@azure/storage-queue (TypeScript/JavaScript)

SDK for Azure Queue Storage operations — send, receive, peek, and manage messages in queues.

Installation

npm install @azure/storage-queue @azure/identity

Current Version: 12.x
Node.js: >= 18.0.0

Environment Variables

AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_NAME=<account-name>
AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_KEY=<account-key>
# OR connection string
AZURE_STORAGE_CONNECTION_STRING=DefaultEndpointsProtocol=https;AccountName=...

Authentication

DefaultAzureCredential (Recommended)

import { QueueServiceClient } from "@azure/storage-queue";
import { DefaultAzureCredential } from "@azure/identity";

const accountName = process.env.AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_NAME!;
const client = new QueueServiceClient(
  `https://${accountName}.queue.core.windows.net`,
  new DefaultAzureCredential()
);

Connection String

import { QueueServiceClient } from "@azure/storage-queue";

const client = QueueServiceClient.fromConnectionString(
  process.env.AZURE_STORAGE_CONNECTION_STRING!
);

StorageSharedKeyCredential (Node.js only)

import { QueueServiceClient, StorageSharedKeyCredential } from "@azure/storage-queue";

const accountName = process.env.AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_NAME!;
const accountKey = process.env.AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_KEY!;

const sharedKeyCredential = new StorageSharedKeyCredential(accountName, accountKey);
const client = new QueueServiceClient(
  `https://${accountName}.queue.core.windows.net`,
  sharedKeyCredential
);

SAS Token

import { QueueServiceClient } from "@azure/storage-queue";

const accountName = process.env.AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_NAME!;
const sasToken = process.env.AZURE_STORAGE_SAS_TOKEN!;

const client = new QueueServiceClient(
  `https://${accountName}.queue.core.windows.net${sasToken}`
);

Client Hierarchy

QueueServiceClient (account level)
└── QueueClient (queue level)
    └── Messages (send, receive, peek, delete)

Queue Operations

Create Queue

const queueClient = client.getQueueClient("my-queue");
await queueClient.create();

// Or create if not exists
await queueClient.createIfNotExists();

List Queues

for await (const queue of client.listQueues()) {
  console.log(queue.name);
}

// With prefix filter
for await (const queue of client.listQueues({ prefix: "task-" })) {
  console.log(queue.name);
}

Delete Queue

await queueClient.delete();

// Or delete if exists
await queueClient.deleteIfExists();

Get Queue Properties

const properties = await queueClient.getProperties();
console.log("Approximate message count:", properties.approximateMessagesCount);
console.log("Metadata:", properties.metadata);

Set Queue Metadata

await queueClient.setMetadata({
  department: "engineering",
  priority: "high",
});

Message Operations

Send Message

const queueClient = client.getQueueClient("my-queue");

// Simple message
await queueClient.sendMessage("Hello, World!");

// With options
await queueClient.sendMessage("Delayed message", {
  visibilityTimeout: 60, // Hidden for 60 seconds
  messageTimeToLive: 3600, // Expires in 1 hour
});

// JSON message (must be string)
const task = { type: "process", data: { id: 123 } };
await queueClient.sendMessage(JSON.stringify(task));

Receive Messages

// Receive up to 32 messages (default: 1)
const response = await queueClient.receiveMessages({
  numberOfMessages: 10,
  visibilityTimeout: 30, // 30 seconds to process
});

for (const message of response.receivedMessageItems) {
  console.log("Message ID:", message.messageId);
  console.log("Content:", message.messageText);
  console.log("Dequeue Count:", message.dequeueCount);
  console.log("Pop Receipt:", message.popReceipt);
  
  // Process the message...
  
  // Delete after processing
  await queueClient.deleteMessage(message.messageId, message.popReceipt);
}

Peek Messages

Peek without removing from queue (no visibility timeout).

const response = await queueClient.peekMessages({
  numberOfMessages: 5,
});

for (const message of response.peekedMessageItems) {
  console.log("Message ID:", message.messageId);
  console.log("Content:", message.messageText);
  // Note: No popReceipt - cannot delete peeked messages
}

Update Message

Extend visibility timeout or update content.

// Receive a message
const response = await queueClient.receiveMessages();
const message = response.receivedMessageItems[0];

if (message) {
  // Update content and extend visibility
  const updateResponse = await queueClient.updateMessage(
    message.messageId,
    message.popReceipt,
    "Updated content",
    60 // New visibility timeout in seconds
  );
  
  // Use new popReceipt for subsequent operations
  console.log("New pop receipt:", updateResponse.popReceipt);
}

Delete Message

// After receiving
const response = await queueClient.receiveMessages();
const message = response.receivedMessageItems[0];

if (message) {
  await queueClient.deleteMessage(message.messageId, message.popReceipt);
}

Clear All Messages

await queueClient.clearMessages();

Message Processing Patterns

Basic Worker Pattern

async function processQueue(queueClient: QueueClient): Promise<void> {
  while (true) {
    const response = await queueClient.receiveMessages({
      numberOfMessages: 10,
      visibilityTimeout: 30,
    });

    if (response.receivedMessageItems.length === 0) {
      // No messages, wait before polling again
      await sleep(5000);
      continue;
    }

    for (const message of response.receivedMessageItems) {
      try {
        await processMessage(message.messageText);
        await queueClient.deleteMessage(message.messageId, message.popReceipt);
      } catch (error) {
        console.error(`Failed to process message ${message.messageId}:`, error);
        // Message will become visible again after timeout
      }
    }
  }
}

async function processMessage(content: string): Promise<void> {
  const task = JSON.parse(content);
  // Process task...
}

function sleep(ms: number): Promise<void> {
  return new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms));
}

Poison Message Handling

const MAX_DEQUEUE_COUNT = 5;

async function processWithPoisonHandling(
  queueClient: QueueClient,
  poisonQueueClient: QueueClient
): Promise<void> {
  const response = await queueClient.receiveMessages({
    numberOfMessages: 10,
    visibilityTimeout: 30,
  });

  for (const message of response.receivedMessageItems) {
    if (message.dequeueCount > MAX_DEQUEUE_COUNT) {
      // Move to poison queue
      await poisonQueueClient.sendMessage(message.messageText);
      await queueClient.deleteMessage(message.messageId, message.popReceipt);
      console.log(`Moved message ${message.messageId} to poison queue`);
      continue;
    }

    try {
      await processMessage(message.messageText);
      await queueClient.deleteMessage(message.messageId, message.popReceipt);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error(`Processing failed (attempt ${message.dequeueCount}):`, error);
    }
  }
}

Batch Processing with Visibility Extension

async function processBatchWithExtension(queueClient: QueueClient): Promise<void> {
  const response = await queueClient.receiveMessages({
    numberOfMessages: 1,
    visibilityTimeout: 60,
  });

  const message = response.receivedMessageItems[0];
  if (!message) return;

  let popReceipt = message.popReceipt;

  // Start visibility extension timer
  const extensionInterval = setInterval(async () => {
    try {
      const updateResponse = await queueClient.updateMessage(
        message.messageId,
        popReceipt,
        message.messageText,
        60 // Extend by another 60 seconds
      );
      po