Create a resource

GitHub Copilot Prompt - Learn more on resource creation

how to define a resource in azure bicep

resource resourceName 'ResourceType@version' = {
  name: 'exampleResourceName'
  properties: {
    // resource properties here
  }
}

Create a child resource

GitHub Copilot Prompt - Learn more about creating child resources

Via name

resource resVnet 'Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks@2022-01-01' = {
  name: 'my-vnet'
}

resource resChildSubnet 'Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/subnets@2022-01-01' = {
  name: '${resVnet}/my-subnet'
}

Via parent property

resource resVnet 'Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks@2022-01-01' = {
  name: 'my-vnet'
}

resource resChildSubnet 'Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/subnets@2022-01-01' = {
  name: 'my-subnet'
  parent: resVnet
}

Via parent resource

resource resVnet 'Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks@2022-01-01' = {
  name: 'my-vnet'

  resource resChildSubnet 'subnets' = {
    name: 'my-subnet'
  }
}

Reference to an existing resource

resource resKeyVaultRef 'Microsoft.KeyVault/vaults@2019-09-01' = existing {
  name: 'myExistingKeyVaultName'
}

Access a nested resource (::)

resource resVnet 'Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks@2022-01-01' existing = {
  name: 'my-vnet'
  resource resChildSubnet 'subnets' existing = {
    name: 'my-subnet'
  }
}

// access child resource
output outChildSubnetId string = resVnet::resChildSubnet.id

Declare a variable

var varEnvironment = 'dev'

There is no need to declare a datatype for a variable, because the type is inferred from the value.

Declare a parameter

param parStorageAccountName string
param parLocation string = resourceGroup().location

Available datatypes are: string, bool, int, object, array and custom (user defined type).

Declare a secure parameter

@secure()
param parSecureParameter string

Declare an output

resource resPublicIp 'Microsoft.Network/publicIPAddresses@2023-02-01' ={
  name: parPublicIpName
  tags: parTags
  location: parLocation
  zones: parAvailabilityZones
  sku: parPublicIpSku
  properties: parPublicIpProperties
}

output outPublicIpId string = resPublicIp.id
output outMyString string = 'Hello!'

Available datatypes are: string, bool, int, object, array and custom (user defined type).

String interpolation

var varGreeting = 'Hello'
output outResult string = '${varGreeting} World'

Multi-line strings

var varMultiLineString = '''
  This is a
  Muli-line string
  variable.
'''

Create a module

GitHub Copilot Prompt

module modVirtualNetwork './network.bicep' = {
  name: 'networkModule'
  params: {
    parLocation: 'westeurope'
    parVnetName: 'my-vnet-name'
  }
}

Reference to a module using a bicep registry

module modBicepRegistryReference 'br/<bicep registry name>:<file path>:<tag>' = {
  name: 'deployment-name'
  params: {}
}

GitHub Copilot - Learn more about conditions

If condition

param parDeployResource bool

resource resDnsZone 'Microsoft.Network/dnszones@2018-05-01' = if (parDeployResource) {
  name: 'myZone'
  location: 'global'
}

Ternary if/else condition

param parEnvironment string

var varSku = parEnvironment == 'prod' ? 'premium' : 'standard'

GitHub Copilot - Learn more about loops

foreach using an array

param parStorageAccountNames array = [
  'storageaccount1'
  'storageaccount2'
  'storageaccount3'
]

resource resStorageAccounts 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2021-04-01' = [for name in parStorageAccountNames: {
  name: name
  location: 'westeurope'
  kind: 'StorageV2'
  sku: {
    name: 'Standard_LRS'
  }
}]

foreach using an array of objects

param parStorageAccountNames array = [
  {
    name: 'storageaccount1'
    kind: 'StorageV2'
    sku: {
      name: 'Standard_LRS'
    }
  }
  {
    name: 'storageaccount2'
    kind: 'StorageV2'
    sku: {
      name: 'Standard_LRS'
    }
  }
]

resource resStorageAccounts 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2021-04-01' = [for storageAccount in parStorageAccountNames: {
  name: storageAccount.name
  location: 'westeurope'
  kind: storageAccount.kind
  sku: {
    name: storageAccount.sku
  }
}]

[GitHub Copilot - Learn more about lambda functions](https://github.com/copilot?prompt=In%20Azure%20Bicep,%20how%20do%20the%20filter(),%20map(),%20and%20sort()%20functions%20work?%20Can%20you%20explain%20each%20function%20in%20detail%20and%20show%20how%20they%E2%80%99re%20used%20in%20practice?%20For%20example:%20%E2%80%A2output%20outProducts%20array%20=%20filter(varGroceryStore,%20item%20=%3E%20item.productPrice%20%3E=%204)%20%E2%80%A2output%20outDiscount%20array%20=%20map(range(0,%20length(varGroceryStore)),%20item%20=%3E%20{%20productNumber:%20item,%20productName:%20varGroceryStore[item].productName,%20discountedPrice:%20%27The%20item%20${varGroceryStore[item].productName}%20is%20on%20sale.%20Sale%20price:%20${(varGroceryStore[item].productPrice%20/%202)}%27%20})%20%E2%80%A2output%20outUsingSort%20array%20=%20sort(varGroceryStore,%20(a,%20b)%20=%3E%20a.productPrice%20%3C=%20b.productPrice)%20Please%20walk%20through%20what%20each%20of%20these%20functions%20does%20and%20when%20to%20use%20them)

