Feature availability and preview plans
Last reviewed: October 29, 2026.
These docs are for the first customers using App Service Builder Private Preview. Use this page to decide what to try now and what is planned for a future Public Preview. We will update it as capabilities become available. The preview is for development and test workloads, not production.
Private Preview access required
Use the Portal with a subscription enabled for Private Preview. Reading these docs does not grant access, and Private Preview is not open to everyone. The sections below distinguish available workflows, setup prerequisites, and features that are not ready. Planned features are not ready for use.
Current capabilities
You can try these workflows once your preview contact has set up your access. Follow the linked guides for setup and limitations.
| Capability | What you can do | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub source | Connect a repository, choose a branch, and deploy code you have pushed. Both GitHub account authorization and GitHub App access are required. | Source control |
| ZIP-source deployment | Upload source from a local directory or ZIP with Builder CLI, or upload and deploy a ZIP through the API. Include builder.yaml at the source root. Portal ZIP deployment is not available. | CLI ZIP walkthrough, ZIP API deployment |
| Portal templates | Choose Start from a template during creation to fork a sample into your GitHub account or organization. Use Use my repository for a fork you already prepared. | Create from a template |
| Source-defined builds | Use builder.yaml to describe your app's build, startup, and health checks. The quickstarts use samples that already include this file. | App manifest |
| Static websites and HTTP applications | Deploy static files or a Node.js, Python, .NET, or PHP app using the documented settings. For PHP 8.5, keep default nginx/PHP-FPM startup and use the sample's health endpoint. Confirm runtime support for your location first. | Runtimes, tutorials, samples |
| Combined static and HTTP output | Host one static frontend and one HTTP backend in the same app. This does not include a supported Next.js workflow. | App manifest, runtimes |
| Microsoft Entra app sign-in | Require or offer work-account sign-in for app visitors and restrict who can access the app, using the managed provider or your own registration through a user-assigned managed identity. This is separate from signing in to the Portal. | Authentication |
| GitHub app sign-in | Use the configured managed provider or your own GitHub OAuth application, with visitor access rules. This is separate from GitHub source authorization. | Authentication |
| CPU- and memory-based autoscaling | Adjust the minimum, maximum, and CPU or memory targets for your web app. Use either target or both. Positive minimums keep warm replicas; the maximum must be greater than the minimum. | Scaling |
| HTTP autoscaling and scale to zero | Scale with HTTP demand or set minimum zero to let an image-backed app sleep. Review idle/wake behavior before choosing this policy. | Scaling |
| Versions and deployments | Deploy updated code, track progress, or deploy an earlier version whose build output is still available. Verify the app URL after deployment succeeds. | Deployments and versions |
| Application configuration | Save variables for the next version you build. Saving a value does not update the running version. | Application variables |
| Build and deployment diagnostics | Read build logs in Versions and deployment steps and logs in Deployments. Select Deploying in Versions to reopen an in-progress deployment. | Logging and monitoring |
| Managed identity | Assign a system-assigned identity, user-assigned identities, or both to an app so its code can call Azure services without stored credentials. Destination roles and firewall rules still apply. | Managed identity |
| Runtime log export | Configure stdout/stderr export to your Log Analytics workspace through ARM where the preview environment enables it. The app's managed identity needs ingestion permission on the destination. | Runtime log export |
| App management | Create, inspect, update, and delete apps. In Portal Settings, open Azure Access Control (IAM) or delete a test app under Danger zone. | Portal, access and sign-in, ARM API |
| App-owned integrations | Deploy your own MCP server or an app that calls an AI model or another service. You configure the external service, permissions, credentials, and any separate charges. These are not Builder-managed services. | MCP server, AI agent API, external services |
Application variables are not a managed secret-reference service. Do not embed secrets in static browser assets. Builder does not automatically provision your database, model service, vault, or monitoring destination.
