Logical functions for ARM templates

2025-07-31

Resource Manager provides several functions for making comparisons in your Azure Resource Manager template (ARM template):

and
bool
false
if
not
or
true

Tip

Bicep is recommended since it offers the same capabilities as ARM templates, and the syntax is easier to use. To learn more, see the bool logical function and logical operators.

and

and(arg1, arg2, ...)

Checks if all parameter values are true.

The and function isn't supported in Bicep. Use the && operator instead.

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Type	Description
arg1	Yes	boolean	The first value to check if it's true.
arg2	Yes	boolean	The second value to check if it's true.
more arguments	No	boolean	More arguments to check if they're true.

Return value

Returns True if all values are true; otherwise, False.

Examples

The following example shows how to use the logical function:

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "resources": [],
  "outputs": {
    "andExampleOutput": {
      "type": "bool",
      "value": "[and(bool('true'), bool('false'))]"
    },
    "orExampleOutput": {
      "type": "bool",
      "value": "[or(bool('true'), bool('false'))]"
    },
    "notExampleOutput": {
      "type": "bool",
      "value": "[not(bool('true'))]"
    }
  }
}

The output from the preceding example is:

Name	Type	Value
andExampleOutput	Bool	False
orExampleOutput	Bool	True
notExampleOutput	Bool	False

bool

bool(arg1)

Converts the parameter to a boolean.

In Bicep, use the bool logical function.

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Type	Description
arg1	Yes	string or int	The value to convert to a boolean.

Return value

A boolean of the converted value.

Remarks

You can also use true() and false() to get boolean values.

Examples

The following example shows how to use bool with a string or an integer:

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "resources": [],
  "outputs": {
    "trueString": {
      "type": "bool",
      "value": "[bool('true')]"
    },
    "falseString": {
      "type": "bool",
      "value": "[bool('false')]"
    },
    "trueInt": {
      "type": "bool",
      "value": "[bool(1)]"
    },
    "falseInt": {
      "type": "bool",
      "value": "[bool(0)]"
    }
  }
}

The output of default values from the preceding example is:

Name	Type	Value
trueString	Bool	True
falseString	Bool	False
trueInt	Bool	True
falseInt	Bool	False

false

false()

Returns false.

The false function isn't available in Bicep. Use the false keyword instead.

Parameters

The false function doesn't accept any parameters.

Return value

A boolean that's always false.

Example

The following example returns a false output value:

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "resources": [],
  "outputs": {
    "falseOutput": {
      "type": "bool",
      "value": "[false()]"
    }
  }
}

The output from the preceding example is:

Name	Type	Value
falseOutput	Bool	False

if

if(condition, trueValue, falseValue)

Returns a value based on if a condition is true or false.

The if function isn't supported in Bicep. Use the ?: operator instead.

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Type	Description
condition	Yes	boolean	The value to check if it's true or false.
trueValue	Yes	string, int, object, or array	The value to return when the condition is true.
falseValue	Yes	string, int, object, or array	The value to return when the condition is false.

Return value

Returns second parameter when first parameter is True; otherwise, returns third parameter.

Remarks

When the condition is True, only the true value is evaluated. When the condition is False, only the false value is evaluated. With the if function, you can include expressions that are only conditionally valid. For example, you can reference a resource that exists under one condition but not under the other condition. An example of conditionally evaluating expressions is shown in the following section.

Note that the above rule only applies when the condition can be evaluated at the start of the template deployment process. For instance, you can't use a reference() in the condition.

Examples

The following example shows how to use the if function:

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "resources": [
  ],
  "outputs": {
    "yesOutput": {
      "type": "string",
      "value": "[if(equals('a', 'a'), 'yes', 'no')]"
    },
    "noOutput": {
      "type": "string",
      "value": "[if(equals('a', 'b'), 'yes', 'no')]"
    },
    "objectOutput": {
      "type": "object",
      "value": "[if(equals('a', 'a'), json('{\"test\": \"value1\"}'), json('null'))]"
    }
  }
}

The output from the preceding example is:

Name	Type	Value
yesOutput	String	yes
noOutput	String	no
objectOutput	Object	{ "test": "value1" }

The following example template shows how to use this function with expressions that are only conditionally valid.

