Work with Azure Developer CLI metadata for Bicep input parameters

Azure Developer CLI (azd) supports Bicep templates with the @metadata decorator. Add metadata to Bicep input parameters to improve deployment with intelligent defaults, automatic value generation, and better parameter prompting.

Adding metadata

Input parameters in Bicep support @metadata as a schema-free object. Add azd metadata by including the azd field in the parameter metadata:

@metadata({
  azd: {}
})
param someInput <param-type>

Azure Developer CLI metadata doesn't depend on the parameter's type, and you can add it to any parameter.

Supported metadata

The supported configuration fields for azd metadata are:

Each field is described in more detail in the following sections.

Type

This configuration defines how azd prompts for an input parameter. Supported types include:

• location

  Use the location type to tell azd that an input parameter handles an Azure location. When azd finds the location type in the metadata, it prompts for a value using the location selection list. For example:

  @metadata({
    azd: {
      type: 'location'
    }
  })
  param someInput string
  

  Prompt flow:

  

  Combine the location type with the default field to control which location is highlighted first during the prompt flow. For example:

  @metadata({
    azd: {
      type: 'location'
      default: 'westus'
    }
  })
  param someInput string
  

  Prompting flow:

  

  The highlighted default option matches the default field from the metadata. This approach lets template authors recommend a location while users can confirm or change it. Setting a default value for the input parameter in Bicep skips the prompt flow and uses the default value without user confirmation.

• generate

  Use the generate type to tell azd to automatically create the value for the input parameter. This type is often used to generate passwords or unique identifiers:

  @metadata({
    azd: {
      type: 'generate'
      config: {
        length: 10
      }
    }
  })
  param someInput string
  

  Note

  The config field is required with type: 'generate'.

  When azd runs, it generates a 10-character value for the input parameter without prompting for input. See the config section for options to configure auto-generation values.

• resourceGroup

  Use the resourceGroup type to tell azd to prompt for a resource group for this input:

  @metadata({
    azd: {
      type: 'resourceGroup'
    }
  })
  param someInput string
  

  Prompt flow:

  

Config

The config object is required with the generate type. It controls auto-generation options. The following table describes the generate configuration options:

For example, generate a value with length 10, no special characters, and no numbers:

@metadata({
  azd: {
    type: 'generate'
    config: {
      length: 10
      noNumeric: true
      noSpecial: true
    }
  }
})
param someInput string

Default

Defines the initial value from a list to highlight. Combine it with the location type or apply it directly to an input with a defined list of options:

@allowed(['foo', 'bar', 'baz'])
@metadata({
  azd: {
    default: 'baz'
  }
})
param someInput string

This example uses the @allowed() annotation from Bicep to define a list of supported values for the input parameter. When azd prompts for this input, it uses the list of allowed values. The default field in the metadata controls which option is set as the initial selection:

UsageName

The usageName field filters the location list to only locations where a given AI SKU and capacity are available:

@metadata({
  azd: {
    type: 'location'
    usageName: [
      'OpenAI.GlobalStandard.gpt-5-mini,10'
    ]
  }
})
param someInput string

This example makes azd show only Azure locations where the AI model gpt-5-mini has enough quota (capacity of at least 10).

Prompt flow: