Lambda functions for ARM templates

Article
06/22/2023

This article describes the lambda functions to use in ARM templates. Lambda functions are essentially blocks of code that can be passed as an argument. They can take multiple parameters, but are restricted to a single line of code. In Bicep, lambda expression is in this format:

lambda(<lambda variable>, [<lambda variable>, ...], <expression>)

Tip

We recommend Bicep because it offers the same capabilities as ARM templates and the syntax is easier to use. To learn more, see deployment functions.

Limitations

ARM template lambda function has these limitations:

Lambda function can only be specified directly as function arguments in these functions: filter(), map(), reduce(), sort(), and toObject().
Using lambda variables (the temporary variables used in the lambda functions) inside resource or module array access isn't currently supported.
Using lambda variables inside the listKeys function isn't currently supported.
Using lambda variables inside the reference function isn't currently supported.

filter

filter(inputArray, lambda function)

Filters an array with a custom filtering function.

In Bicep, use the filter function.

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Type	Description
inputArray	Yes	array	The array to filter.
lambda function	Yes	expression	The lambda function applied to each input array element. If false, the item is filtered out of the output array.

Return value

An array.

Examples

The following examples show how to use the filter function.

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "variables": {
    "dogs": [
      {
        "name": "Evie",
        "age": 5,
        "interests": [
          "Ball",
          "Frisbee"
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Casper",
        "age": 3,
        "interests": [
          "Other dogs"
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Indy",
        "age": 2,
        "interests": [
          "Butter"
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Kira",
        "age": 8,
        "interests": [
          "Rubs"
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "resources": [],
  "outputs": {
    "oldDogs": {
      "type": "array",
      "value": "[filter(variables('dogs'), lambda('dog', greaterOrEquals(lambdaVariables('dog').age, 5)))]"
    }
  }
}

The output from the preceding example shows the dogs that are five or older:

Name	Type	Value
oldDogs	Array	[{"name":"Evie","age":5,"interests":["Ball","Frisbee"]},{"name":"Kira","age":8,"interests":["Rubs"]}]

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "variables": {
    "copy": [
      {
        "name": "itemForLoop",
        "count": "[length(range(0, 10))]",
        "input": "[range(0, 10)[copyIndex('itemForLoop')]]"
      }
    ]
  },
  "resources": [],
  "outputs": {
    "filteredLoop": {
      "type": "array",
      "value": "[filter(variables('itemForLoop'), lambda('i', greater(lambdaVariables('i'), 5)))]"
    },
    "isEven": {
      "type": "array",
      "value": "[filter(range(0, 10), lambda('i', equals(0, mod(lambdaVariables('i'), 2))))]"
    }
  }
}

The output from the preceding example:

Name	Type	Value
filteredLoop	Array	[6, 7, 8, 9]
isEven	Array	[0, 2, 4, 6, 8]

filterdLoop shows the numbers in an array that are greater than 5; and isEven shows the even numbers in the array.

map

map(inputArray, lambda function)

Applies a custom mapping function to each element of an array.

In Bicep, use the map function.

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Type	Description
inputArray	Yes	array	The array to map.
lambda function	Yes	expression	The lambda function applied to each input array element, in order to generate the output array.

Return value

An array.

Example

The following example shows how to use the map function.

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "variables": {
    "dogs": [
      {
        "name": "Evie",
        "age": 5,
        "interests": [
          "Ball",
          "Frisbee"
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Casper",
        "age": 3,
        "interests": [
          "Other dogs"
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Indy",
        "age": 2,
        "interests": [
          "Butter"
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Kira",
        "age": 8,
        "interests": [
          "Rubs"
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "resources": [],
  "outputs": {
    "dogNames": {
      "type": "array",
      "value": "[map(variables('dogs'), lambda('dog', lambdaVariables('dog').name))]"
    },
    "sayHi": {
      "type": "array",
      "value": "[map(variables('dogs'), lambda('dog', format('Hello {0}!', lambdaVariables('dog').name)))]"
    },
    "mapObject": {
      "type": "array",
      "value": "[map(range(0, length(variables('dogs'))), lambda('i', createObject('i', lambdaVariables('i'), 'dog', variables('dogs')[lambdaVariables('i')].name, 'greeting', format('Ahoy, {0}!', variables('dogs')[lambdaVariables('i')].name))))]"
    }
  }
}