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "parameters": {
    "vmName": {
      "type": "string"
    },
    "location": {
      "type": "string"
    },
    "logAnalytics": {
      "type": "string",
      "defaultValue": ""
    }
  },
  "resources": [
   {
      "condition": "[not(empty(parameters('logAnalytics')))]",
      "type": "Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/extensions",
      "apiVersion": "2022-11-01",
      "name": "[format('{0}/omsOnboarding', parameters('vmName'))]",
      "location": "[parameters('location')]",
      "properties": {
        "publisher": "Microsoft.EnterpriseCloud.Monitoring",
        "type": "MicrosoftMonitoringAgent",
        "typeHandlerVersion": "1.0",
        "autoUpgradeMinorVersion": true,
        "settings": {
          "workspaceId": "[if(not(empty(parameters('logAnalytics'))), reference(parameters('logAnalytics'), '2015-11-01-preview').customerId, null())]"
        },
        "protectedSettings": {
          "workspaceKey": "[if(not(empty(parameters('logAnalytics'))), listKeys(parameters('logAnalytics'), '2015-11-01-preview').primarySharedKey, null())]"
        }
      }
    }
  ],
  "outputs": {
    "mgmtStatus": {
      "type": "string",
      "value": "[if(not(empty(parameters('logAnalytics'))), 'Enabled monitoring for VM!', 'Nothing to enable')]"
    }
  }
}

not

not(arg1)

Converts boolean value to its opposite value.

The not function isn't supported in Bicep. Use the ! operator instead.

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Type	Description
arg1	Yes	boolean	The value to convert.

Return value

Returns True when parameter is False. Returns False when parameter is True.

Examples

The following example shows how to use the logical function:

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "resources": [],
  "outputs": {
    "andExampleOutput": {
      "type": "bool",
      "value": "[and(bool('true'), bool('false'))]"
    },
    "orExampleOutput": {
      "type": "bool",
      "value": "[or(bool('true'), bool('false'))]"
    },
    "notExampleOutput": {
      "type": "bool",
      "value": "[not(bool('true'))]"
    }
  }
}

The output from the preceding example is:

Name	Type	Value
andExampleOutput	Bool	False
orExampleOutput	Bool	True
notExampleOutput	Bool	False

The following example uses not with equals:

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "resources": [
  ],
  "outputs": {
    "checkNotEquals": {
      "type": "bool",
      "value": "[not(equals(1, 2))]"
    }
  }
}

The output from the preceding example is:

Name	Type	Value
checkNotEquals	Bool	True

or

or(arg1, arg2, ...)

Checks if any parameter value is true.

The or function isn't supported in Bicep. Use the || operator instead.

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Type	Description
arg1	Yes	boolean	The first value to check if it's true.
arg2	Yes	boolean	The second value to check if it's true.
more arguments	No	boolean	More arguments to check if they're true.

Return value

Returns True if any value is true; otherwise, False.

Examples

The following example shows how to use the logical function:

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "resources": [],
  "outputs": {
    "andExampleOutput": {
      "type": "bool",
      "value": "[and(bool('true'), bool('false'))]"
    },
    "orExampleOutput": {
      "type": "bool",
      "value": "[or(bool('true'), bool('false'))]"
    },
    "notExampleOutput": {
      "type": "bool",
      "value": "[not(bool('true'))]"
    }
  }
}

The output from the preceding example is:

Name	Type	Value
andExampleOutput	Bool	False
orExampleOutput	Bool	True
notExampleOutput	Bool	False

true

true()

Returns true.

The true function isn't available in Bicep. Use the true keyword instead.

Parameters

The true function doesn't accept any parameters.

Return value

A boolean that's always true.

Example

The following example returns a true output value:

{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "resources": [],
  "outputs": {
    "trueOutput": {
      "type": "bool",
      "value": "[true()]"
    }
  }
}

The output from the preceding example is:

Name	Type	Value
trueOutput	Bool	True

Next steps

For a description of the sections in an ARM template, see Understand the structure and syntax of ARM templates.

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Logical functions for ARM templates

and

Parameters

Return value

Examples

bool

Parameters

Return value

Remarks

Examples

false

Parameters

Return value

Example

if

Parameters

Return value

Remarks

Examples

not

Parameters

Return value

Examples

or

Parameters

Return value

Examples

true

Parameters

Return value

Example

Next steps

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