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--- title: Bicep comparison operators description: Describes Bicep comparison operators that compare values. ms.topic: reference ms.custom: devx-track-bicep ms.date: 10/30/2025 --- # Bicep comparison operators The comparison operators compare values and return either `true` or `false`. To run the examples, use Azure CLI or Azure PowerShell to [deploy a Bicep file](./quickstart-create-bicep-use-visual-studio-code.md#deploy-the-bicep-file). | Operator | Name | | ---- | ---- | | `>=` | [Greater than or equal](#greater-than-or-equal-) | | `>` | [Greater than](#greater-than-) | | `<=` | [Less than or equal](#less-than-or-equal-) | | `<` | [Less than](#less-than-) | | `==` | [Equals](#equals-) | | `!=` | [Not equal](#not-equal-) | | `=~` | [Equal case-insensitive](#equal-case-insensitive-) | | `!~` | [Not equal case-insensitive](#not-equal-case-insensitive-) | ## Greater than or equal >= `operand1 >= operand2` Evaluates if the first value is greater than or equal to the second value. ### Operands | Operand | Type | Description | | ---- | ---- | ---- | | `operand1` | integer, string | First value in the comparison. | | `operand2` | integer, string | Second value in the comparison. | ### Return value If the first value is greater than or equal to the second value, `true` is returned. Otherwise, `false` is returned. ### Example A pair of integers and pair of strings are compared. ```bicep param firstInt int = 10 param secondInt int = 5 param firstString string = 'A' param secondString string = 'A' output intGtE bool = firstInt >= secondInt output stringGtE bool = firstString >= secondString ``` Output from the example: | Name | Type | Value | | ---- | ---- | ---- | | `intGtE` | boolean | true | | `stringGtE` | boolean | true | ## Greater than > `operand1 > operand2` Evaluates if the first value is greater than the second value. ### Operands | Operand | Type | Description | | ---- | ---- | ---- | | `operand1` | integer, string | First value in the comparison. | | `operand2` | integer, string | Second value in the comparison. | ### Return value If the first value is greater than the second value, `true` is returned. Otherwise, `false` is returned. ### Example A pair of integers and pair of strings are compared. ```bicep param firstInt int = 10 param secondInt int = 5 param firstString string = 'bend' param secondString string = 'band' output intGt bool = firstInt > secondInt output stringGt bool = firstString > secondString ``` Output from the example: The **e** in **bend** makes the first string greater. | Name | Type | Value | | ---- | ---- | ---- | | `intGt` | boolean | true | | `stringGt` | boolean | true | ## Less than or equal <= `operand1 <= operand2` Evaluates if the first value is less than or equal to the second value. ### Operands | Operand | Type | Description | | ---- | ---- | ---- | | `operand1` | integer, string | First value in the comparison. | | `operand2` | integer, string | Second value in the comparison. | ### Return value If the first value is less than or equal to the second value, `true` is returned. Otherwise, `false` is returned. ### Example A pair of integers and pair of strings are compared. ```bicep param firstInt int = 5 param secondInt int = 10 param firstString string = 'demo' param secondString string = 'demo' output intLtE bool = firstInt <= secondInt output stringLtE bool = firstString <= secondString ``` Output from the example: | Name | Type | Value | | ---- | ---- | ---- | | `intLtE` | boolean | true | | `stringLtE` | boolean | true | ## Less than < `operand1 < operand2` Evaluates if the first value is less than the second value. ### Operands | Operand | Type | Description | | ---- | ---- | ---- | | `operand1` | integer, string | First value in the comparison. | | `operand2` | integer, string | Second value in the comparison. | ### Return value If the first value is less than the second value, `true` is returned. Otherwise, `false` is returned. ### Example A pair of integers and pair of strings are compared. ```bicep param firstInt int = 5 param secondInt int = 10 param firstString string = 'demo' param secondString string = 'Demo' output intLt bool = firstInt < secondInt output stringLt bool = firstString < secondString ``` Output from the example: The string is `true` because lowercase letters are less than uppercase letters. | Name | Type | Value | | ---- | ---- | ---- | | `intLt` | boolean | true | | `stringLt` | boolean | true | ## Equals == `operand1 == operand2` Evaluates if the values are equal. The comparison is case-sensitive. ### Operands | Operand | Type | Description | | ---- | ---- | ---- | | `operand1` | string, integer, boolean, array, object | First value in the comparison. | | `operand2` | string, integer, boolean, array, object | Second value in the comparison. | ### Return value If the operands are equal, `true` is returned. If the operands are different, `false` is returned. ### Example Pairs of integers, strings, and booleans are compared. ```bicep param firstInt int = 5 param secondInt int = 5 param firstString string = 'demo' param secondString string = 'Demo' param firstBool bool = true param secondBool bool = true output intEqual bool = firstInt == secondInt output stringEqual bool = firstString == secondString output boolEqual