The Azure Developer CLI (azd) extension framework has reached general availability, giving engineering platform teams and product teams a stable foundation for building custom CLI workflows. Extensions can add commands, respond to azd lifecycle events (init, provision, deploy, monitor, down), plug in custom provisioning providers, validation checks, and MCP tools. Distribution options include an official registry, private sources, and portable zip bundles. The Microsoft Foundry suite is highlighted as a real-world example, offering extensions under the `azd ai` namespace for building, deploying, and operating hosted AI agents and fine-tuning jobs. Projects can declare required extensions and version constraints in `azure.yaml`. The GA milestone covers the framework itself — extension management, lifecycle integration, authoring tooling via `azd x`, and MCP server support — while individual extensions continue to version independently.
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What changed since beta Copy linkMake your supported path easier to follow Copy linkA platform connected to the azd lifecycle Copy linkBuild with Microsoft Foundry through azd Copy linkWhat is included in the GA release Copy linkBuild an extension for your engineering platform Copy linkWhat will you build? Copy linkRelated resources Copy linkQuestions this post answers
How do I declare required extensions and version constraints for an azd project?
Add a `requiredVersions.extensions` section to `azure.yaml` listing each extension ID with a semver constraint, for example `azure.ai.agents: ">=1.0.0"`. azd installs the listed extensions during `azd init` and re-checks them before commands like `azd up` run, ensuring every developer on the project has the right extension versions. Teams enforcing platform standards across projects track azd extension versioning patterns on daily.dev.
How do I install the Microsoft Foundry extensions for building AI agents with azd?
Install the full hosted-agent bundle with `azd ext install microsoft.foundry`, or install individual extensions such as `azd ext install azure.ai.agents azure.ai.routines azure.ai.finetune`. For repeatable CI environments, pin a specific version with `--version 1.0.0-beta.9`. Once installed, the extensions expose an `azd ai` command namespace for scaffolding, deploying, and operating hosted agents. Developers building Azure AI agent workflows find the latest Foundry extension releases on daily.dev.
How do I distribute a private azd extension to my organization without publishing it to the public registry?
Package the extension into a portable zip using `azd x pack --bundle`, then install it from a local file path (`azd ext install ./contoso-platform_1.0.0.zip`) or a URL (`azd ext install https://example.com/builds/contoso-platform_1.0.0.zip`). Alternatively, set up a private extension source so your organization can discover, install, and update the extension through the standard `azd ext` commands. Platform engineers building internal developer tooling on Azure share distribution patterns like this on daily.dev.