v0.42.1

Highlights

• Bicep console GA! (#19261)
• Bicep Role Definitions Function (#18457)

    properties: {
      roleDefinitionId:
        roleDefinitions('Data Factory Contributor').id
      principalId: scriptIdentity.principalId
    }

Features and Bug Fixes

Experimental Visualizer

An experimental version of the Bicep visualizer was added, which can run side-by-side with the existing one. The new visualizer includes several improvements:

• Improved UI styling
• Accessibility enhancements: accent color support and a light high-contrast theme
• New feature: export the graph as a PNG image (see screenshot below)

To use the new visualizer, right-click the editor tab and select Open Bicep Visual Designer (Experimental) or Open Bicep Visual Designer to the Side (Experimental):

The existing visualizer will be deprecated and removed after two release cycles.

Other

• Enhance error messages for ArgumentException (#19208)
• External input bug fixes (#19256)
• Don't crash when nonexistent symbol is used with external inputs (#19260)
• Don't crash on error symbol external input parameters (#19263)
• Update active pseudo-grammar of the bicep language (#19169)
• Added the grace period to delay recommending the latest API version (#19205)
• RpcClient: Various improvements for safety + ux (#19203)
• Add more info about JSONRPC (#19277)
• Fix generate-params JSON defaults (#19265)
• Fix playground quickstart module handling and Monaco worker init (#19264)

v0.41.2

Highlights

• Snapshot command is GA (#19084)

  Example usage:

  # capture a snapshot
  bicep snapshot main.bicepparam
  
  # validate a snapshot
  bicep snapshot main.bicepparam --mode validate
  
  # capture a snapshot with Azure context
  bicep snapshot main.bicepparam --subscription-id 3faf6056-8474-4818-a729-1aff55d6b3fa --resource-group myRg --location westus --mode overwrite

  Walkthrough YouTube - Bicep Snapshot Demo

  Official docs coming soon. In the meantime, see Using the snapshot command.

• [Experimental] @nullIfNotFound() decorator for existing resources (#18697)

  Basic example:

  @nullIfNotFound()
  resource storageAccount 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2021-04-01' existing = {
    name: 'testStorage'
  }
  
  output safeLocation string? = storageAccount.?location
  output safeSkuName string? = storageAccount.?sku.name
  output safeAccessTier string? = storageAccount.?properties.accessTier
  
  output locationWithDefault string = storageAccount.?location ?? 'westus'
  output skuNameWithDefault string = storageAccount.?sku.name ?? 'Standard_LRS'
  output accessTierWithDefault string = storageAccount.?properties.accessTier ?? 'Hot'

Bug Fixes and Features

• Add MCP server metadata JSON file to NuGet package (#18909)
• Add section on comments to Best Practices doc (#18913)
• Fix nested extendable params spread: ensure inherited spread expressions are bound correctly (#19028)
• add support for array splat completion in type syntax and enhance completion context (#18948)
• Add completions for #disable-diagnostics and #restore-diagnostics (#18919)
• Add extension namespace functions (#18910)
• [PublishExtension command] Ensure namespace functions are considered when building types archive (#18999)
• Use file handle URI in output (#18920)
• [Experimental] Visualizer V2 (#18986, #18987, #18992, #18995, #19025, #19029, #19080)

Community Contributions

• Minor typos in README.md (#19079) - thanks @gerbermarco !
• Enhance snapshot command documentation (#18959) - thanks @verschaevesiebe !
• Add snapshot command help documentation to RootCommand (#18988) - thanks @verschaevesiebe !

v0.40.2

Highlights

• Multi-line interpolated strings GA! (#18666)

  Basic example:

  var s = $'''
  this is ${interpolated}'''

  With multiple $ characters:

  var s = $$'''
  this is $${interpolated}
  this is not ${interpolated}'''

• [Experimental] New this.exists() and this.existingResource() functions for resource existence checks (#17727)

