Azure Cloud
Core Azure Services
- Azure Virtual Machines (VMs)
- Azure App Service
- Azure Functions
- Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
- Azure Container Instances (ACI)
- Azure Batch
- Azure Logic Apps
- Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD)
- Azure API Management (APIM)
- Azure Service Fabric
Networking
- Azure Virtual Network (VNet)
- Azure Load Balancer
- Azure Application Gateway
- Azure Front Door
- Azure Traffic Manager
- Azure ExpressRoute
- Azure Firewall
Storage & Databases
π Azure Logic Apps β Automate Workflows Without Writing Code
In todayβs digital-first world, businesses rely on multiple applications, services, and data sources. A company might use Outlook for email, Salesforce for CRM, Dropbox for storage, Twitter for marketing, and SQL databases for reporting.
Now imagine manually connecting all these services together:
- Copying email attachments into a storage account
- Sending alerts to Slack when a database changes
- Moving leads from LinkedIn into a CRM system
That would take hours of repetitive work and custom coding.
This is where Azure Logic Apps steps in.
Azure Logic Apps is a cloud-based service that lets you automate workflows and integrate systems without writing a single line of code. Using a visual designer, you drag, drop, and connect services like building blocks.
π In short, Logic Apps = No-code automation + Cloud integrations.
πΉ What is Azure Logic Apps?
Azure Logic Apps is a serverless workflow automation platform in Microsoft Azure. It helps businesses:
- Automate business processes
- Integrate cloud services and on-premises systems
- Build event-driven workflows without worrying about infrastructure
It works through connectors. Microsoft provides over 1,000 prebuilt connectors to apps like Office 365, Twitter, Dropbox, Salesforce, SAP, Oracle, SQL Server, Azure Blob Storage, and many others.
πΉ How Azure Logic Apps Works
- Trigger β Defines when the workflow starts. (e.g., βWhen an email arrives in Outlookβ)
- Action β Defines what should happen next. (e.g., βSave the attachment to OneDriveβ)
- Connector β Prebuilt integration with services (e.g., Outlook, OneDrive, SQL).
- Workflow Execution β Azure runs the workflow automatically.
- Monitoring β View logs, failures, and performance in the Azure portal.
π Example: When a new tweet with #Azure is posted β Save tweet text to a SQL database β Send notification on Teams.
πΉ Key Features of Azure Logic Apps
- No-code/low-code development β Drag-and-drop designer
- Prebuilt connectors β Integrates with 1,000+ services
- Event-driven automation β Start workflows from triggers (email, HTTP request, file upload, etc.)
- Serverless β No infrastructure to manage
- Custom connectors β Create your own if a service isnβt available
- Scalable β Runs workflows for millions of events
- Hybrid support β Works with cloud + on-premises systems
- Secure β Built-in compliance with enterprise-grade security
πΉ Benefits of Azure Logic Apps
- Saves time by automating repetitive tasks
- Eliminates manual errors in workflows
- Improves productivity by connecting apps/services
- Reduces costs since you donβt need developers for simple integrations
- Scales easily for large organizations
- Great for citizen developers β non-technical people can build workflows
πΉ 3 Unique Example Programs (Workflows) in Logic Apps
Since Logic Apps is workflow-based (not code-based), letβs look at real-world automation examples.
π₯ Example 1: Automating Email Attachment Storage
Scenario: Save every incoming Outlook email attachment to Azure Blob Storage.
Workflow Steps:
- Trigger: When a new email arrives in Outlook.
- Condition: Check if email has attachments.
- Action: Upload attachment to Azure Blob Storage.
- Action: Send confirmation email to user.
Visual Flow (pseudo-code style):
Trigger: Outlook -> New Email ArrivesIf Email.HasAttachment = True Save Attachment -> Azure Blob Storage Send Confirmation -> Outlook
π This automates file management and prevents data loss.
π₯ Example 2: Social Media Monitoring with Logic Apps
Scenario: Monitor Twitter for brand mentions and log them into a SQL database.
Workflow Steps:
- Trigger: When a new tweet contains β#MyBrandβ.
- Action: Extract tweet text + username.
- Action: Save data into Azure SQL Database.
- Action: Send Slack/Teams notification to marketing team.
Visual Flow:
Trigger: Twitter -> New Tweet with #MyBrandSave Tweet -> Azure SQL DatabaseSend Notification -> Microsoft Teams
π Businesses use this for real-time brand monitoring.
π₯ Example 3: Automated Invoice Approval System
Scenario: Automate invoice approvals in an organization.
Workflow Steps:
- Trigger: New invoice uploaded to SharePoint folder.
- Action: Extract invoice metadata (amount, vendor, date).
- Condition: If amount < $5000 β Auto-approve & send payment request.
- Condition: If amount β₯ $5000 β Send approval request to Manager via Teams.
- Action: Save decision into SQL database.
Visual Flow:
Trigger: SharePoint -> New File UploadedIf Invoice.Amount < 5000 Auto Approve -> Send Payment RequestElse Request Manager Approval -> Microsoft TeamsSave Result -> SQL Database
π This reduces manual work in finance teams.
πΉ How to Remember Azure Logic Apps (Exam/Interview Prep)
Use the mnemonic βL.O.G.I.C.β
- L β Low-code automation (build without coding)
- O β Orchestration of services (connect 1000+ apps)
- G β Global scalability (serverless, runs anywhere)
- I β Integration-ready (SaaS, on-premises, APIs)
- C β Cost-effective (pay per execution)
π Just think: Logic Apps = LOGIC for workflows.
πΉ Why Itβs Important to Learn Azure Logic Apps
- Certification Prep β Appears in AZ-900, AZ-104, AZ-204 exams.
- Real-world Relevance β Businesses rely heavily on automation.
- Career Growth β Roles in cloud automation, DevOps, business analyst, integration engineer use Logic Apps daily.
- Interview Edge β Questions often ask: βHow would you automate workflow X in Azure?β
- Citizen Developer Future β Even non-coders can use it β valuable across industries.
πΉ Best Practices for Azure Logic Apps
- Use retry policies for failed connectors.
- Store secrets in Azure Key Vault (not inside workflows).
- Use parallel branches for faster execution.
- Monitor workflows with Azure Monitor & Log Analytics.
- Break complex workflows into modular Logic Apps.
πΉ Real-World Use Cases
- Healthcare β Automate patient data sharing between hospitals.
- Finance β Invoice approvals, fraud alerts.
- Retail β Order tracking, CRM integration, customer notifications.
- Social Media β Monitor hashtags, auto-respond to queries.
- IT Teams β Auto-provision resources when requests are submitted.
πΉ Common Interview Questions
-
Q: Whatβs the difference between Logic Apps and Power Automate?
- A: Logic Apps = enterprise-scale, integration-focused.
- Power Automate = end-user focused, simpler workflows.
-
Q: Can Logic Apps run custom APIs?
- A: Yes, using HTTP actions or custom connectors.
-
Q: How is Logic Apps billed?
- A: Pay-per-execution (consumption model).
-
Q: Difference between Logic Apps and Azure Functions?
- A: Logic Apps = workflow automation (no code).
- Functions = event-driven code execution.
πΉ Conclusion
Azure Logic Apps makes automation easy, scalable, and code-free. It connects hundreds of services, simplifies complex workflows, and saves countless hours of repetitive work.
π Remember with L.O.G.I.C. β Low-code, Orchestration, Global, Integration, Cost-effective.
By learning Logic Apps, you prepare for Azure certifications, gain a practical skill for interviews, and help businesses automate smarter, faster, and cheaper.