questions about Azure for Students

What is included in the Azure for Students free account, and how can I use it to host a website?
The Azure for Students program provides students with a $100 credit for 12 months, which can be used to access various Azure cloud services. This includes free access to services such as Azure App Service, Azure Functions, and more, which can be utilized to host websites. You can deploy web applications without needing to manage infrastructure, making it easier for students to get started with hosting their projects.

How do I deploy a static website from my GitHub repository to Azure App Service using the free student credits?
To deploy a static website from your GitHub repository to Azure App Service using your free student credits, you can follow these general steps:

1. Create an Azure App Service instance.
2. Connect your GitHub repository to the Azure App Service.
3. Set up continuous deployment from GitHub to Azure.
4. Push your static website files to the repository, and Azure will automatically deploy the changes.
   This process allows you to leverage the free credits while managing your website's deployment efficiently.

What are the differences between hosting a website on Azure App Service vs. Azure Static Web Apps for students?
Azure App Service is designed for hosting web applications and APIs, offering features like custom domains, SSL certificates, and scaling options. In contrast, Azure Static Web Apps is specifically optimized for static content, providing a simpler deployment process and built-in support for static site generation frameworks. While both services can host websites, Azure Static Web Apps may be more suitable for purely static sites due to its streamlined features and lower complexity.

Hello Belay Kassanew,

Thanks for posting your question in Microsoft Q&A forum

What is included in the Azure for Students free account, and how can I use it to host a website?

Azure for Students Starter gets you started with the Azure products that you need to develop software in the cloud. There's no cost to you. This benefit gives you access to a free tier of the following services:

• Azure App Service- for web hosting
• Azure Functions- for serverless computing
• Azure Notification Hubs
• Azure Database for MySQL
• Application Insights feature of Azure Monitor- for monitoring your applications
• Azure DevOps Services (formerly Visual Studio Team Services)-for your development needs

You get these services for free for a year, and after that, you can renew your subscription if you're still a student.

Refer document: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/education-hub/faq

Hosting a website:

How do I deploy a static website from my GitHub repository to Azure App Service using the free student credits?

To host a website, you can use Azure App Service, which lets you easily deploy web apps from platforms like GitHub. Here’s a quick guide on deploying a static website from your GitHub repository:

1. Create the App Service: Go to Azure Portal, select Create a resource, then choose Web App.
2. Connect to GitHub: During the App Service setup, you'll have the option to link to your GitHub account. This allows Azure to deploy your website from your GitHub repository.
3. Select the Repository: Choose the GitHub repository where your static website's code is located.
4. Configure Build Settings: Complete the remaining setup, tailoring the build settings to your needs.
5. Once the deployment is complete, your static website will be live

Azure App Service vs. Azure Static Web Apps

When it comes to Azure App Service vs. Azure Static Web Apps, here are the key differences:

• Azure App Service App Service is a PaaS offering that runs web apps, APIs, and dynamic sites with support for multiple languages and frameworks such as .NET, Node.js, Java, Python, and PHP. It provides autoscaling, deployment slots, custom domains, and integration with GitHub/Azure DevOps, making it suitable for more complex back ends or apps needing long‑running processes
• Azure Static Web Apps it is built for static front-end content (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SPA frameworks like React/Angular/Vue) with integrated serverless APIs via Azure Functions. It offers automatic builds and deployments from GitHub/Azure DevOps, global distribution, built‑in CDN, free SSL, and preview environments for pull requests, making it very efficient for modern front-end workflows

Considering your projects, if you're solely focusing on static content, Static Web Apps may be the more cost-effective and simpler solution. If you anticipate needing server-side functionality, then App Service would be the way to go.

Refer documents for more details

• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/static-web-apps/
• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/

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