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Getting Started with Bicep

Bicep is Azure's domain-specific language for Infrastructure as Code. It gives you a cleaner authoring experience than raw ARM JSON while keeping full native integration with Azure Resource Manager.

Why start with Bicep?

  • Bicep is easier to read and review than raw ARM JSON.
  • It provides type-aware authoring and validation before deployment.
  • It stays native to Azure Resource Manager and fits Azure-first teams well.

What is Bicep?

Bicep is Microsoft's Infrastructure as Code language for Azure. It is designed to make Azure deployments easier to author and easier to understand. It offers:

  • Simplified syntax: Easier to read and write than JSON ARM templates
  • Modularity: Supports reusable modules
  • Type safety & validation: Catches errors before deployment
  • First-class Azure support: Compiles directly to ARM templates

With Bicep, you can define, deploy, and manage Azure infrastructure in a repeatable and reliable way.

When to use Bicep

Bicep is a strong default when you are primarily targeting Azure and want native resource support, readable templates, and straightforward reuse through modules.

Prerequisites

To get started with Bicep, you need:

  • Azure subscription with permission to deploy resources
  • Azure CLI version 2.20.0 or later
  • Bicep CLI installed manually or downloaded automatically by Azure CLI
  • Visual Studio Code
  • Bicep VS Code extension

Step 1: Install Azure CLI

Download and install the Azure CLI for your OS.

winget install --exact --id Microsoft.AzureCLI

brew update
brew install azure-cli

curl -sL https://aka.ms/InstallAzureCLIDeb | sudo bash

Verify installation:

az --version

Step 2: Enable Bicep CLI (Optional)

The Azure CLI automatically downloads the Bicep CLI the first time you use Bicep-aware deployment commands. You can also install it explicitly:

az bicep install
az bicep version

Recommended

If Bicep is already installed, run az bicep upgrade occasionally to stay current with fixes and language improvements.

Step 3: Set Up Visual Studio Code

  1. Download and install VS Code
  2. Open VS Code
  3. Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X)
  4. Search for Bicep and install the Bicep extension

Features:

  • Syntax highlighting
  • IntelliSense and autocompletion
  • Linting and error checking
  • Resource snippets

Step 4: (Optional) Install Azure Account Extension

For seamless Azure authentication in VS Code, install the Azure Account extension.

This makes it easier to sign in, browse subscriptions, and work with Azure resources directly from the editor.

Step 5: Create Your First Bicep File

Create a new file named main.bicep and add the following example:

targetScope = 'subscription'

@description('Name of the resource group to create')
param resourceGroupName string = 'rg-bicep-demo'

@description('Azure region for the resource group')
param location string = 'westeurope'

resource resourceGroup 'Microsoft.Resources/resourceGroups@2022-09-01' = {
  name: resourceGroupName
  location: location
}

This example creates a resource group at subscription scope, which is a good first deployment because it is small, clear, and easy to validate.

Step 6: Deploy with Bicep

Sign in and deploy the template with Azure CLI:

az login
az deployment sub create --location westeurope --template-file main.bicep

Deployment scope matters

The example above uses targetScope = 'subscription', so it must be deployed with az deployment sub create. If your template targets an existing resource group instead, use az deployment group create.

Common first-run issues
  • Make sure you are signed into the correct Azure subscription.
  • Confirm your account has permission to create resource groups.
  • If Bicep is missing, run az bicep install and retry.
  • If the deployment name collides with a previous run, Azure CLI will still create a new deployment record automatically unless you specify a fixed name.

What to Do Next

Once this deployment works, the next logical steps are:

  1. Add parameters for reusable values such as tags and naming prefixes.
  2. Break larger templates into modules.
  3. Validate before deployment with az deployment sub validate.
  4. Store your Bicep files in source control and review them like application code.

Additional Resources

Congratulations! You are now ready to start building Azure infrastructure with Bicep in VS Code.