The output from the preceding example is:

Name	Type	Value
dogNames	Array	["Evie","Casper","Indy","Kira"]
sayHi	Array	["Hello Evie!","Hello Casper!","Hello Indy!","Hello Kira!"]
mapObject	Array	[{"i":0,"dog":"Evie","greeting":"Ahoy, Evie!"},{"i":1,"dog":"Casper","greeting":"Ahoy, Casper!"},{"i":2,"dog":"Indy","greeting":"Ahoy, Indy!"},{"i":3,"dog":"Kira","greeting":"Ahoy, Kira!"}]

dogNames shows the dog names from the array of objects; sayHi concatenates "Hello" and each of the dog names; and mapObject creates another array of objects.

reduce

reduce(inputArray, initialValue, lambda function)

Reduces an array with a custom reduce function.

In Bicep, use the reduce function.

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Type	Description
inputArray	Yes	array	The array to reduce.
initialValue	No	any	Initial value.
lambda function	Yes	expression	The lambda function used to aggregate the current value and the next value.

Return value

Any.

Example

The following examples show how to use the reduce function.

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "variables": {
    "dogs": [
      {
        "name": "Evie",
        "age": 5,
        "interests": [
          "Ball",
          "Frisbee"
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Casper",
        "age": 3,
        "interests": [
          "Other dogs"
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Indy",
        "age": 2,
        "interests": [
          "Butter"
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Kira",
        "age": 8,
        "interests": [
          "Rubs"
        ]
      }
    ],
    "ages": "[map(variables('dogs'), lambda('dog', lambdaVariables('dog').age))]"
  },
  "resources": [],
  "outputs": {
    "totalAge": {
      "type": "int",
      "value": "[reduce(variables('ages'), 0, lambda('cur', 'next', add(lambdaVariables('cur'), lambdaVariables('next'))))]"
    },
    "totalAgeAdd1": {
      "type": "int",
      "value": "[reduce(variables('ages'), 1, lambda('cur', 'next', add(lambdaVariables('cur'), lambdaVariables('next'))))]"
    }
  }
}

The output from the preceding example is:

Name	Type	Value
totalAge	int	18
totalAgeAdd1	int	19

totalAge sums the ages of the dogs; totalAgeAdd1 has an initial value of 1, and adds all the dog ages to the initial values.

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "resources": [],
  "outputs": {
    "reduceObjectUnion": {
      "type": "object",
      "value": "[reduce(createArray(createObject('foo', 123), createObject('bar', 456), createObject('baz', 789)), createObject(), lambda('cur', 'next', union(lambdaVariables('cur'), lambdaVariables('next'))))]"
    }
  }
}

The output from the preceding example is:

Name	Type	Value
reduceObjectUnion	object	{"foo":123,"bar":456,"baz":789}

The union function returns a single object with all elements from the parameters. The function call unionizes the key value pairs of the objects into a new object.

sort

sort(inputArray, lambda function)

Sorts an array with a custom sort function.

In Bicep, use the sort function.

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Type	Description
inputArray	Yes	array	The array to sort.
lambda function	Yes	expression	The lambda function used to compare two array elements for ordering. If true, the second element will be ordered after the first in the output array.

Return value

An array.

Example

The following example shows how to use the sort function.

