Create a Scheduled Function with the Azure Functions CLI

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Create a Scheduled Function with the Azure Functions CLI

In this lab you'll learn how to use the Azure Functions Command line tools to create a timer triggered function to run on a schedule controlled by a CRON expression. - First, you'll create a new Azure Functions project with the `func init` command. - Then you'll use the `func new` command to add a function. - You can then use the `code` command to take a look at the files. - You'll update the cron expression to run every minute. - You'll, optionally, also update the `local.settings.json` file to point at the cloud shell's storage account connection string. - And you can see how the `func host start` command can run your scheduled function (assuming you configured it with a real storage account connnection string).

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Lab Info

Level

Beginner

Last updated

Sep 24, 2025

Duration

15m

Challenge

Create a Function App

Use the Azure Functions Core Tools to create a new function app.
Challenge

Create a timer triggered function

Use the Azure Functions Core tools to add a timer-triggered function to your Azure Functions app.
Challenge

Update the CRON expression

Update the CRON expression of your timer-triggered function so that it runs every 1 minute instead of the default of every 5 minutes.
Challenge

Set the storage account connection string

Use the Azure CLI to fetch the connection string of the cloud shell's storage account, and set it in the local.settings.json file.

Note: This optional step is needed in order to successfully run your Function App in the cloud shell.
Challenge

Check the .NET version

Check that the version of the .NET runtime installed in the cloud shell matches the version in your function app csproj file. Adjust the csproj file to match if it does not.

Note: This is an optional step to allow your function app to run successfully in the cloud shell.
Challenge

Launch the Azure Functions runtime

Use the func host start command from the Azure Functions Core Tools to launch the Azure Functions runtime and see your scheduled function run (assuming you performed the optional steps to add a storage account connection string and checked the .NET version).

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