  Example usage:

  resource storageAccount 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2021-09-01' = {
    name: 'mystorageaccount'
    location: 'eastus'
    sku: {
      name: 'Standard_LRS'
    }
    kind: 'StorageV2'
    properties: {
      minimumTlsVersion: 'TLS1_2'
      publicNetworkAccess: this.exists() ? 'Enabled' : 'Disabled'
    }
  }

• New MCP Server tools (#18707, #18826)

  • decompile_arm_parameters_file: Converts ARM template parameter JSON files into Bicep parameters format (.bicepparam).
  • decompile_arm_template_file: Converts ARM template JSON files into Bicep syntax (.bicep).
  • format_bicep_file: Applies consistent formatting (indentation, spacing, line breaks) to Bicep files.
  • get_bicep_file_diagnostics: Analyzes a Bicep file and returns all compilation diagnostics.
  • get_file_references: Analyzes a Bicep file and returns a list of all referenced files including modules, parameter files, and other dependencies.
  • get_deployment_snapshot: Creates a deployment snapshot from a .bicepparam file by compiling and pre-expanding the ARM template, allowing you to preview predicted resources and perform semantic diffs between Bicep implementations.

• Publish Bicep MCP server as a nuget package (#18709)

  Example mcp.json configuration:

  {
    "servers": {
      "Bicep": {
        "type": "stdio",
        "command": "dnx",
        "args": [ "Azure.Bicep.McpServer", "--yes" ]
      }
    }
  }

• bicep console: Support piping and stdin/out redirection (#18762)

  Example with piping:

  echo "parseCidr('10.144.0.0/20')" | bicep console

  Example with input redirection:

  echo "parseCidr('10.144.0.0/20')" > test.txt
  bicep console < test.txt

  Example with output redirection:

  echo "parseCidr('10.144.0.0/20')" | bicep console > output.json

• Extendable Parameter Files Improvements:

  • Enable parameter files to evaluate variables from extended base parameters (#18626)
  • Add support for loadTextContent function in extendable parameter files (#18424)

• Multiline diagnostic pragmas (#18622)

  Disable a specific diagnostic for a whole file:

  #disable-diagnostics BCP422
  
  ...
  
  resource foo 'type@version' = if (condition) {}
  
  output bar string = foo.properties.bar // <-- would normally raise BCP422 as a warning, but will not due to pragma at top of file

  Disable specific diagnostics for a span:

  resource foo 'type@version' = if (condition) {}
  
  #disable-diagnostics BCP422
  output bar string = foo.properties.bar // <-- would normally raise BCP422 as a warning, but will not due to pragma at top of file
  #restore-diagnostics BCP422
  
  output baz string = foo.properties.baz // <-- will raise BCP422 warning because it's outside of the pragma fence

• Migrate to .NET 10 (#18458)

Bug Fixes and Features

• Use integer and boolean literal types when deriving return type for loadJsonContent (#18466)
• Update deployment() return type signature to add conditional metadata property (#18468)
• Recognize <collection module>[<index>]! as a direct module reference for secure outputs check (#18522)
• Extension config default values constraint fixes (#18606)
• Update lv 2.0 triggers to take syntactically nested resources into account (#18607)
• Making the scope property a fully qualified resource Id (#18165)
• Expand support for types in local extension (#18662)
• Improved extension configuration experience (#18828)
• Fix handling registry module resource derived types in params file (#18661)
• Fix completion to correctly suggest imported types in bicepparam files (#18523)
• Fix quoted property names and enhance symbol resolution (#18509)
• Fix nested function calls losing bindings when using extendable parameters (#18876)
• Always use named pipes on Windows for gRPC (#18712)
• Remove DSC experimental feature (#18821)
• Simplify YAML/JSON parser code path with Result pattern (#18713)
• Refactor external inputs processing logic to use InlineDependencyVisitor and dedicated FunctionFlag (#18740)
• Update CSAT survey to be always on instead of annual (#18657)