Example data

var varGroceryStore = [
  {
    productName: 'Icecream'
    productPrice: 2
    productCharacteristics: [
      'Vegan'
      'Seasonal'
    ]
  }
  {
    productName: 'Banana'
    productPrice: 4
    productCharacteristics: [
      'Bio'
    ]
  }
]

filter() function

  output outProducts array = filter(varGroceryStore, item => item.productPrice >= 4)

returns

[
  {
    "productName": "Banana",
    "productPrice": 4,
    "productCharacteristics": [
      "Bio"
    ]
  }
]

map() function

output outDiscount array = map(range(0, length(varGroceryStore)), item => {
  productNumber: item
  productName: varGroceryStore[item].productName
  discountedPrice: 'The item ${varGroceryStore[item].productName} is on sale. Sale price: ${(varGroceryStore[item].productPrice / 2)}'
})

returns

[
  {
    "productNumber": 0,
    "productName": "Icecream",
    "discountedPrice": "The item Icecream is on sale. Sale price: 1"
  },
  {
    "productNumber": 1,
    "productName": "Banana",
    "discountedPrice": "The item Banana is on sale. Sale price: 2"
  }
]

sort() function

output outUsingSort array = sort(varGroceryStore, (a, b) => a.productPrice <= b.productPrice)

returns

[
  {
    "productName": "Icecream",
    "productPrice": 2,
    "productCharacteristics": [
      "Vegan"
      "Seasonal"
    ]
  },
  {
    "productName": "Banana",
    "productPrice": 4,
    "productCharacteristics": [
      "Bio"
    ]
  }
]

GitHub Copilot - Learn more on User Defined Types

Primitive types

// a string type with two allowed strings ('Standard_LRS' or 'Standard_GRS')
type skuType = 'Standard_LRS' | 'Standard_GRS'

// an integer type with one allowed value (1337)
type integerType = 1337

// an boolean type with one allowed value (true)
type booleanType = true

// Reference the type
param parMyStringType skuType
param parMyIntType integerType
param parMyBoolType booleanType

A custom type that enforced an array with a specific object structure

type arrayWithObjectsType = {
  name: string
  age: int
}[]

param parCustomArray arrayWithObjectsType = [
  {
    name: 'John'
    age: 30
  }
]

Optional properties in objects (using ?)

type arrayWithObjectsType = {
  name: string
  age: int
  hasChildren: bool?
  hasPets: bool?
}[]

param parCustomArray arrayWithObjectsType = [
  {
    name: 'John'
    age: 30
  }
  {
    name: 'Jane'
    age: 31
    hasPets: true
  }
  {
    name: 'Jack'
    age: 45
    hasChildren: true
    hasPets: true
  }
]

[GitHub Copilot - Learn more about User Defined Functions](https://github.com/copilot?prompt=Can%20you%20explain%20in%20detail%20how%20User%20Defined%20Functions%20work%20in%20Azure%20Bicep?%20Please%20include%20examples%20that%20show%20how%20to%20define%20and%20use%20custom%20functions,%20including%20parameter%20definitions,%20return%20types,%20and%20function%20logic.%20Also%20include%20a%20simple%20example%20such%20as:func%20funcSayHelloTo()%20string%20=%3E%20%27Hello%20and%20welcome,%20John%20Doe%27%20output%20outName%20string%20=%20funcSayHelloTo()%20/*%20Outputs:%20%27Hello%20and%20welcome,%20John%20Doe%27%20*/)

User-defined function syntax

func <function-name> (<parameter-name> <data-type>) <return-type> => <expression>

Basic user-defined function

func funcSayHelloTo() string => 'Hello and welcome, John Doe'

User-defined function with parameters

func funcSayHelloTo(name string) string => 'Hello and welcome, ${name}'

With multiple parameters:

func funcPersonNameAndAge(name string, age int) string => 'My name is ${name} and my age is ${age}'

User-defined function return types

func funcReturnTypeArray() array => [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
func funcReturnTypeObject() object => {name: 'John Doe', age: 31}
func funcReturnTypeInt() int => 1337
func funcReturnTypeBool(key string) bool => contains({}, key)
func funcReturnTypeUserDefinedType() customTypeUsedAsReturnType => {
  hello: 'world'
}

type customTypeUsedAsReturnType = {
  hello: string
}

GitHub Copilot - learn more about compile-time imports

export() decorator (shared.bicep)

@export()
var region = 'we'

