using SNI SSL

B. Create a new SSL certificate with thumbprint abc123 for the web app myapp

C. Remove the SSL certificate from the web app myapp

D. List all SSL certificates for the web app myapp

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze the command parameters

   The command uses az webapp config ssl bind with a certificate thumbprint, web app name, resource group, and SSL type SNI.

2. Step 2: Understand the command effect

   This command binds the existing SSL certificate identified by thumbprint abc123 to the web app myapp using Server Name Indication (SNI) SSL.

3. Final Answer:

   Bind the SSL certificate with thumbprint abc123 to the web app myapp using SNI SSL -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   SSL bind command with thumbprint = Bind SSL cert [OK]

Hint: Binding SSL uses thumbprint and 'az webapp config ssl bind' [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking the command creates or removes certificates
• Confusing listing certificates with binding
• Misunderstanding SNI SSL as removal

4. You tried to bind an SSL certificate to your Azure web app but got an error saying the certificate thumbprint was not found. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. The SSL type SNI is not supported

B. The web app name is incorrect

C. The SSL certificate was not uploaded to the Azure resource group

D. The custom domain is not verified

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the error about missing certificate thumbprint

   The error means Azure cannot find the SSL certificate with the given thumbprint in the resource group.

2. Step 2: Identify the cause

   This usually happens if the certificate was not uploaded or imported into the Azure resource group before binding.

3. Final Answer:

   The SSL certificate was not uploaded to the Azure resource group -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Missing thumbprint error = Certificate not uploaded [OK]

Hint: Upload SSL cert before binding to avoid thumbprint errors [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming web app name causes thumbprint errors
• Thinking SNI SSL is unsupported
• Ignoring domain verification as cause

5. You want to secure your Azure web app with a custom domain and SSL. Which sequence of steps is correct?

hard

A. Add custom domain to web app, upload SSL certificate, then bind SSL certificate to domain

B. Bind SSL certificate to web app, then add custom domain, then upload SSL certificate

C. Upload SSL certificate, add custom domain, then bind SSL certificate to domain

D. Add custom domain, bind SSL certificate, then upload SSL certificate

Solution

1. Step 1: Add the custom domain to the Azure web app

   You must first add your custom domain to the web app so Azure knows which domain to secure.

2. Step 2: Upload the SSL certificate to Azure

   Next, upload the SSL certificate to the Azure resource group to make it available for binding.

3. Step 3: Bind the SSL certificate to the custom domain

   Finally, bind the uploaded SSL certificate to the custom domain on the web app to enable HTTPS.

4. Final Answer:

   Add custom domain to web app, upload SSL certificate, then bind SSL certificate to domain -> Option A

5. Quick Check:

   Domain add -> cert upload -> cert bind [OK]

Hint: Add domain first, upload cert second, bind cert last [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to bind SSL before uploading certificate
• Binding SSL before adding custom domain
• Uploading certificate after binding