I have an azure data factory that has artifacts kept in Azure DevOps (Git). I converted the deployment ARM from Json to Bicep. How will the Bicep deployment ARM be kept up to date when I make edits to the data factory in the browser-based editor?

Hi Moyer, Todd , Thank you for posting query in Microsoft Q&A Platform. What process exactly you are using it here to decompile ARM json to Bicep? When we perform edits in git connected data factory, then ADF automatically regenerated ARM templates in adf_pblish folder or in the folder which we configured. You can consider running Azure CLI bicep decompile command to generate bicep from the json. Below is the command for same. az bicep decompile --file main.json We can also use VS Code . In VS Code install Bicep extension and then open json in VS code and right click, choose option Decompile into Bicep . Hope this helps. Please let me know if any further queries. Please consider hitting Accept Answer button. Accepted answers help community as well. Thank you.

what is the workflow for modifying ADF artifacts when the ARM template is in bicep?

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ShaikMaheer-MSFT 38,126 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2024-05-01T08:46:54.46+00:00
Hi Moyer, Todd,

Thank you for posting query in Microsoft Q&A Platform.

What process exactly you are using it here to decompile ARM json to Bicep?

When we perform edits in git connected data factory, then ADF automatically regenerated ARM templates in adf_pblish folder or in the folder which we configured.
You can consider running Azure CLI bicep decompile command to generate bicep from the json. Below is the command for same.

az bicep decompile --file main.json

We can also use VS Code. In VS Code install Bicep extension and then open json in VS code and right click, choose option Decompile into Bicep.

Hope this helps. Please let me know if any further queries.

Please consider hitting Accept Answer button. Accepted answers help community as well. Thank you.
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Moyer, Todd 40 Reputation points

2024-05-01T13:24:29.7066667+00:00

Thank you for your response, Shaik.

Our project is rather large: 55,000 line Json ARM file with hundreds of parameters. So, yes, I can decompile the Json, migrate and refactor (as recommended https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-resource-manager/bicep/migrate), one time.

However, the question remains, what is the recommended process when changes are needed? If we make changes, I presume ADF will only update the Json ARM and not the Bicep. So then we'd be back to the decompile/migrate/refactor loop, which is not viable every time a change is needed.

I find the Json ARMs to be difficult to migrate from Dev to Test to Prod with Azure DevOps pipelines (ex. Blob Event Triggers). I was hoping Bicep would be more agile. However, if the Bicep file needs to be manually maintained every time an ADF change is needed, that's also a poor choice.

Since Bicep is now several years old, I'm disappointed there isn't better integration with the ADF tools and process.

I'm fairly new to ADF development and the Azure DevOps process, so please set me straight if I'm missing something. However, it's difficult to find the recommended process for managing an ADF project through the Dev/Test/Prod environments.

ShaikMaheer-MSFT 38,126 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2024-05-07T04:07:16.46+00:00

Hi Moyer, Todd,

Agree with you. At this moment, changes in ADF will update ARM templates, not bicep files. So we have to put a process in place to update bicep files regularly. Hence, i feel its more tedious job.

There is ARM deployment task available in Azure DevOps, which helps to set up CI/CD for DEV and TEST and PROD environments. I hope using that approach is more better choice. Kindly think of considering this choice.

I have a small video explaining CI/CD in Azure DevOps for ADF. Feel free to check below video also below documentation too.

Hope this helps. Please let me know if any further queries.

Continuous integration and deployment in Azure Data Factory

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-factory/continuous-integration-delivery

Please consider hitting Accept Answer button. Accepted answers help community as well.

Moyer, Todd 40 Reputation points

2024-05-07T12:52:58.8733333+00:00

Yes, this answers the Bicep question, but I later realized the key question is more general. That is, how do you keep a generated file and manual changes in sync? I asked that here, https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1662364/how-to-keep-arm-template-in-sync-when-modifying-az

The answer involved more work than I had hoped. Would be nice if MS generated better ARM templates, perhaps in Bicep.
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what is the workflow for modifying ADF artifacts when the ARM template is in bicep?

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