Azure CLI — Networking Cheat Sheet 2026

Azure CLI Networking Cheat Sheet is the complete quick-reference of Azure CLI Networking commands grouped by function. Copy any command with one click and find what you need with Ctrl+F in under 3 seconds.

Networking

Action	Command	Useful flags
Create virtual network	`az network vnet create --resource-group myResourceGroup --name myVnet --address-prefixes 10.0.0.0/16`	`--location --dns-servers`
Create subnet	`az network vnet subnet create --resource-group myResourceGroup --vnet-name myVnet --name mySubnet --address-prefixes 10.0.1.0/24`	`--network-security-group --route-table`
Create network security group	`az network nsg create --resource-group myResourceGroup --name myNsg`	`--location --tags`
Create NSG rule	`az network nsg rule create --resource-group myResourceGroup --nsg-name myNsg --name myRule --priority 100 --destination-port-ranges 80 443 --protocol Tcp`	`--source-address-prefixes --destination-address-prefixes`
Create public IP	`az network public-ip create --resource-group myResourceGroup --name myPublicIp --allocation-method Static`	`--sku --zone`
Create load balancer	`az network lb create --resource-group myResourceGroup --name myLoadBalancer --public-ip-address myPublicIp --frontend-ip-name myFrontend --backend-pool-name myBackendPool`	`--sku --location`
Create VNet peering	`az network vnet peering create --resource-group myResourceGroup --name myPeering --vnet-name myVnet --remote-vnet myRemoteVnet --allow-vnet-access`	`--allow-forwarded-traffic --allow-gateway-transit`
Configure network watcher	`az network watcher configure --resource-group myResourceGroup --location eastus --enabled true`	`--enabled --location --resource-group`

⚠️ Dangerous / Destructive Commands

These commands are irreversible. Verify your environment (dev/staging vs prod) before running them.

Action	Command	Warning
⚠️ Destroy ⚠️	`terraform destroy -auto-approve`	Irreversible — verify the target before running
⚠️ Delete	`kubectl delete namespace production`	Irreversible — verify the target before running
⚠️ Prune ⚠️	`docker system prune -af --volumes`	Irreversible — verify the target before running
⚠️ Delete	`pvesh delete /nodes/{node}/qemu/{vmid}`	Irreversible — verify the target before running
⚠️ Delete	`az group delete --name MyResourceGroup --yes`	Irreversible — verify the target before running

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Networking and the other groups?

Each group in this Azure CLI cheat sheet covers a distinct area. Networking focuses on its specific scope, while the other groups and the remaining groups cover networking, storage, security and diagnostics respectively.

How do I check the installed Azure CLI version?

Run the version command (usually azure version or azure --version). The output shows the client and, when applicable, the server version.

Why does Azure CLI return ‘permission denied’?

A ‘permission denied’ error in Azure CLI usually means the current user lacks sufficient privileges or credentials are not configured. Check: (1) assigned IAM/RBAC roles, (2) an active authentication context via the corresponding login command.

How do I filter Azure CLI output by status or name?

Use flags such as --filter, --selector or --query depending on the tool. You can also pipe into grep or jq to process JSON:

azure list | grep RUNNING

What is the fastest way to debug a Azure CLI error?

Add the verbose flag (--verbose, -v or --debug) to the failing command. This reveals the underlying HTTP/API calls and the full error response body.

Official sources & references

Commands cross-checked against vendor documentation and high-authority repositories: