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Azure Image Builder

HashiCorpOfficialPublished by HashiCorp

  • Skill
  • Tool integration
  • Cloud and DevOps
  • MPL-2.0
  • No issues found
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From the author

Build Azure managed images and Azure Compute Gallery images with Packer. Use when creating custom images for Azure VMs.
— the description by HashiCorp

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

This skill provides a guide and configuration patterns for using Packer's azure-arm builder to create custom images for Azure. It covers the setup for both standard managed images and Azure Compute Gallery images, including authentication methods like service principals and managed identities, as well as common troubleshooting steps for image builds.

What it does

  • Configures Packer templates for Azure managed images
  • Defines settings for deploying images to the Azure Compute Gallery
  • Provides authentication patterns using service principals or managed identities
  • Includes HCL examples for defining OS types, VM sizes, and image locations
  • Outlines essential CLI commands for initializing, validating, and building images
  • Offers troubleshooting guidance for common authentication and provisioning errors

When to use it

  • When you need to automate the creation of standardized, pre-configured VM images for Azure
  • When managing custom image versions across multiple Azure regions via the Compute Gallery
  • When integrating image creation into a CI/CD pipeline for infrastructure deployment
  • When you need to apply security updates or custom software configurations to base OS images

Advantages

  • Enables infrastructure-as-code practices for virtual machine image management
  • Supports automated replication of images across different Azure regions
  • Reduces manual configuration time by automating OS updates and software installation
  • Ensures consistency across deployed virtual machine environments

Usage examples

“How do I configure a Packer template to build a custom Ubuntu image in Azure?”
The agent provides a HCL template using the azure-arm builder, showing how to specify the source image, VM size, and shell provisioners for updates.
“What is the process for publishing a custom image to the Azure Compute Gallery?”
The agent explains how to add the shared_image_gallery_destination block to your Packer configuration to define the gallery, image name, and replication regions.
“How can I authenticate Packer to Azure using a service principal?”
The agent provides the CLI commands to create a service principal with the Contributor role and the environment variables required for Packer authentication.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://mp-staging.autogineer.com/agent-skills/hashicorp/azure-image-builder/download

  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip azure-image-builder.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by HashiCorp

Azure Image Builder

Build Azure managed images and Azure Compute Gallery images using Packer's azure-arm builder.

Reference: Azure ARM Builder

Note: Building Azure images incurs costs (compute, storage, data transfer). Builds typically take 15-45 minutes depending on provisioning and OS.

Basic Managed Image

packer {
  required_plugins {
    azure = {
      source  = "github.com/hashicorp/azure"
      version = "~> 2.0"
    }
  }
}

variable "client_id" {
  type      = string
  sensitive = true
}

variable "client_secret" {
  type      = string
  sensitive = true
}

variable "subscription_id" {
  type = string
}

variable "tenant_id" {
  type = string
}

variable "resource_group" {
  type    = string
  default = "packer-images-rg"
}

locals {
  timestamp = regex_replace(timestamp(), "[- TZ:]", "")
}

source "azure-arm" "ubuntu" {
  client_id       = var.client_id
  client_secret   = var.client_secret
  subscription_id = var.subscription_id
  tenant_id       = var.tenant_id

  managed_image_resource_group_name = var.resource_group
  managed_image_name                = "my-app-${local.timestamp}"

  os_type         = "Linux"
  image_publisher = "Canonical"
  image_offer     = "0001-com-ubuntu-server-jammy"
  image_sku       = "22_04-lts-gen2"

  location = "East US"
  vm_size  = "Standard_B2s"

  azure_tags = {
    Name      = "my-app"
    BuildDate = local.timestamp
  }
}

build {
  sources = ["source.azure-arm.ubuntu"]

  provisioner "shell" {
    inline = [
      "sudo apt-get update",
      "sudo apt-get upgrade -y",
    ]
  }
}

Azure Compute Gallery

source "azure-arm" "ubuntu" {
  client_id       = var.client_id
  client_secret   = var.client_secret
  subscription_id = var.subscription_id
  tenant_id       = var.tenant_id

  os_type         = "Linux"
  image_publisher = "Canonical"
  image_offer     = "0001-com-ubuntu-server-jammy"
  image_sku       = "22_04-lts-gen2"

  location = "East US"
  vm_size  = "Standard_B2s"

  shared_image_gallery_destination {
    resource_group       = "gallery-rg"
    gallery_name         = "myImageGallery"
    image_name           = "ubuntu-webapp"
    image_version        = "1.0.${formatdate("YYYYMMDD", timestamp())}"
    replication_regions  = ["East US", "West US 2"]
    storage_account_type = "Standard_LRS"
  }
}

Authentication

Service Principal
# Create service principal
az ad sp create-for-rbac \
  --name "packer-sp" \
  --role Contributor \
  --scopes /subscriptions/<subscription-id>

# Set environment variables
export ARM_CLIENT_ID="<client-id>"
export ARM_CLIENT_SECRET="<client-secret>"
export ARM_SUBSCRIPTION_ID="<subscription-id>"
export ARM_TENANT_ID="<tenant-id>"
Managed Identity
source "azure-arm" "ubuntu" {
  use_azure_cli_auth = true
  subscription_id    = var.subscription_id
  # ... rest of configuration
}

Build Commands

# Set authentication
export ARM_CLIENT_ID="your-client-id"
export ARM_CLIENT_SECRET="your-client-secret"
export ARM_SUBSCRIPTION_ID="your-subscription-id"
export ARM_TENANT_ID="your-tenant-id"

# Initialize plugins
packer init .

# Validate template
packer validate .

# Build image
packer build .

Common Issues

Authentication Failed

  • Verify service principal credentials

  • Ensure Contributor role on resource group

  • Check subscription and tenant IDs

Compute Gallery Version Exists

  • Image versions are immutable

  • Use unique version numbers with date/build number

  • Cannot overwrite existing versions

Timeout During Provisioning

  • Check network connectivity from build VM

  • Verify NSG rules allow required traffic

  • Increase timeout if needed

References

Files

ATTRIBUTION.md

Attribution

This folder is an unmodified copy of the Agent Skill "azure-image-builder", distributed by AutoGineer (https://autogineer.com/agent-skills).

The skill's own files are unmodified copies. AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by the author or the publisher.

Files added by AutoGineer

  • ATTRIBUTION.md: this file, written by AutoGineer

  • LICENSE: copied from LICENSE

Requirements and compatibility

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Needs: Needs a command-line tool

Security

No issues found by our static scan· No issues found

A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.

Attribution and licence

Published by
HashiCorp
Publisher
HashiCorp (Official)
Source
hashicorp/agent-skills · plugins/packer/skills/azure-image-builder · commit 5e30fa5
Licence
Mozilla Public License 2.0 (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
Synced

AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by HashiCorp.

Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download azure-image-builder.zip