Documentation

• Add troubleshooting steps for MCP tools not showing (#18563)
• Revise Bicep MCP Server Docs (#18699)
• Revise local deploy debugging guide for Bicep extensions (#18701)
• Add unit testing guide for Bicep extensions (#18702)
• Add beginner tip to Bicep getting started section (#18706)
• Improve documentation for extendable parameter files (#18656)
• Add bicep local-deploy arguments table docs (#18788)

Community Contributions

• E2E Tests for playground with playwright (#18521) - thanks @ShpendKe !
• Add: bicep local-deploy arguments table docs (#18788) - thanks @johnlokerse !
• Add beginner tip to Bicep getting started section (#18706) - @JennyCloud !
• Fix grammar in codebase documentation (#18768) - thanks @JennyCloud !

v0.39.26

Highlights

• [Experimental] Enhancements to bicep console command:

  • Support load* functions (#18413)
  • Support types & functions (#18261)
  • Improve line break handling (#18320)

• [Requires the multilineStringInterpolation Experimental feature] New syntax for multi-line string interpolation (#18324)
  Basic example:

  var s = $'''
  this is ${interpolated}'''

  With multiple $ characters:

  var s = $$'''
  this is $${interpolated}
  this is not ${interpolated}'''

Bug Fixes and Features

• Improve F12 UX for using declaration in .bicepparam (#18372)
• Add ability to promote info diagnostics to warning in msbuild (#18412)
• Document bicep console for-loop expression limitations (#18269)
• Update ARM JSON type loader to support optional type constraints (#18307)
• Block the existing keyword for extension resources that have no readable scopes (#18260)
• Document the list_avm_metadata Bicep MCP tool (#18327)
• improve syntax handling and update diagnostics for decorators in parameter files (#18274)
• Add support for extended imports (#18223)
• bicep deploy: Disable live table rendering if ANSI disabled (#18409)
• Fix for deployCommands experimental feature issue (#18367)
• Clarify JSONRPC command options in RootCommand.cs (#18418)
• Add diagnostic trace information on OS & architecture (#18321)
• Build command: Don't write an empty file on unhandled exception (#18214)
• Support access token refresh in deploy pane (#18326)
• Provide simple DI methods for common libraries (#18362)
• DSC requires the apiVersion field and it's no longer being emitted (#18365)

Community Contributions

• fix: Playground not loading (#18270) - thanks @ShpendKe !
• docs: Readme refresh (#17246) - thanks @matsest !
• Add Bicep RPC client library documentation (#18173) - thanks @Gijsreyn !
• Polish documentation for Bicep MCP Server and its tools in VS Code (#18329) - thanks @Gijsreyn !

v0.38.33

Bug Fixes

• Fix for incorrect error diagnostic on policyDefinitions existing resource usage (#18169)
• Fix regression on secure inline object types and resource-derived string and object types (#18170)
• Bicep.RpcClient - use PipeReader & PipeWriter APIs (#18212)

v0.38.5

Bug Fixes and Features

• Fix for incorrect error diagnostic on MSGraph existing resource usage (#18160)
• Add library for interacting with Bicep CLI via JSONRPC (#18151)

v0.38.3

Highlights

• onlyIfNotExists GA! (#17996)

  @onlyIfNotExists()
  resource onlyDeployIfNotExists 'Microsoft...' = {
    name: 'example'
    location: 'eastus'
    properties: {
      ...
    }
  }

• [Experimental] Interactive bicep console command for REPL functionality (#18152)

  console.mov

  See Using the Console Command for additional information.

• [Experimental] Interactive bicep deploy, bicep what-if and bicep teardown commands (#18041, #18052, #18053, #18096, #18104)

  deploy.mov

  See Using the Deploy Commands for additional information and code samples.