@export()
type tagsType = {
  Environment: 'Prod' | 'Dev' | 'QA' | 'Stage' | 'Test'
  CostCenter: string
  Owner: string
  BusinessUnit: string
  *: string
}

import statement

import { region, tagsType } from 'shared.bicep'

output outRegion string = region
output outTags tagsType = {
  Environment: 'Dev'
  CostCenter: '12345'
  BusinessUnit: 'IT'
  Owner: 'John Lokerse'
}

import statement with alias

using 'keyVault.bicep'
import { region as importRegion } from 'shared.bicep'

param parKeyVaultName = 'kv-${importRegion}-${uniqueString(importRegion)}'

import statement using a wildcard

import * as shared from 'shared.bicep'

output outRegion string = shared.region
output outTags shared.tagsType = {
  Environment: 'Dev'
  CostCenter: '12345'
  BusinessUnit: 'IT'
  Owner: 'John Lokerse'
}

[GitHub Copilot - learn more about the networking functions](https://github.com/copilot?prompt=Can%20you%20explain%20how%20to%20use%20CIDR%20functions%20in%20Azure%20Bicep%20to%20make%20subnetting%20easier?%20Show%20how%20functions%20like%20cidrSubnet(),%20cidrHost()%20and%20others%20help%20to%20calculate%20subnet%20ranges,%20addresses,%20or%20specific%20IPs%20based%20on%20a%20base%20CIDR%20block.%20Include%20practical%20examples%20such%20as%20splitting%20a%20/16%20address%20space%20into%20multiple%20/24%20subnets.)

parseCidr() function

output outParseCidrInformation object = parseCidr('192.168.1.0/24')

returns

"outParseCidrInformation": {
  "type": "Object",
  "value": {
    "broadcast": "192.168.1.255",
    "cidr": 24,
    "firstUsable": "192.168.1.1",
    "lastUsable": "192.168.1.254",
    "netmask": "255.255.255.0",
    "network": "192.168.1.0"
  }
}

cidrSubnet() function

output outCidrSubnet string = cidrSubnet('192.168.1.0/24', 25, 0)

returns

"outCidrSubnet": {
  "type": "String",
  "value": "192.168.1.0/25"
}

cidrHost() function

output outCidrHost array = [for i in range(0, 10): cidrHost('192.168.1.0/24', i)]

returns

"outCidrHost": {
  "type": "Array",
  "value": [
    "192.168.1.1",
    "192.168.1.2",
    "192.168.1.3",
    "192.168.1.4",
    "192.168.1.5",
    "192.168.1.6",
    "192.168.1.7",
    "192.168.1.8",
    "192.168.1.9",
    "192.168.1.10"
  ]
}

GitHub Copilot - Learn more about bicepconfig.json

Azure Container Registry configuration

{
  "moduleAliases": {
    "br": {
      "<bicep registry name>": {
        "registry": "<url to registry>",
        "modulePath": "<module path of the alias>"
      }
    }
  }
}

GitHub Copilot - learn more about dependencies

Implicit dependency using symbolic name

resource resNetworkSecurityGroup 'Microsoft.Network/networkSecurityGroups@2019-11-01' = {
  name: 'my-networkSecurityGroup'
  location: resourceGroup().location
}

resource nsgRule 'Microsoft.Network/networkSecurityGroups/securityRules@2019-11-01' = {
  name: '${resNetworkSecurityGroup}/AllowAllRule'
  properties: {
    // resource properties here
  }
}

Explicit dependency using dependsOn

resource resDnsZone 'Microsoft.Network/dnsZones@2018-05-01' = {
  name: 'contoso.com'
  location: 'global'
}

module modVirtualNetwork './network.bicep' = {
  name: 'networkModule'
  params: {
    parLocation: 'westeurope'
    parVnetName: 'my-vnet-name'
  }
  dependsOn: [
    resDnsZone
  ]
}

Azure CLI

Azure PowerShell

GitHub Copilot - Learn more about target scopes

Target scopes

The targetScope directive in Azure Bicep determines the level at which the Bicep template will be deployed within Azure. The default is targetScope = 'resourceGroup'.

Azure Bicep supports multiple levels of targetScope:

targetScope = 'resourceGroup'

resource resKeyVault 'Microsoft.KeyVault/vaults@2019-09-01' = {
  // key vault properties here
}

Use the scope property on modules to deploy on a different scope than the target scope:

// Uses the targetScope
module modStorageModule1 'storage.bicep' = {
  name: 'storageModule1'
}

// Uses the scope of the module
module modStorageModule2 'storage.bicep' = {
  name: 'storageModule2'
  scope: resourceGroup('other-subscription-id', 'other-resource-group-name')
  // module properties here
}

GitHub Copilot - Learn more about Azure Verified Modules

Azure Verified Modules reference

When you're writing Bicep, you can reference Azure Verified Modules (AVM) directly in your Bicep files. To get access to the IntelliSense prompt, you need the Azure Bicep VSCode extension installed. Additionally, to restore the Bicep modules successfully, make sure you have access to the Microsoft Container Registry at mcr.microsoft.com.

As an example, here is how to reference to an Azure Key Vault from the Microsoft Container Registry:

More information on Azure Verified Modules can be found here.