How to best deploy a custom service provider-based connector

Question

How to best deploy a custom service provider-based connector

Ronald Bosma 0

I'm working on a custom service provider-based built-in connector for Azure Logic Apps Standard, called LogicApps.ServiceProviders.ApplicationInsights.TrackAvailability. (It's not available as a NuGet package yet, but you can locally build the class library. Instructions are in the readme.)

The connector works as expected, but I’ve run into an issue with deployment size. After integrating it into my Logic App Standard project, the deployment package size jumped from just a few KB to over 300 MB. This seems to be caused by a reference to the Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.WebJobs.Extension NuGet package.

What I've done so far

To build the connector, I followed these resources:

According to the Install your connector instructions, you need to convert your Logic App workflow project to a NuGet package-based project. This results in a .csproj that includes a reference to Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.WebJobs.Extension, which is also needed in the custom connector project.

After converting the project, I added my custom connector as a NuGet package reference. I also removed the extension bundle configuration from the host.json file, as this seems to be required for using custom built-in connectors in Logic App Standard projects.

The problem

Adding Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.WebJobs.Extension to both the Logic App project and the custom connector class library significantly increases the deployment size. I'd like to know:

Is there a way to reduce the deployment size when using a custom built-in connector in Logic Apps Standard? Preferably, I would only need to deploy my own NuGet package containing the custom connector, without the additional overhead.

I'm open to changes in how I package or reference dependencies. Any guidance or best practices would be much appreciated. Preferably, I would only need to deploy my own NuGet package containing the custom connector, without the additional overhead.

Thanks in advance!

Shireesha Eeraboina 2,825 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-05-05T06:17:06.2066667+00:00
Hi Ronald Bosma,

To reduce the deployment size for your custom connector in Azure Logic Apps Standard:

Package your custom connector as a NuGet package and reference it only in the Logic App project.

Avoid including Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.WebJobs.Extension in both the connector and the Logic App project.

Remove any unnecessary dependencies in your custom connector.

Optimize build settings to include only the required files for deployment.

These steps should help reduce the deployment size.

To help you better understand, kindly refer to the documentations below:

Create custom built-in connectors for Standard logic apps in single-tenant Azure Logic Apps

Custom connectors in Azure Logic Apps

I hope this addresses your query. Please let me know if you need any further assistance or clarification.
Ronald Bosma 0 Reputation points

2025-05-05T07:27:29.4533333+00:00

Also posted this question on stackoverflow, but with not answer yet:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/79570424/how-to-reduce-deployment-size-when-using-custom-built-in-connector-in-logic-app
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
Ronald Bosma 0 Reputation points

2025-05-05T07:30:45.68+00:00

Hi @Shireesha Eeraboina ,

Unfortunately, this doesn't work. The interfaces I need to implement are part of the Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.WebJobs.Extension package, so I have to reference it.

When I removed both the Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.WebJobs.Extension and Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Functions package references from my sample Logic App project, not even my own package was deployed, and the custom connector, unsurprisingly, didn't work.

After re-enabling the Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Functions package reference, the deployment size jumped to around 120MB, but the connector started working. Many transitive dependencies from Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.WebJobs.Extension were included in the deployment. Since this package contains the necessary interfaces, I don't see a way to avoid referencing it.

I also tried referencing only my own package and Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.WebJobs.Extension, but leaving out Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Functions. In that case, the custom connector didn’t work either—so it seems that Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Functions is required.

I still find ~120MB excessively large for a simple connector. While the documentation provides a decent overview of how to build a connector, it lacks clear guidance on how to deploy a custom one.
RithwikBojja 2,160 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-05-07T04:27:57.9933333+00:00

Hi @Ronald Bosma, isolate your custom connector logic as much as possible in its own class library, publish it as a NuGet package, and only reference the Logic Apps SDKs that are absolutely necessary.
Ronald Bosma 0 Reputation points

2025-05-07T05:06:43.2533333+00:00

Hi @RithwikBojja . That's what I'm already doing. See my response to Shireesha Eeraboina's comment.

I'm hoping there is a way to only deploy the assembly with my custom connector without having to deploy everything else, but this isn't possible when using a NuGet package-based project as I've mentioned before.

I've tried placing my assembly in the /lib/custom folder, but the workflow couldn't find my connector.

Your answer

Shireesha Eeraboina 2,825 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-05-05T06:17:06.2066667+00:00

Hi Ronald Bosma,

To reduce the deployment size for your custom connector in Azure Logic Apps Standard:

Package your custom connector as a NuGet package and reference it only in the Logic App project.

Avoid including Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.WebJobs.Extension in both the connector and the Logic App project.

Remove any unnecessary dependencies in your custom connector.

Optimize build settings to include only the required files for deployment.

These steps should help reduce the deployment size.

To help you better understand, kindly refer to the documentations below:

Create custom built-in connectors for Standard logic apps in single-tenant Azure Logic Apps

Custom connectors in Azure Logic Apps

I hope this addresses your query. Please let me know if you need any further assistance or clarification.
Ronald Bosma 0 Reputation points

2025-05-05T07:27:29.4533333+00:00

Also posted this question on stackoverflow, but with not answer yet:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/79570424/how-to-reduce-deployment-size-when-using-custom-built-in-connector-in-logic-app
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
Ronald Bosma 0 Reputation points

2025-05-05T07:30:45.68+00:00

Hi @Shireesha Eeraboina ,

Unfortunately, this doesn't work. The interfaces I need to implement are part of the Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.WebJobs.Extension package, so I have to reference it.

When I removed both the Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.WebJobs.Extension and Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Functions package references from my sample Logic App project, not even my own package was deployed, and the custom connector, unsurprisingly, didn't work.

After re-enabling the Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Functions package reference, the deployment size jumped to around 120MB, but the connector started working. Many transitive dependencies from Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.WebJobs.Extension were included in the deployment. Since this package contains the necessary interfaces, I don't see a way to avoid referencing it.

I also tried referencing only my own package and Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.WebJobs.Extension, but leaving out Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Functions. In that case, the custom connector didn’t work either—so it seems that Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Functions is required.

I still find ~120MB excessively large for a simple connector. While the documentation provides a decent overview of how to build a connector, it lacks clear guidance on how to deploy a custom one.
RithwikBojja 2,160 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-05-07T04:27:57.9933333+00:00

Hi @Ronald Bosma, isolate your custom connector logic as much as possible in its own class library, publish it as a NuGet package, and only reference the Logic Apps SDKs that are absolutely necessary.
Ronald Bosma 0 Reputation points

2025-05-07T05:06:43.2533333+00:00

Hi @RithwikBojja . That's what I'm already doing. See my response to Shireesha Eeraboina's comment.

I'm hoping there is a way to only deploy the assembly with my custom connector without having to deploy everything else, but this isn't possible when using a NuGet package-based project as I've mentioned before.

I've tried placing my assembly in the /lib/custom folder, but the workflow couldn't find my connector.

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How to best deploy a custom service provider-based connector

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