Azure App Service vs Azure Websites: What are the differences?

Azure App Service vs Azure Websites

Azure App Service and Azure Websites are two services offered by Microsoft Azure for hosting web applications. While both services provide similar functionality, there are key differences between them that set them apart.

1. Scalability: Azure App Service allows you to easily scale your application horizontally by adding more instances, and vertically by upgrading to a higher service plan. On the other hand, Azure Websites only supports scaling vertically by changing the size of the web hosting plan.

2. Deployment Options: With Azure App Service, you have more flexibility in terms of deployment options. You can choose to deploy your application using various methods such as continuous integration, Git deployment, Docker containers, or FTP/S. Azure Websites, however, only supports deployment through FTP/S or Git.

3. Custom Domains: Azure App Service provides support for custom domains, allowing you to use your own domain name for your web application. Azure Websites, on the other hand, does not have this feature and you can only use the default azurewebsites.net domain.

4. Traffic Routing: Azure App Service also offers more advanced traffic routing capabilities through features like Traffic Manager and Azure Front Door. These features allow you to distribute traffic across different regions or endpoints based on specific rules. Azure Websites does not have these capabilities.

5. Integration: Azure App Service provides integration with other Azure services such as Azure Functions, Azure Logic Apps, and Azure Search. This allows you to easily build and connect your web application with other Azure components. Azure Websites, however, does not offer this level of integration.

6. Support for Frameworks: Azure App Service offers support for a wider range of frameworks and programming languages, including .NET, Java, Node.js, Python, and PHP. Azure Websites, on the other hand, has limited support and is primarily focused on hosting websites built using ASP.NET or PHP.

In summary, Azure App Service offers more flexibility, scalability, and advanced features compared to Azure Websites. It provides support for custom domains, advanced traffic routing, integration with other Azure services, and a wider range of frameworks and programming languages.