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "variables": {
    "dogs": [
      {
        "name": "Evie",
        "age": 5,
        "interests": [
          "Ball",
          "Frisbee"
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Casper",
        "age": 3,
        "interests": [
          "Other dogs"
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Indy",
        "age": 2,
        "interests": [
          "Butter"
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Kira",
        "age": 8,
        "interests": [
          "Rubs"
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "resources": [],
  "outputs": {
    "dogsByAge": {
      "type": "array",
      "value": "[sort(variables('dogs'), lambda('a', 'b', less(lambdaVariables('a').age, lambdaVariables('b').age)))]"
    }
  }
}

The output from the preceding example sorts the dog objects from the youngest to the oldest:

Name	Type	Value
dogsByAge	Array	[{"name":"Indy","age":2,"interests":["Butter"]},{"name":"Casper","age":3,"interests":["Other dogs"]},{"name":"Evie","age":5,"interests":["Ball","Frisbee"]},{"name":"Kira","age":8,"interests":["Rubs"]}]

toObject

toObject(inputArray, lambda function, [lambda function])

Converts an array to an object with a custom key function and optional custom value function. See items about converting an object to an array.

In Bicep, use the toObject function.

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Type	Description
inputArray	Yes	array	The array used for creating an object.
lambda function	Yes	expression	The lambda function used to provide the key predicate.
lambda function	No	expression	The lambda function used to provide the value predicate.

Return value

An object.

Example

The following example shows how to use the toObject function with the two required parameters:

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "variables": {
    "dogs": [
      {
        "name": "Evie",
        "age": 5,
        "interests": [
          "Ball",
          "Frisbee"
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Casper",
        "age": 3,
        "interests": [
          "Other dogs"
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Indy",
        "age": 2,
        "interests": [
          "Butter"
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Kira",
        "age": 8,
        "interests": [
          "Rubs"
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "resources": [],
  "outputs": {
    "dogsObject": {
      "type": "object",
      "value": "[toObject(variables('dogs'), lambda('entry', lambdaVariables('entry').name))]"
    }
  }
}

The preceding example generates an object based on an array.

Name	Type	Value
dogsObject	Object	{"Evie":{"name":"Evie","age":5,"interests":["Ball","Frisbee"]},"Casper":{"name":"Casper","age":3,"interests":["Other dogs"]},"Indy":{"name":"Indy","age":2,"interests":["Butter"]},"Kira":{"name":"Kira","age":8,"interests":["Rubs"]}}

The following toObject function with the third parameter provides the same output.

"outputs": {
  "dogsObject": {
    "type": "object",
    "value": "[toObject(variables('dogs'), lambda('entry', lambdaVariables('entry').name), lambda('entry', lambdaVariables('entry')))]"
  }
}

The following example shows how to use the toObject function with three parameters.

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "variables": {
    "dogs": [
      {
        "name": "Evie",
        "properties": {
          "age": 5,
          "interests": [
            "Ball",
            "Frisbee"
          ]
        }
      },
      {
        "name": "Casper",
        "properties": {
          "age": 3,
          "interests": [
            "Other dogs"
          ]
        }
      },
      {
        "name": "Indy",
        "properties": {
          "age": 2,
          "interests": [
            "Butter"
          ]
        }
      },
      {
        "name": "Kira",
        "properties": {
          "age": 8,
          "interests": [
            "Rubs"
          ]
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "resources": [],
  "outputs": {
    "dogsObject": {
      "type": "object",
      "value": "[toObject(variables('dogs'), lambda('entry', lambdaVariables('entry').name), lambda('entry', lambdaVariables('entry').properties))]"
    }
  }
}

The preceding example generates an object based on an array.

Name	Type	Value
dogsObject	Object	{"Evie":{"age":5,"interests":["Ball","Frisbee"]},"Casper":{"age":3,"interests":["Other dogs"]},"Indy":{"age":2,"interests":["Butter"]},"Kira":{"age":8,"interests":["Rubs"]}}

Next steps

See Template functions - arrays for more array related template functions.

Lambda functions for ARM templates

Limitations

filter

Parameters

Return value

Examples

map

Parameters

Return value

Example

reduce

Parameters

Return value

Example

sort

Parameters

Return value

Example

toObject

Parameters

Return value

Example

Next steps

Feedback

Additional resources

Additional resources