Tech giant Microsoft has released a suite of tools allowing clients to build ethereum-based apps on its cloud computing platform Azure.

The new Azure Blockchain Development Kit for Ethereum will help developers create and deploy ethereum-based apps on Azure Blockchain Service or the ethereum blockchain, Chris Pietschmann, Microsoft MVP (most valuable professional) and founder of BuildAzure.com announced in a blog post on Monday.

The ethereum development kit comes as an extension to Microsoft’s source-code editor Visual Studio Code, allowing developers to create and deploy ethereum smart contracts and utilize open-source blockchain tools such as Solidity and Truffle.

On its GitHub page about the kit, Microsoft explains: “Azure Blockchain service is a managed Ethereum service that you can deploy and interact with Solidity contracts as well as integrate into other Azure based services such as Azure Flow, Logic Apps or storage services like SQL Server or Cosmos DB.”

The extension is supported on both Windows 10 and macOS, Pietschmann said, adding that it can also run within a Virtual Machine in Azure.

He further noted:

Last month, Microsoft launched a token-building kit in association with the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance, aimed to help businesses design and create the suitable cryptocurrency tokens for their particular needs. It's also rolled out “proof-of-authority" ethereum consensus on Azure, which replaces the proof-of-work mining process that is commonly used by public blockchains.

Further, the company said last week that it will promote JPMorgan Chase’s Quorum blockchain to its business customers through Azure platform.

Microsoft image via Shutterstock