So I am getting confused with what is the right approach to implementing code that fires on a scheduled bases within azure.
Originally we were using a standard console app that would be put in the webjob folder on deployment. I found this a bit noddy as we had logic looping and waiting for the right time to fire.
I then tried the azure webjob package https://github.com/Azure/azure-webjobs-sdk-extensions, but see this has gone quiet and the master branch is currently broken! I like because it has a CRON type approach with a function.cs, but now not sure if this is being maintained.
So do people have a preference on how a background process would run, e.g. a scheduled task that would run at 2am every day against a database?
Too much choice and not enough consensus on what the right way is?
Much appreciated in advance
I can think of three options, all of which are valid and can suit your needs. Which one to choose in the end comes down to your requirement specifics and your technical expertise.
WebJobs. These are the most powerful and most difficult to build and maintain. You typically use a dedicated project template in Visual Studio to author these. You can ignore that GitHub link - that's not what you need. Make sure you have the Azure workload enabled in Visual Studio and create a WebJob project.
Azure Functions. These are a more lightweight alternative to WebJobs. There is Visual Studio tooling available for this as well but you also have the option of writing your code directly in the portal. Azure Functions will time out after some period of time, so if your job runs more more than a minute or two this might not be the best option.
Logic Apps. This is more of a power user tool with an easy to use (debatable) designer interface. But it's also incredibly powerful and you can call WebJobs or Functions if you need to from a Logic App.
I could add links but I'm sure you could find them easily enough.