bool = firstBool == secondBool ``` Output from the example: | Name | Type | Value | Note | | ---- | ---- | ----- | ---- | | `intEqual` | boolean | true | | | `stringEqual` | boolean | false | The result is `false` because the comparison is case-sensitive. | | `boolEqual` | boolean | true | | When comparing arrays, the two arrays must have the same elements and order. The arrays don't need to be assigned to each other. ```bicep var array1 = [ 1 2 3 ] var array2 = [ 1 2 3 ] var array3 = array2 var array4 = [ 3 2 1 ] output sameElements bool = array1 == array2 // returns true because arrays are defined with same elements output assignArray bool = array2 == array3 // returns true because one array was defined as equal to the other array output differentOrder bool = array4 == array1 // returns false because order of elements is different ``` Output from the example: | Name | Type | Value | | ---- | ---- | ---- | | sameElements | bool | true | | assignArray | bool | true | | differentOrder | bool | false | When comparing objects, the property names and values must be the same. The properties don't need to be defined in the same order. ```bicep var object1 = { prop1: 'val1' prop2: 'val2' } var object2 = { prop1: 'val1' prop2: 'val2' } var object3 = { prop2: 'val2' prop1: 'val1' } var object4 = object3 var object5 = { prop1: 'valX' prop2: 'valY' } output sameObjects bool = object1 == object2 // returns true because both objects defined with same properties output differentPropertyOrder bool = object3 == object2 // returns true because both objects have same properties even though order is different output assignObject bool = object4 == object1 // returns true because one object was defined as equal to the other object output differentValues bool = object5 == object1 // returns false because values are different ``` Output from the example: | Name | Type | Value | | ---- | ---- | ---- | | sameObjects | bool | true | | differentPropertyOrder | bool | true | | assignObject | bool | true | | differentValues | bool | false | ## Not equal != `operand1 != operand2` Evaluates if two values are **not** equal. ### Operands | Operand | Type | Description | | ---- | ---- | ---- | | `operand1` | string, integer, boolean, array, object | First value in the comparison. | | `operand2` | string, integer, boolean, array, object | Second value in the comparison. | ### Return value If the operands are **not** equal, `true` is returned. If the operands are equal, `false` is returned. ### Example Pairs of integers, strings, and booleans are compared. ```bicep param firstInt int = 10 param secondInt int = 5 param firstString string = 'demo' param secondString string = 'test' param firstBool bool = false param secondBool bool = true output intNotEqual bool = firstInt != secondInt output stringNotEqual bool = firstString != secondString output boolNotEqual bool = firstBool != secondBool ``` Output from the example: | Name | Type | Value | | ---- | ---- | ---- | | `intNotEqual` | boolean | true | | `stringNotEqual` | boolean | true | | `boolNotEqual` | boolean | true | For arrays and objects, see examples in [equals](#equals-). ## Equal case-insensitive =~ `operand1 =~ operand2` Ignores case to determine if the two values are equal. ### Operands | Operand | Type | Description | | ---- | ---- | ---- | | `operand1` | string | First string in the comparison. | | `operand2` | string | Second string in the comparison. | ### Return value If the strings are equal, `true` is returned. Otherwise, `false` is returned. ### Example Compares strings that use mixed-case letters. ```bicep param firstString string = 'demo' param secondString string = 'DEMO' param thirdString string = 'demo' param fourthString string = 'TEST' output strEqual1 bool = firstString =~ secondString output strEqual2 bool = thirdString =~ fourthString ``` Output from the example: | Name | Type | Value | | ---- | ---- | ---- | | `strEqual1` | boolean | true | | `strEqual2` | boolean | false | ## Not equal case-insensitive !~ `operand1 !~ operand2` Ignores case to determine if the two values are **not** equal. ### Operands | Operand | Type | Description | | ---- | ---- | ---- | | `operand1` | string | First string in the comparison. | | `operand2` | string | Second string in the comparison. | ### Return value If the strings are **not** equal, `true` is returned. Otherwise, `false` is returned. ### Example Compares strings that use mixed-case letters. ```bicep param firstString string = 'demo' param secondString string = 'TEST' param thirdString string = 'demo' param fourthString string = 'DeMo' output strNotEqual1 bool = firstString !~ secondString output strEqual2 bool = thirdString !~ fourthString ``` Output from the example: | Name | Type | Value | | ---- | ---- | ---- | | `strNotEqual1` | boolean | true | | `strNotEqual2` | boolean | false | ## Next steps - To create a Bicep file, see [Quickstart: Create Bicep files with Visual Studio Code](./quickstart-create-bicep-use-visual-studio-code.md). - For information about how to resolve Bicep type errors, see [Any function for Bicep](./bicep-functions-any.md). - To compare syntax for Bicep and JSON, see [Comparing JSON and Bicep for templates](./compare-template-syntax.md). - For examples of Bicep functions, see [Bicep functions](./bicep-functions.md).