Setup prerequisites
These are access and distribution requirements, not separate missing application features. Obtain the settings for your approved preview environment before following a quickstart.
| Prerequisite | What you need |
|---|---|
| Management account and tenant | Use the Microsoft account and directory authorized for your preview subscription. If a personal account cannot list directories, the Portal lets you enter your Microsoft Entra tenant ID. See access and sign-in. |
| Region | Create your app in East US 2 (eastus2) or West US 2 (westus2). See regions and data residency. |
| Builder CLI installation and configuration | Install the published Builder CLI 0.0.2 portable archive. Obtain preview access and connection settings from your contact. Add a compatible .NET runtime only for local manifest commands. A .NET SDK is not required. |
| Agent plugin | Install the published Builder plugin through its GitHub marketplace. The plugin does not install Builder CLI, grant preview access, or establish a successful app deployment. See Agent skills. |
| GitHub Copilot app canvas | Install the canvas in a compatible host on Windows, macOS, or Linux. Local inspection does not require GitHub or Azure sign-in. See installation and local workflow. |
| ARM and Bicep infrastructure templates | Provision the app resource, then separately authorize source and deploy code. See ARM and Bicep provisioning. |
Preview limitations
CPU- and memory-based autoscaling are available. The limitations below apply to other preview workflows.
| Scenario | Current boundary |
|---|---|
| Node.js compute activation | Some targets build Node.js apps but reject activation. Confirm support for your location before using the sample; a valid manifest or ready build does not establish runtime availability. See target runtime availability. |
| CLI operation-status polling | CLI 0.0.1 preview stops waiting on HTTP 429 without retrying the status read. The accepted operation can continue; check the existing operation before repeating a deployment. |
| App notification history | App-and-region-scoped history held only in the current Portal session. Refreshing, signing out, or changing accounts clears it. See notification history. |
Under construction / not ready for use
| Capability | What this means today |
|---|---|
| Native GitHub push deployment | Not ready for use in this Private Preview. Use explicit deployment after pushing your commit and keep automatic deployments off. See source control. |
| Next.js standalone apps | Not ready for use. Generic static-plus-HTTP apps are supported separately; they do not provide a complete Next.js workflow. See runtimes. |
| Replica count snapshots | The Scaling page can read the active component's count on targets with the replica API deployed. Shared-preview rollout is not yet qualified. N running · M not ready reports per-replica native readiness, not inactivity or continuous availability monitoring. Unverified replica identities leave the readiness breakdown unavailable. See replica counts. |
| Live log viewing and runtime/HTTP metrics | In-Portal runtime-log streaming, request-log browsing, and live runtime metrics are not ready. Configurable Log Analytics export is separate; Builder does not automatically provision the destination. |
| Connectors and Triggers | These are not usable managed integration or event-trigger features. See the labeled Connectors and Triggers pages. |
| Canvas intake from Azure Static Web Apps | From Azure Static Web Apps is marked Coming soon and is not an available migration path. See platform comparison when evaluating an existing site. |
| Custom domains, private networking, persistent mounts, and shell access | These are not supported in this Private Preview. Use service-provided app URLs and separately owned data stores; see networking and storage. |
Planned Public Preview work
This roadmap describes planned improvements beyond the current Private Preview. It is not a delivery schedule or commitment. Items may change or be deferred. Use the current-capabilities section above to choose workflows available today.
| Planned area | Intended improvement | Current planning status |
|---|---|---|
| Runtime diagnostics | Live log viewing, improved log streaming, and monitoring integration. | Planned; build/deployment logs and environment-enabled Log Analytics export are separate current capabilities. |
| Additional deployment clients | ZIP deployment in Portal and GitHub Actions integration. | Planned; ZIP deployment through Builder CLI and the API is available. The Portal's Use GitHub Actions option remains Coming soon. |
| Easier onboarding | Attempt to generate a missing builder.yaml during deployment from GitHub source, with the result visible in deployment logs. | In progress; not ready for use. The current templates and quickstarts still use builder.yaml. |
| App authentication | Additional providers. | GitHub, managed Microsoft Entra, and customer-owned Entra sign-in are configurable today. |
| GitHub push automation | Deploy automatically when you push a commit. | In progress; use explicit deployment in this preview. |
| Runtime and HTTP metrics | Customer-visible application utilization and HTTP measurements. | Planned; not available. |
| Preview environments | Additional isolated environments for trying application changes. | Planned; not available. |
| Connections and custom domains | First-class external-service connections and customer domain configuration. | Planned; not currently supported customer workflows. |
| Database integration and Connectors | Explore simplified database connections and managed integration experiences. | Tentative; may be deferred. Connectors are not required for the initial preview. |
Triggers remain under construction; this planning snapshot does not establish a delivery commitment for them. For reachable external services, application-owned integration is distinct from these planned managed capabilities.
See Private Preview guidance, cost, quotas and limits, and security. The initial preview offer does not charge for Builder usage; separately owned Azure or external dependencies can still incur charges. Preview does not provide a financially backed SLA or a workload zone-redundancy guarantee.
If a feature you need is listed as planned, under construction, or not ready for use, do not build a dependency on it until its status changes.