azure-compute▌
microsoft/azure-skills · updated Apr 8, 2026
MDX-style export adds YAML metadata + attribution linking explainx.ai and this canonical listing URL.
Recommend Azure VM sizes, scale sets, and configurations based on workload requirements and budget.
- ›Analyzes workload type, performance needs, scaling requirements, and cost to suggest 2–3 VM or VMSS options with trade-offs
- ›Verifies recommendations against live Microsoft documentation; falls back to reference files if fetch fails
- ›Queries the unauthenticated Azure Retail Prices API for current pricing without requiring an Azure subscription
- ›Guides VM vs VMSS decision through a deci
Azure Compute Skill
Routes Azure VM requests to the appropriate workflow based on user intent.
When to Use This Skill
Activate this skill when the user:
- Asks about Azure Virtual Machines (VMs) or VM Scale Sets (VMSS)
- Asks about choosing a VM, VM sizing, pricing, or cost estimates
- Needs a workload-based recommendation for scenarios like database, GPU, deep learning, HPC, web tier, or dev/test
- Mentions VM families, autoscale, load balancing, or Flexible versus Uniform orchestration
- Wants to troubleshoot Azure VM connectivity issues such as unreachable VMs, RDP/SSH failures, black screens, NSG/firewall issues, or credential resets
- Uses prompts like "Help me choose a VM"
Routing
User intent?
├─ Recommend / choose / compare / price a VM or VMSS
│ └─ Route to [VM Recommender](workflows/vm-recommender/vm-recommender.md)
│
├─ Can't connect / RDP / SSH / troubleshoot a VM
│ └─ Route to [VM Troubleshooter](workflows/vm-troubleshooter/vm-troubleshooter.md)
│
└─ Unclear
└─ Ask: "Are you looking for a VM recommendation, or troubleshooting a connectivity issue?"
| Signal | Workflow |
|---|---|
| "recommend VM", "which VM", "VM size", "VM pricing", "VMSS", "scale set" | VM Recommender |
| "can't connect", "RDP", "SSH", "NSG blocking", "reset password", "black screen" | VM Troubleshooter |
Workflows
| Workflow | Purpose | References |
|---|---|---|
| VM Recommender | Recommend VM sizes, VMSS, pricing using public APIs/docs | vm-families, retail-prices-api, vmss-guide |
| VM Troubleshooter | Diagnose and resolve VM connectivity failures (RDP/SSH) | cannot-connect-to-vm |
How to use azure-compute on Cursor
AI-first code editor with Composer
Prerequisites
Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:
- ›Cursor installed and configured on your development machine
- ›Node.js version 16.0+ with npm package manager (verify with
node --version) - ›Active project directory or workspace where you want to add azure-compute
Execute installation command
Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:
The skills CLI fetches azure-compute from GitHub repository microsoft/azure-skills and configures it for Cursor.
Select Cursor when prompted
The CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor:
Verify installation
Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:
Reload or restart Cursor to activate azure-compute. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., /azure-compute) or your agent's skill management interface.
Security & Verification Notice
We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.
Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment.
List & Monetize Your Skill
Submit your Claude Code skill and start earning
Use Cases▌
Task Automation & Efficiency
Automate repetitive workflows and reduce manual effort
Example
Generate reports, summarize documents, draft communications
Save 3-5 hours per week on routine tasks
Knowledge Enhancement
Learn new skills, understand complex topics, get expert guidance
Example
Explain concepts, provide examples, suggest learning resources
Accelerate learning and skill development by 2x
Quality Improvement
Enhance output quality through reviews, suggestions, and refinements
Example
Review drafts, suggest improvements, catch errors
Improve work quality by 30-40% with less effort
Implementation Guide▌
Prerequisites
- ›Claude Desktop or compatible AI client with skill support
- ›Clear understanding of task or problem to solve
- ›Willingness to iterate and refine outputs
Time Estimate
15-45 minutes depending on use case complexity
Installation Steps
- 1.Install skill using provided installation command
- 2.Test with simple use case relevant to your work
- 3.Evaluate output quality and relevance
- 4.Iterate on prompts to improve results
- 5.Integrate into regular workflow if valuable
Common Pitfalls
- ⚠Expecting perfect results without iteration
- ⚠Not providing enough context in prompts
- ⚠Using skill for tasks outside its intended scope
- ⚠Accepting outputs without review and validation
Best Practices▌
✓ Do
- +Start with clear, specific prompts
- +Provide relevant context and constraints
- +Review and refine all outputs before using
- +Iterate to improve output quality
- +Document successful prompt patterns
✗ Don't
- −Don't use without understanding skill limitations
- −Don't skip validation of outputs
- −Don't share sensitive information in prompts
- −Don't expect skill to replace human judgment
💡 Pro Tips
- ★Be specific about desired format and style
- ★Ask for multiple options to choose from
- ★Request explanations to understand reasoning
- ★Combine AI efficiency with human expertise
When to Use This▌
✓ Use When
Use when skill capabilities match your task, clear ROI on time saved, and you can validate outputs. Best for repetitive tasks, learning, and quality improvement.
✗ Avoid When
Avoid when task requires deep expertise you can't validate, involves sensitive decisions, or when learning process is more valuable than speed of completion.
Learning Path▌
- 1Familiarize yourself with skill capabilities and limitations
- 2Start with low-risk, non-critical tasks
- 3Progress to more complex and valuable use cases
- 4Build expertise through regular use and experimentation
Discussion
Product Hunt–style comments (not star reviews)- No comments yet — start the thread.
Ratings
4.4★★★★★31 reviews- ★★★★★Henry Farah· Dec 28, 2024
azure-compute reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility.
- ★★★★★Ganesh Mohane· Dec 16, 2024
azure-compute has been reliable in day-to-day use. Documentation quality is above average for community skills.
- ★★★★★Ira Johnson· Dec 16, 2024
I recommend azure-compute for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.
- ★★★★★Aisha Gupta· Dec 12, 2024
azure-compute is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.
- ★★★★★Rahul Santra· Nov 7, 2024
Keeps context tight: azure-compute is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.
- ★★★★★Mei Brown· Nov 7, 2024
Useful defaults in azure-compute — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows.
- ★★★★★Pratham Ware· Oct 26, 2024
We added azure-compute from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.
- ★★★★★Ishan Taylor· Oct 26, 2024
Registry listing for azure-compute matched our evaluation — installs cleanly and behaves as described in the markdown.
- ★★★★★Kiara Ghosh· Sep 17, 2024
I recommend azure-compute for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.
- ★★★★★Michael Iyer· Sep 5, 2024
Keeps context tight: azure-compute is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.
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