• [Experimental] Add @validate() decorator for custom validation (#17804) - requires the userDefinedConstraints feature flag

  @validate(x => startsWith(x, 'foo')) // <-- Accepts 'food' or 'fool' but causes the deployment to fail if 'booed' was supplied
  param p string

• Add loadDirectoryFileInfo function (#17241) - thanks @GABRIELNGBTUC !
  This function returns an array of objects for each file in the directory for you to use in your Bicep template.

  var directoryInfo = loadDirectoryFileInfo('./directory')
  var directoryInfoWildcard = loadDirectoryFileInfo('./directory', '*.txt')

• Add an explicit any type (#17848)
  Adds a new type symbol (any). Anywhere type syntax is expected, users can now supply any:

  param foo any
  output bar any = foo
  
  func cowSay(toSay any) string => 'The cow says, "${toSay}"'

• Remove moduleIdentity experimental feature (#17909)

  module mod './module.bicep' = {
    identity: {
      type: 'UserAssigned'
      userAssignedIdentities: {
        '${mid.id}': {}
      }
    }
  }

Bug Fixes and Features

• Bicep MCP server
  • Updated mcp experimental docs to show EXPERIMENTAL server name (#17754)
  • Add List AVM MCP Tool (#17845)
  • fixing typos in mcp server best practices file (#17855)
• Bicepparam
  • Remove redundant checks for empty parameter assignments in parameter evaluation (#17807)
  • fix and add test for invalid parameter type (#17193)
  • implement "base" parameters support for extended bicepparam files (#17850)
• Fix a bug where source files with extensions cannot be published (#17808)
• Check for Windows Style Absolute Paths (#17995)
• Add experimentalFeaturesWarning (#17910)
• Add "Creating a Local Extension with .NET" quickstart guide (#17726)
• Graph extension update dynamic types link (#17851)
• Automatically enable symbolic name compilation for resource/module collection access (#17861)
• [docs] Add information about trace verbosity (#18093)
• Do not require properties marked as readonly+required (#17913)
• Add & handle readableScopes + writableScopes properties (#17849)
• Inline existing resources with runtime names (#17904)
• Bug fixes for moduleExtensionConfigs experimental feature. (#17860)
• Fix quickstart instructions (#17759)
• Fix broken local-deploy links (#17846)
• Increase local deploy job timeout (#18040)
• Avoid returning internal information for extensible resource snapshot (#18119)

Community Contributions

• feat: BRM Tool - Removed deprecated pathFilter property from BRM version schema (#17720) - thanks @AlexanderSehr !
• Add fix to decompile desiredStateConfiguration resources (#17764) - thanks @Gijsreyn !
• Fix bicep decompile-params if file is different name (#17795) - thanks @Gijsreyn !
• Linter rule should exclude all metadata (#17667) - thanks @guimatheus92 !

v0.37.4

Highlights

• [Experimental] Bicep MCP server (#17519, #17572, #17607, #17712). See Using Bicep MCP Server in VS Code (Preview!) for usage information.
• [Experimental] Simplified C# authoring experience for Local Deploy extensions (#17557, #17616) - thanks @samirbanjanovic !
  • See Creating a Local Extension with .NET for a minimal quickstart guide.
• GA release for the externalInput() function (#17470)
• [Requires the localDeploy Experimental feature] Simplify publishing process by supporting type discovery via gRPC (#17665)
• Add "format" capability to bicep jsonrpc (#17567)
• [Requires the moduleExtensionConfigs Experimental feature] Extension config assignment syntax updates and module aware extension config assignment (#17389)

Breaking Changes

bicep generate-params now preserves the specified output file extension

The command no longer overrides the output file extension when --outfile is specified.

Previously, the command would change the output file’s extension even if one was explicitly provided. For example:

bicep generate-params main.bicep --outfile main
bicep generate-params main.bicep --outfile main.txt

would all produce main.parameters.json, which was an unintentional behavior.

Starting with this release, the command preserves the file name exactly as specified:

bicep generate-params main.bicep --outfile main
bicep generate-params main.bicep --outfile main.txt
bicep generate-params main.bicep --outfile main.params.json

now produces main, main.txt, and main.params.json respectively.

