Support Run from Package feature

First, thanks for your work! This was a long awaited Github action and finally we can run both CI and CD workflows in Github 🚀.

If I understand it correctly, currently the Action uses zip deploy strategy where it’s copying files to the /home/site/wwwroot directory on the Function App host machine. This is where the runtime will read files from.

I wonder if you’re planning to add support for Run from package? From what I gather it’s a preferred way to run FAs since it has some advantages (atomicity, faster cold starts, etc) over normal copy-to-home-folder strategy.

Besides, run from package seems to be ON by default when deploying with Azure Functions Core Tools. It’d be great to see consistency among the tools!

[aaronadamsCA]

Oh boy. I’ve been waiting for a while for Linux consumption plans to finally make their way to Canada. Thanks for sharing, I would not have known about this at all! Glad I didn’t get the opportunity to waste my time.

This does seem sadly representative of the state of Azure Functions as a self-serve platform. My functions are written in TypeScript, built with GitHub Actions, and deployed to Azure. It’s a full Microsoft stack, and every day it feels like a mess, with no real signs of hope.

Azure is not for the faint of heart. 😬

[maximivanov]

Inspired by @aaronadamsCA’s success, I gave it a try and here are the results. Things are definitely not as bright in the Linux land. 😅

Linux Consumption

◉ I created a fresh Function App with WEBSITE_RUN_FROM_PACKAGE=1 app setting. Published the code with the Github Action. All action’s steps succeeded.

Result: code was not deployed. There are no files in the App Files section and no functions in the Functions in the Portal.

In fact, I realized I already opened an issue to update Azure docs to reflect the fact that Linux Consumption does not support WEBSITE_RUN_FROM_PACKAGE=1: https://github.com/Azure/azure-functions-core-tools/issues/2356

◉ I then removed the WEBSITE_RUN_FROM_PACKAGE=1 app setting and ran the Github Action again. All action’s steps succeeded.

Result: the code was deployed. I assume the files were placed directly in the /home/site/wwwroot.

Linux Premium

◉ I created a new Function App with WEBSITE_RUN_FROM_PACKAGE=1 app setting in a EP1 hosting plan. Published the code with the Github Action. All action’s steps succeeded.

Result: code was deployed and WEBSITE_RUN_FROM_PACKAGE=1 was respected. There is a zip file in /home/data/SitePackages as well as a packagename.txt referencing it.

◉ I created a new Function App without WEBSITE_RUN_FROM_PACKAGE=1 app setting in a EP1 hosting plan. Published the code with the Github Action. Run Azure Function action failed with the following error:

Running post deployment command(s)...
Triggering recycle (preview mode disabled).
Deployment successful.
Error: Failed to deploy web package to App Service.
Successfully updated deployment History at https://azfunccdgh-dev-function-app.scm.azurewebsites.net/api/deployments/9fd96845276b354c89a1ddee653c4a2a963babb81613163325529
Error: Execution Exception (state: PublishContent) (step: Invocation)
Error:   When request Azure resource at PublishContent, zipDeploy : Failed to use /home/runner/work/_temp/temp_web_package_33195088267481565.zip as ZipDeploy content
Error:     Package deployment using ZIP Deploy failed. Refer logs for more details.
Error: Deployment Failed!

There was no error description in the referenced logs

Result: despite the error, the code was deployed and worked. I could see files under /home/site/wwwroot. There was no /home/data/SitePackages directory.

I then ran the Action once again and there was no error that time. Not sure what it was.

Summary

Linux Consumption: currently Functions Action deploys directly to the wwwroot folder. It should use WEBSITE_RUN_FROM_PACKAGE=<url> method by default instead (with configuration option to override if needed). Run from package is the recommended deployment method and it is the default in Azure Functions Core Tools.

Linux Premium: currently Functions Action respects the WEBSITE_RUN_FROM_PACKAGE setting. This makes sense. It’s still inconsistent with Azure Functions Core Tools’ defaults (WEBSITE_RUN_FROM_PACKAGE=<url>) though. But that’s probably a part of a bigger discussion of unifying the deployment tooling.