Azure Functions Platform (Development)

This page is the canonical The Pipeline Framework (TPF) guide for FUNCTION platform builds that target Azure Functions. For the broader provider matrix, pair it with the Multi-Cloud Function Providers Guide.

What TPF Supports Today

• Platform mode: FUNCTION (default platform remains COMPUTE)
• Transport mode: REST (required in Function mode)
• Azure-specific handlers: generated HTTP-trigger handlers using Azure Functions bindings
• Local verification: Azure Functions Core Tools and the Search example in examples/search

FUNCTION does not currently support gRPC transport. If you select FUNCTION, the generated runtime must use REST.

Durability Scope

FUNCTION is a serverless invocation and packaging path. It is not the TPF durable orchestration path.

Path	Current support
COMPUTE + QUEUE_ASYNC	TPF-owned execution records, leases, await units, retry/DLQ, re-drive, release pinning, and worker lifecycle.
FUNCTION	Generated Azure Functions handlers and REST adapters. Azure may retry invocations depending on trigger configuration, but TPF does not own durable coordinator state inside the function runtime.

Use Azure Functions mode for stateless or caller-retried function invocations. Use the durable coordinator path when the application requires TPF-owned recovery, await resume, DLQ/re-drive, or checkpoint handoff.

What this path covers

TPF keeps the typed Java business flow unchanged while generating Azure-specific entry points around it.

This path is for:

1. generated Azure Functions handlers,
2. local/provider verification of the function runtime,
3. deploying the same flow through Azure’s function platform.

This path is not:

1. a replacement for COMPUTE + QUEUE_ASYNC,
2. a checkpoint-handoff runtime,
3. a separate TPF runtime model just because Azure also offers Durable Functions.

Azure Durable Functions do not change TPF runtime semantics. If you need queue-backed HA, checkpoint handoff, or orchestrator-managed crash recovery, use the COMPUTE + QUEUE_ASYNC path.

For the future all-serverless durable coordinator design track, see All-Serverless Durable Coordinator. That design is not current Azure Functions support.

Example verification surface

The current repo verification surface for Azure is located in examples/search.

Build:

./examples/search/build-azure.sh -DskipTests

Bootstrap smoke:

./scripts/ci/bootstrap-local-repo-prereqs.sh framework

./mvnw -f examples/search/orchestrator-svc/pom.xml \
  -Dtpf.build.platform=FUNCTION \
  -Dtpf.build.transport=REST \
  -Dtpf.build.rest.naming.strategy=RESOURCEFUL \
  -Dtpf.build.azure.scope=compile \
  -Dquarkus.profile=azure-functions \
  -Dsurefire.failIfNoSpecifiedTests=false \
  -Dtest=AzureFunctionsBootstrapSmokeTest \
  test

For deeper Azure-specific setup and local runtime testing with Core Tools, use the dedicated Search guide.

Next Steps

• Search Azure Verification Lane
• Multi-Cloud Function Providers Guide
• Runtime Layouts