cloud-shell

Azure Cloud Shell

What it is

Azure Cloud Shell is an interactive, authenticated shell you run in the browser (from the Azure portal). It offers both Bash and PowerShell and is powered by a temporary container on Azure infrastructure.

Why it exists

It gives you a zero-setup, always-authenticated CLI experience — no local install, it persists your profile (dotfiles) and storage, and it’s already logged in to your subscription with your current RBAC rights.

Key ideas

• Authenticated by default — no az login needed; it inherits your portal session.
• Persistent storage — a small file share (5 GB default) backed by storage you attach; your $HOME survives sessions.
• Two interpreters — choose Bash (uses az) or PowerShell (uses Az).
• Browser-based — runs on Azure, safe to use from locked-down workstations.

How it fits (diagram)

Exam notes

• Great for demos/exams: it’s pre-configured, authenticated, and has az pre-installed.
• It uses an Azure file share, which links it conceptually to the Storage path.

Related

azure-cli · azure-portal · arm

📘 Source: Microsoft Learn — Cloud Shell