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A company is developing a new serverless API that will be invoked by a mobile application. The API needs to handle authentication using Azure Active Directory (AAD) and integrate seamlessly with other Azure services like Azure Cosmos DB. The development team prefers C# and wants to use an HTTP trigger for the API. Which Azure compute solution should they choose?
- AAzure Container Instances
- BAzure Functions with HTTP Trigger
- CAzure App Service Web App
- DAzure Virtual Machines with a custom web server
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Azure Functions with HTTP Trigger
Azure Functions with an HTTP trigger are ideal for serverless APIs. They natively support C#, integrate well with Azure Active Directory for authentication, and have robust bindings for other Azure services like Cosmos DB, perfectly fitting the requirements.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. ACI can run containers but lacks the built-in serverless execution model, automatic scaling, and native integrations provided by Azure Functions for API development.
- C. Azure App Service Web Apps can host APIs but are not inherently serverless and would incur costs even when idle, which contradicts the serverless preference.
- D. VMs provide too much overhead and management for a serverless API, requiring manual setup of authentication and integrations.
HTTP Trigger (Azure Functions)
An Azure Function binding that allows a function to be executed in response to an HTTP request, making it suitable for building serverless APIs and webhooks.
- Supports various HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
- Can be secured with API keys or Azure Active Directory
- Allows custom routing and URL paths
- Returns HTTP responses directly
Memory trick: Functions build APIs fast, with triggers and bindings that last.