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---
title: Deploy Bicep files by using GitHub Actions
description: In this quickstart, you learn how to deploy Bicep files by using GitHub Actions.
ms.topic: how-to
ms.date: 10/30/2025
ms.custom: github-actions-azure, devx-track-bicep
---
# Quickstart: Deploy Bicep files by using GitHub Actions
[GitHub Actions](https://docs.github.com/en/actions) is a suite of features in GitHub to automate your software development workflows. In this quickstart, you use the [GitHub Actions for Azure Resource Manager deployment](https://github.com/marketplace/actions/deploy-azure-resource-manager-arm-template) to automate deploying a Bicep file to Azure.
It provides a short introduction to GitHub actions and Bicep files. If you want more detailed steps on setting up the GitHub actions and project, see [Deploy Azure resources by using Bicep and GitHub Actions](/training/paths/bicep-github-actions).
## Prerequisites
- An Azure account with an active subscription. [Create an account for free](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?cid=msft_learn).
- A GitHub account. If you don't have one, sign up for [free](https://github.com/join).
- A GitHub repository to store your Bicep files and your workflow files. To create one, see [Creating a new repository](https://docs.github.com/github/creating-cloning-and-archiving-repositories/creating-a-new-repository).
## Create resource group
Create a resource group. Later in this quickstart, you deploy your Bicep file to this resource group.
# [CLI](#tab/CLI)
```azurecli-interactive
az group create -n exampleRG -l westus
```
# [PowerShell](#tab/PowerShell)
```azurepowershell-interactive
New-AzResourceGroup -Name exampleRG -Location westus
```
---
## Generate deployment credentials
[!INCLUDE [include](~/reusable-content/github-actions/generate-deployment-credentials.md)]
## Configure the GitHub secrets
[!INCLUDE [include](~/reusable-content/github-actions/create-secrets-with-openid.md)]
## Add a Bicep file
Add a Bicep file to your GitHub repository. The following Bicep file creates a storage account:
```bicep
@minLength(3)
@maxLength(11)
param storagePrefix string
@allowed([
'Standard_LRS'
'Standard_GRS'
'Standard_RAGRS'
'Standard_ZRS'
'Premium_LRS'
'Premium_ZRS'
'Standard_GZRS'
'Standard_RAGZRS'
])
param storageSKU string = 'Standard_LRS'
param location string = resourceGroup().location
var uniqueStorageName = '${storagePrefix}${uniqueString(resourceGroup().id)}'
resource stg 'Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts@2025-06-01' = {
name: uniqueStorageName
location: location
sku: {
name: storageSKU
}
kind: 'StorageV2'
properties: {
supportsHttpsTrafficOnly: true
}
}
output storageEndpoint object = stg.properties.primaryEndpoints
```
The Bicep file requires one parameter called **storagePrefix** with 3 to 11 characters.
You can put the file anywhere in the repository. The workflow sample in the next section assumes the Bicep file is named **main.bicep**, and it's stored at the root of your repository.
## Create workflow
A workflow defines the steps to execute when triggered. It's a YAML (.yml) file in the **.github/workflows/** path of your repository. The workflow file extension can be either **.yml** or **.yaml**.
To create a workflow, take the following steps:
1. From your GitHub repository, select **Actions** from the top menu.
1. Select **New workflow**.
1. Select **set up a workflow yourself**.
1. Rename the workflow file if you prefer a different name other than **main.yml**. For example: **deployBicepFile.yml**.
1. Replace the content of the yml file with the following code:
# [OpenID Connect](#tab/openid)
```yml
on: [push]
name: Azure ARM
permissions:
id-token: write
contents: read
jobs:
build-and-deploy:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
# Checkout code
- uses: actions/checkout@main
# Log into Azure
- uses: azure/login@v2
with:
client-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_CLIENT_ID }}
tenant-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_TENANT_ID }}
subscription-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID }}
# Deploy Bicep file
- name: deploy
uses: azure/arm-deploy@v1
with:
subscriptionId: ${{ secrets.AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION }}
resourceGroupName: ${{ secrets.AZURE_RG }}
template: ./main.bicep
parameters: 'storagePrefix=mystore storageSKU=Standard_LRS'
failOnStdErr: false
```
# [Service principal](#tab/userlevel)
```yml
name: Deploy Bicep file
on: [push]
jobs:
build-and-deploy:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- name: Checkout code
uses: actions/checkout@main
- name: Log into Azure
uses: azure/login@v2
with:
creds: ${{ secrets.AZURE_CREDENTIALS }}
- name: Deploy Bicep file
uses: azure/arm-deploy@v1
with:
subscriptionId: ${{ secrets.AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION }}
resourceGroupName: ${{ secrets.AZURE_RG }}
template: ./main.bicep
parameters: 'storagePrefix=mystore storageSKU=Standard_LRS'
failOnStdErr: false
```
Replace `mystore` with your own storage account name prefix.
> [!NOTE]
> You can specify a JSON format parameters file instead in the ARM Deploy action (example: `.azuredeploy.parameters.json`).
The first section of the workflow file includes:
- **name**: The name of the workflow.
- **on**: The name of the GitHub events that triggers the workflow. The workflow is triggered when there's a push event on the main branch.
---
1. Select **Commit changes**.
1. Select **Commit directly to the main branch**.
1. Select **Commit new file** (or **Commit changes**).
Updating either the workflow file or Bicep file triggers the workflow. The workflow starts right after you commit the changes.
## Check workflow status
1. Select the **Actions** tab. You see a **Create deployBicepFile.yml** workflow listed. It takes 1-2 minutes to run the workflow.
1. Select the workflow to open it, and verify the `Status` is `Success`.
## Clean up resources
When your resource group and repository are no longer needed, clean up the resources you deployed by deleting the resource group and your GitHub repository.
# [CLI](#tab/CLI)
```azurecli
az group delete --name exampleRG
```
# [PowerShell](#tab/PowerShell)
```azurepowershell
Remove-AzResourceGroup -Name exampleRG
```
---
## Next steps
> [!div class="nextstepaction"]
> [Bicep file structure and syntax](file.md)
View on GitHub