Bicep is a Domain Specific Language (DSL) for deploying Azure resources declaratively. It aims to drastically simplify the authoring experience with a cleaner syntax, improved type safety, and better support for modularity and code re-use. Bicep is a transparent abstraction over ARM and ARM templates, which means anything that can be done in an ARM Template can be done in Bicep (outside of temporary known limitations). All resource types, apiVersions, and properties that are valid in an ARM template are equally valid in Bicep on day one (Note: even if Bicep warns that type information is not available for a resource, it can still be deployed).
Bicep code is transpiled to standard ARM Template JSON files, which effectively treats the ARM Template as an Intermediate Language (IL).
Publisher’s description
What is Bicep CLI?
Bicep CLI is an open-source languages & sdk program for Windows from Microsoft Corporation. It ranks 39th by popularity among languages & sdks in this catalogue. It is written in Bicep.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit and ARM64 as EXE (Inno Setup) and Portable. The installer supports unattended (silent) installation.
Updates and version history
The current version is 0.48.1, released on October 5, 2026. 72 versions are listed since December 29, 2021, each with links to its own installer files. That is about 13 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 343,145 times. The source code on GitHub (Azure/bicep) has 3,659 stars. Similar programs include Go Programming Language, LLVM and CMake.
Project description on GitHub: “Bicep is a declarative language for describing and deploying Azure resources”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Documented silent install
- Frequent updates (about 13 a year)
In short: Bicep CLI is an open-source languages & sdk tool for 64-bit and ARM64 PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is Bicep CLI safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
8CB241203F65DAAADFDC81C0AFF58FEF20DB6E68431CA01259FE066459301821· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 72 versions ›72 versions over 6 years · about 13 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.48.1Latest | October 5, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit PortableARM64 Portable |
| 0.47.16 | September 8, 2026 | — | ARM64 Portable64-bit Portable64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 0.46.1 | July 30, 2026 | — | ARM64 Portable64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit Portable |
| 0.45.15 | July 13, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit PortableARM64 Portable |
| 0.45.6 | July 10, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)ARM64 Portable |
| 0.44.1 | June 9, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit PortableARM64 Portable |
| 0.43.8 | May 7, 2026 | — | 64-bit PortableARM64 Portable64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 0.43.1 | May 4, 2026 | — | ARM64 Portable64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit Portable |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Microsoft.Bicep -echoco install bicep -yscoop install main/bicepbicep-setup-win-x64.exe /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NORESTART /SP-Program files (.exe): bicep.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Microsoft Corporation
- Category
- Languages & SDKs
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/Azure/bicep
- Written in
- Bicep
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64
- Installer
- EXE (Inno Setup), Portable
- Version
- 0.48.1
- Released
- October 5, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- June 8, 2021
- Versions listed
- 72
- Updates / year
- 13
- Chocolatey downloads
- 343,145
- GitHub stars
- 3,659
- GitHub forks
- 832
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- Microsoft.Bicep
- Chocolatey package
- bicep
- Scoop package
- main/bicep
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Bicep CLI free?
Yes. Bicep CLI is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is Bicep CLI safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Bicep CLI with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can Bicep CLI be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Bicep CLI run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of Bicep CLI?
The versions page lists all 72 versions with links to their official installer files, back to December 29, 2021.
What are alternatives to Bicep CLI?
Go Programming Language, LLVM, CMake, Deno and Yarn. The alternatives page compares them.
