make env optional for azd package

[vhvb1989]

          > why does azd package require an environment?

That's a good question!.
The azd-environment can help you to se set different packaging modes. For example, creating a package for Production might require different settings than a Development package.
When you are on CI, all the settings are coming from ENV-VARS, and you can use the GitHub environments to have your group of settings for each mode.
Azd uses the .env from the .azure folder in a similar way, allowing you to switch modes easily (when you are not on CI).

I'll check with the team if we can make the azd-env optional.

Originally posted by @vhvb1989 in #2848 (comment)

[jasontaylordev]

For further context, the reason for making azd-env optional would be in support of the build once, deploy many principal. I would not want a custom package per environment. As part of CI/CD, I will package the application independently of any specific environment, store that package, and then deploy it to relevant environments - e.g. dev, stg, prd.

[jasontaylordev]

This is an example CI/CD built with GitHub Actions.

azure-dev.yml

on:
  workflow_dispatch:
  push:
    branches:
      - main

permissions:
  id-token: write
  contents: read
jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    env:
      AZURE_TENANT_ID: ${{ vars.AZURE_TENANT_ID }}
      AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID: ${{ vars.AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID }}
      AZURE_DEV_COLLECT_TELEMETRY: no
    steps:
        - name: Checkout
          uses: actions/checkout@v3

        - name: Install AZD
          uses: Azure/setup-azd@v0.1.0

        - name: Install .NET
          uses: actions/setup-dotnet@v3

        - name: Package Application
          run: azd package web --output-path ./dist/web.zip --environment NoEnvironment --no-prompt
          working-directory: ./

        - name: Upload website artifact (website)
          uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
          with:
            name: package
            path: ./dist/web.zip
            if-no-files-found: error

  development:
    uses: ./.github/workflows/up.yml
    secrets: inherit
    needs: [build]
    with:
      AZURE_ENV_NAME: WebDev

  staging:
    uses: ./.github/workflows/up.yml
    secrets: inherit
    needs: [development]
    with:
      AZURE_ENV_NAME: WebStg

  production:
    uses: ./.github/workflows/up.yml
    secrets: inherit
    needs: [staging]
    with:
      AZURE_ENV_NAME: WebPrd

up.yml

name: Deploy

on:
  workflow_call:
    inputs:
      AZURE_ENV_NAME:
        required: true
        type: string

permissions:
  id-token: write
  contents: read

jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    environment: ${{ inputs.AZURE_ENV_NAME }}
    env:
      AZURE_CLIENT_ID: ${{ vars.AZURE_CLIENT_ID }}
      AZURE_TENANT_ID: ${{ vars.AZURE_TENANT_ID }}
      AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID: ${{ vars.AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID }}
      AZURE_ENV_NAME: ${{ inputs.AZURE_ENV_NAME }}
    steps:
      - name: Checkout
        uses: actions/checkout@v3

      - name: Install .NET
        uses: actions/setup-dotnet@v3

      - name: Install AZD
        uses: Azure/setup-azd@v0.1.0

      - name: Log into Azure
        run: |
          azd auth login `
            --client-id "$Env:AZURE_CLIENT_ID" `
            --federated-credential-provider "github" `
            --tenant-id "$Env:AZURE_TENANT_ID"
        shell: pwsh

      - name: Provision Infrastructure
        run: azd provision --no-prompt

      - name: Download Package
        uses: actions/download-artifact@v3

      - name: Deploy Application
        run: azd deploy web --from-package ./package/web.zip --no-prompt

With this approach I'm using GitHub Environments, let me know if further information is required.

[wbreza]

@jasontaylordev Thanks for the context. I agree that this is a valid use case but unfortunately it is not an easy fix at the moment as many of our internal components take a dependency on the existence of an environment. Looks like you have a workaround in place right now where you are setting --environment NoEnvironment.

We will keep this on the backlog for the future.

cc @rajeshkamal5050