How to Log Out from Azure using 'az logout' (with examples)

The az logout command is a handy tool provided by the Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI) to disconnect your account from Azure subscriptions. This can be necessary when managing multiple accounts or improving security by ensuring inactive sessions are properly logged out. The Azure CLI provides a simplified way to interact with Azure’s cloud services directly from your terminal, and logging out is just one of its myriad of functionalities. Below, we explore two primary use cases of the az logout command, along with detailed explanations and motivations for each.

Use case 1: Log out from the active account

Code:

az logout

Motivation:

There are several reasons why you might want to log out from your active Azure account. If you’ve finished working in your Azure environment, signing out can be crucial for maintaining security and ensuring that unauthorized users cannot access your account if they gain access to your machine. It is also beneficial if you are switching between different Azure accounts or subscriptions to manage distinct environments or projects. Logging out ensures that your current session ends properly, preventing any accidental command execution in the wrong account.

Explanation:

• az logout: This base command initiates the logout process for the current user session. It does not require any additional parameters when you’re simply logging out from the actively signed-in account. This command tells Azure to terminate the session associated with your current login, effectively ending it so that any subsequent az CLI commands will require re-authentication.

Example Output:

Upon executing the command, you may not necessarily receive extensive output. Typically, it confirms that the logout process has succeeded through a simple message like:

You have been logged out. Please login again with 'az login'.

This message signals a successful logout, and the system requires you to log in again for future commands.

Use case 2: Log out a specific username

Code:

az logout --username alias@somedomain.com

Motivation:

Logging out a specific username is particularly useful in scenarios where multiple accounts are used on the same machine or terminal environment. For instance, in development teams where administrators might need to switch between different user perspectives or when testing configurations specific to certain accounts, managing logins precisely becomes essential. By targeting a specific username, it is possible to ensure that the account of interest is logged out, allowing others to remain authenticated or simplifying the process of switching accounts without affecting the entire session environment.

Explanation:

• az logout: The command initiates the logout process. Unlike the first use case, additional parameters are used to target a specific account.

• --username alias@somedomain.com: This argument specifies the exact user you wish to log out. It identifies which account among potentially several active sessions should be disconnected. Here, alias@somedomain.com is a placeholder for the actual email or username associated with the Azure account you want to log out.

Example Output:

The output once this command is executed should confirm that the particular account has been logged out. The output can look like this:

You have been logged out from alias@somedomain.com.

This clear message informs the user that the specified account is no longer active, ensuring clarity and precision for the operation performed.

Conclusion:

The az logout command is an essential part of using Azure CLI effectively, especially in environments with multiple user accounts and subscriptions. By ensuring that you are logged out of sessions you no longer need access to, you help maintain both your personal and organizational security posture. Whether logging out generically from the active session or specifying a particular username, the command provides valuable flexibility and ease of use. Leverage these functionalities to streamline account management and session security within Azure.