Bugs and Features

• Use language version 2.0 for extensibility (#17714)
• Update short-circuiting linter to use nested deployment expander (#17334)
• Emit an error diagnostic when a secure output is dereferenced indirectly (#17453)
• Improve reduce type inference (#17574)
• Add stacks extensibility linting rule. Restrict syntax on config assignments. (#17654)
• Add control bar for visual designer (#17518)
• Remove deprecated CLI arguments (#17564)

Community Contributions

• Update params-file-grammar.md (#17510) - thanks @rgant !
• Add linter rule to warn on usage of outdated AzPowerShell version in deployment scripts (#17556) - thanks @guimatheus92 !
• Added references to the Azure Verified Module website and bicep-registry-module repository (#17664) - thanks @johnlokerse !

v0.36.177

Highlights

• Add Identity Snippets for Resources (#17335)
• Update Bicep linter diagnostics to point to https://aka.ms/bicep/linter-diagnostics (#17390)
• Mark conditional resources as nullable for the purposes of property access (#16987)
• Typing improvements for extensions (#17242)

Features and Bug Fixes

• Handle union type properly in use-secure-value-for-secure-inputs rule (#17372)
• Update Azure.Deployments.Templates to latest (#17375)
• Fix extension collection reference codegen (#17381)
• Detect usage of fully-qualified non-deterministic functions in resource identifiers (#17505)
• Remove auxiliary file size limit for local deploy (#17506)
• Add (WIP) visual designer and resource type explorer apps (#17503)
• Add DeployTimeConstant Flag for Module Identity (#17383)
• Support ES target for highlight.js (#17285)
• Only use listOutputsWithSecureValues to dereference secure outputs (#17423)

Snapshot command

• Add support for null-valued parameters to snapshot command (#17291)
• Use the target scope of the template file as the target scope of a params file (#17292)
• Surface cross-module validation errors in snapshot command as messages, not unhandled exceptions (#17378)
• Enable speculative reference evaluation in snapshot helper (#17512)

Community Contributions

• Correct Param & Var Declarations (#17511) - thanks @rgant !
• Add Dependabot configuration for .NET SDK updates (#17424) - thanks @JamieMagee !
• Type definition code base and associated unit tests (#17391) - thanks @samirbanjanovic !

v0.36.1

Highlights

• GA release for optional types in variables (#17055)

  // current variable syntax
  var foo = 'hello'
  
  // new variable syntax with optional type
  var foo string = 'hello'

• Add userPrincipalName to deployer() function return type (#17099)
  Example usage:

  var myUser = deployer().userPrincipalName

• [Experimental] New CLI command group bicep snapshot for snapshot validation. See Using the snapshot command for usage information.
  • Video demo available here
• [Experimental] Local Deploy: Various improvements to support end-to-end scenarios (#17048, #17195, #17234, #17235, #17095)
  • Video demo available here
• [Requires the moduleIdentity Experimental feature] Support identity assignments on modules (#17150, #17233)
  Example usage:

  param identityId string
  
  module mod './module.bicep' = {
    identity: {
      type: 'UserAssigned'
      userAssignedIdentities: {
        '${identityId}': {}
      }
    }
  }

  Note that this is introduced for future capabilities, and is not currently supported by the backend service.
• Bicep Extensibility feature flag has been removed (#17094)
  Documentation available at Use Bicep Extensions

Fixes

• Fix completions for function arguments (#17146)
• Enable decompilation of KV reference in parameters json (#17196)
• Allow outer variable completions in user-defined functions (#17198)
• Handle case insensitive name clashes for imported variable, func, and type symbols (#17200)
• Add value bounds to loop index variable (#17201)
• Raise error diagnostic on ambiguous scope (#17202)
• Fix F12 for imported symbols from oci modules (#16941)
• use-secure-value-for-secure-inputs linter rule: Remove some false positives (#17107)
• adding cases to handle user defined typed params (#16864)
• adding completion support for 'extends' keyword (#17194)
• Fix F12 for imported symbols from oci modules (#16941)

Community Contributions

• Add linter rule to warn on unused compile-time imports (#16990) - thanks @GABRIELNGBTUC !
• Disable linter rule "Maximum number of variables used" when the file does not contain declarations used in files meant to deployed and variables are exported (#17149) - thanks @GABRIELNGBTUC !