AZ-104 Deploy and Manage Azure Compute Practice Question
A developer packages an internal web app as a Linux container. The app must be published with built-in HTTPS, deployment slots, and autoscale, and the team does not want to manage OS patching or container hosts. Which Azure service should the administrator choose?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently choose Azure Kubernetes Service (D) for containerized apps, overlooking that App Service provides a simpler, fully managed solution with built-in deployment slots and autoscale, while AKS requires cluster management and lacks native slot support.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Azure App Service
Azure App Service is the correct choice because it natively supports Linux containers, built-in HTTPS via TLS/SSL, deployment slots for staging and production swaps, and autoscale based on metrics or schedules. It also abstracts OS patching and container host management, meeting the team's requirement to avoid managing infrastructure.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Azure Container Instances
Why it's wrong here
Azure Container Instances (ACI) lets you run a container serverlessly without managing virtual machines, but it is optimized for simple, short-lived workloads and offers limited web hosting capabilities. It lacks built-in features such as deployment slots for staging, custom domain SSL integration, and integrated autoscaling that App Service provides. For an internal web app that needs HTTPS, custom domains, and robust scaling, ACI would require additional Azure components or manual configuration, making App Service the more complete solution.
When this WOULD be correct
When the requirement is to run a containerized app quickly without managing orchestration, and features like HTTPS, slots, and autoscale are not needed. For example, a batch job or a simple API that runs on demand.
- ✓
Azure App Service
Why this is correct
Azure App Service is a fully managed platform-as-a-service (PaaS) that can host Linux containers through Web App for Containers, providing built-in HTTPS, custom domains, deployment slots, and automatic scaling without requiring infrastructure management. The service automatically patches the underlying OS and runtime, freeing the developer from server maintenance. This makes it the ideal choice for an internal web app that needs a managed host with robust web hosting features.
- ✗
Azure Virtual Machines
Why it's wrong here
Azure Virtual Machines offer an infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) approach, giving full control over the guest OS, runtime, and configuration. However, the team would be responsible for administering OS patching, security updates, antivirus, availability, and scaling infrastructure, which contradicts the requirement to avoid server management. For a simple containerized web application, VMs add significant operational overhead and do not provide PaaS-level features such as deployment slots and built-in SSL without additional configuration.
When this WOULD be correct
When the question specifies full control over the OS, custom software installations, or legacy app dependencies that cannot be containerized, and the team is willing to manage patching and host maintenance.
- ✗
Azure Kubernetes Service
Why it's wrong here
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) provides powerful container orchestration for complex, multi-container microservices, but it introduces substantial management burden: the user must configure, monitor, and upgrade the control plane, worker nodes, networking, and security policies. This cluster management is exactly what the requirement states should be avoided, making AKS overkill for hosting a single containerized web app that can run on a managed platform. The operational complexity, cost, and steep learning curve are disproportionate to the need.
When this WOULD be correct
A question requiring container orchestration, microservices architecture, or complex scaling and rolling updates across multiple containers, where the team has expertise in Kubernetes and needs fine-grained control over container scheduling and networking.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The AZ-104 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Azure App ServiceCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Azure App Service is a fully managed platform-as-a-service (PaaS) that can host Linux containers through Web App for Containers, providing built-in HTTPS, custom domains, deployment slots, and automatic scaling without requiring infrastructure management. The service automatically patches the underlying OS and runtime, freeing the developer from server maintenance. This makes it the ideal choice for an internal web app that needs a managed host with robust web hosting features.
✗Azure Container InstancesWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Azure Container Instances does not provide built-in HTTPS, deployment slots, or autoscale. It is a simple container runtime without the PaaS features required for the web app.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
When the requirement is to run a containerized app quickly without managing orchestration, and features like HTTPS, slots, and autoscale are not needed. For example, a batch job or a simple API that runs on demand.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think container instances are sufficient for containerized apps, overlooking the need for built-in HTTPS, deployment slots, and autoscale that App Service provides.
✗Azure Virtual MachinesWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Azure Virtual Machines require the team to manage OS patching and container hosts, contradicting the requirement to avoid managing OS patching or container hosts.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
When the question specifies full control over the OS, custom software installations, or legacy app dependencies that cannot be containerized, and the team is willing to manage patching and host maintenance.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think VMs are needed for container hosting or custom configurations, overlooking that App Service can run containers with built-in HTTPS, deployment slots, and autoscale without host management.
✗Azure Kubernetes ServiceWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) requires managing the container orchestration layer and does not provide built-in HTTPS, deployment slots, or autoscale without additional configuration. It also involves managing OS patching for node pools, contradicting the requirement to avoid managing container hosts.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question requiring container orchestration, microservices architecture, or complex scaling and rolling updates across multiple containers, where the team has expertise in Kubernetes and needs fine-grained control over container scheduling and networking.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may associate containers with Kubernetes as the standard orchestration platform, overlooking that simpler services like App Service can host containers with less management overhead and built-in features like HTTPS and deployment slots.
Analysis generated from the official AZ-104blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Go deeper
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Key term
Azure App Service
Azure App Service is a fully managed platform for building, deploying, and scaling web applications and APIs without managing the underlying infrastructure.
Key term
Container
A container is a lightweight, standalone software package that includes everything needed to run an application, such as code, runtime, system tools, and libraries.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This AZ-104 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the AZ-104 exam.