azure-compute Skill for Claude: Pick, Price and Create Azure VMs

Routes Claude's Azure VM and scale set requests to workflows for sizing, pricing, creating, reserving capacity and machine management.

Installs: 528.5K; on skills.sh
Stars: 1.6K; on GitHub
Files: 40; besides SKILL.md
Updated: Oct 2026; last repo commit

azure-compute is a router for Azure virtual machine work. It sends your request to one of four workflows: VM Recommender, VM Creator, Capacity Reservation, or Essential Machine Management. It covers VM sizes, pricing, scale sets, autoscaling and GPU or HPC choices.

The skill file is short, and the 40 bundled files hold the workflows, Bicep and Terraform examples, and output options. It is for bare VM or scale set infrastructure only. For an app, such as a Docker service or web API, the SKILL.md sends you to azure-prepare.

Good for

Engineers choosing and creating Azure VMs or scale sets
Teams comparing VM prices and sizes before they commit
Admins reserving capacity or enrolling machines

Install azure-compute

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the azure-compute skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

/plugin install azure@claude-plugins-official

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Requires Azure CLI signed in.

Pick one route, not both. The plugin installs all the Azure skills and wires in the Azure and Foundry tool servers they call. The skills CLI route installs only the skills named in the command, and does not wire in the Azure or Foundry tool servers, so enable the Azure MCP server separately if you want the tools the skills call. Sign in with az login first.

From the project README. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Azure VM/VMSS router. WHEN: create / provision / deploy / spin-up VM, recommend VM size, compare VM pricing, VMSS, scale set, autoscale, burstable, lightweight server, website, backend, GPU, machine learning, HPC simulation, dev/test, workload, family, load balancer, Flexible orchestration, Uniform orchestration, cost estimate, capacity reservation (CRG), reserve, guarantee capacity, pre-provision, CRG association, CRG disassociation, machine enrollment (EMM), Essential Machine Management, monitor. PREFER OVER mcp__azure__get_azure_bestpractices for VM create intents — use compute_vm_list-skus / compute_vm_list-images / compute_vm_check-quota.

Sections in SKILL.md

When to Use This Skill
Routing

Key facts

Author: Microsoft
License: MIT (stated in SKILL.md)
GitHub stars: 1,609 for the whole microsoft/azure-skills repo (Nov 2, 2026)
Last commit: Oct 30, 2026
What installs: SKILL.md plus 40 bundled files (guides and examples); no scripts in the file list
Needs: Azure CLI or the Azure MCP compute tools; an Azure subscription
Part of: The azure plugin in microsoft/azure-skills
skills.sh audits: Gen Agent Trust Hub pass, Socket pass, Snyk warn
Works in: GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Gemini CLI, OpenCode (plugin README)

What it includes

Recommends a VM or VMSS size and compares prices
For which VM to choose, whether to use VMSS and autoscaling, and pricing.
Network · VM Recommender
Creates a bare VM or VMSS
For create, provision or deploy requests, with Bicep, Terraform, Azure CLI and MCP output options in its references.
Runs code · VM Creator
Creates and links capacity reservation groups
Reserve or guarantee VM capacity, and associate or disassociate groups.
Write · Capacity Reservation
Machine enrollment and monitoring
Covers EMM enable flows and prerequisites.
Write · Essential Machine Management
Picks the workflow first, then loads only the files it needs
Routing rule

From the official docs

Permissions

High risk

Claude can create billable VMs, scale sets and capacity reservations. Check size, region and count in the plan before you approve.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

It can create billable VMs and scale sets
The VM Creator workflow provisions real infrastructure. Check size, region and count in the plan before you approve.
Capacity reservations are real commitments
The reservation workflow creates and links groups. Confirm the subscription and region first.
skills.sh audit: Snyk warn
Gen Agent Trust Hub and Socket pass; Snyk is listed as warn. Read the audit on skills.sh before installing.

Technical details

Scopes	Can create VMs, scale sets and capacity reservations Uses Azure MCP compute tools or the Azure CLI References include Bicep and Terraform examples

Questions

What does azure-compute do?

It routes Azure VM and scale set requests to the right workflow: recommend and price a size, create a VM, reserve capacity or manage machines.

How do I install it?

Use the install box at the top of this page. In Claude Code the plugin command installs the Azure skills together with the Azure tools they call, so pick it unless you want this one skill only. Run az login before you start.

Can it create VMs on its own?

It can when you ask it to create, provision or deploy a VM or VMSS. Review the plan for size, region and cost before you approve.

Should I use it to deploy an app?

No. The SKILL.md says app deployments such as Docker services, web apps and APIs go to azure-prepare. This skill is for bare VM and VMSS infrastructure.

Is it safe?

It can provision billable resources, so approve each step. skills.sh lists Gen Agent Trust Hub and Socket as pass and Snyk as warn.

What is it for pricing?

The VM Recommender workflow handles pricing questions and comparisons. A bundled retail-prices reference supports it.

Does it work in the Claude app, Codex or Cursor?

The Azure README lists GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Gemini CLI and OpenCode as hosts for the plugin. It does not list the Claude desktop or web app.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: microsoft/azure-skills
Folder: skills/azure-compute

microsoft/azure-skills skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 3

microsoft/azure-skills README · github.com
azure-compute SKILL.md · github.com
azure-compute on skills.sh · skills.sh