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Azure Resource Manager template functions - comparison \| Microsoft Docs	Describes the functions to use in an Azure Resource Manager template to compare values.	azure-resource-manager	na	tfitzmac	timlt	tysonn		azure-resource-manager	na	article	na	na	09/05/2017	tomfitz

Comparison functions for Azure Resource Manager templates

Resource Manager provides several functions for making comparisons in your templates.

equals
greater
greaterOrEquals
less
lessOrEquals

equals

equals(arg1, arg2)

Checks whether two values equal each other.

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Type	Description
arg1	Yes	int, string, array, or object	The first value to check for equality.
arg2	Yes	int, string, array, or object	The second value to check for equality.

Return value

Returns True if the values are equal; otherwise, False.

Remarks

The equals function is often used with the condition element to test whether a resource is deployed.

{
    "condition": "[equals(parameters('newOrExisting'),'new')]",
    "type": "Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts",
    "name": "[variables('storageAccountName')]",
    "apiVersion": "2017-06-01",
    "location": "[resourceGroup().location]",
    "sku": {
        "name": "[variables('storageAccountType')]"
    },
    "kind": "Storage",
    "properties": {}
}

Example

The following example template checks different types of values for equality. All the default values return True.

{
    "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2015-01-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
    "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
    "parameters": {
        "firstInt": {
            "type": "int",
            "defaultValue": 1
        },
        "secondInt": {
            "type": "int",
            "defaultValue": 1
        },
        "firstString": {
            "type": "string",
            "defaultValue": "a"
        },
        "secondString": {
            "type": "string",
            "defaultValue": "a"
        },
        "firstArray": {
            "type": "array",
            "defaultValue": ["a", "b"]
        },
        "secondArray": {
            "type": "array",
            "defaultValue": ["a", "b"]
        },
        "firstObject": {
            "type": "object",
            "defaultValue": {"a": "b"}
        },
        "secondObject": {
            "type": "object",
            "defaultValue": {"a": "b"}
        }
    },
    "resources": [
    ],
    "outputs": {
        "checkInts": {
            "type": "bool",
            "value": "[equals(parameters('firstInt'), parameters('secondInt') )]"
        },
        "checkStrings": {
            "type": "bool",
            "value": "[equals(parameters('firstString'), parameters('secondString'))]"
        },
        "checkArrays": {
            "type": "bool",
            "value": "[equals(parameters('firstArray'), parameters('secondArray'))]"
        },
        "checkObjects": {
            "type": "bool",
            "value": "[equals(parameters('firstObject'), parameters('secondObject'))]"
        }
    }
}

The output from the preceding example with the default values is:

Name	Type	Value
checkInts	Bool	True
checkStrings	Bool	True
checkArrays	Bool	True
checkObjects	Bool	True

To deploy this example template with Azure CLI, use:

az group deployment create -g functionexamplegroup --template-uri https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Azure/azure-docs-json-samples/master/azure-resource-manager/functions/equals.json

To deploy this example template with PowerShell, use:

New-AzureRmResourceGroupDeployment -ResourceGroupName functionexamplegroup -TemplateUri https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Azure/azure-docs-json-samples/master/azure-resource-manager/functions/equals.json

The following example template uses not with equals.

{
    "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2015-01-01/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

To deploy this example template with Azure CLI, use:

az group deployment create -g functionexamplegroup --template-uri https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Azure/azure-docs-json-samples/master/azure-resource-manager/functions/not-equals.json

To deploy this example template with PowerShell, use:

New-AzureRmResourceGroupDeployment -ResourceGroupName functionexamplegroup -TemplateUri https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Azure/azure-docs-json-samples/master/azure-resource-manager/functions/not-equals.json

greater

greater(arg1, arg2)

Checks whether the first value is greater than the second value.

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Type	Description
arg1	Yes	int or string	The first value for the greater comparison.
arg2	Yes	int or string	The second value for the greater comparison.

Return value

Returns True if the first value is greater than the second value; otherwise, False.

Example

The following example template checks whether the one value is greater than the other.

{
    "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2015-01-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
    "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
    "parameters": {
        "firstInt": {
            "type": "int",
            "defaultValue": 1
        },
        "secondInt": {
            "type": "int",
            "defaultValue": 2
        },
        "firstString": {
            "type": "string",
            "defaultValue": "A"
        },
        "secondString": {
            "type": "string",
            "defaultValue": "a"
        }
    },
    "resources": [
    ],
    "outputs": {
        "checkInts": {
            "type": "bool",
            "value": "[greater(parameters('firstInt'), parameters('secondInt') )]"
        },
        "checkStrings": {
            "type": "bool",
            "value": "[greater(parameters('firstString'), parameters('secondString'))]"
        }
    }
}

The output from the preceding example with the default values is:

Name	Type	Value
checkInts	Bool	False
checkStrings	Bool	True

To deploy this example template with Azure CLI, use:

az group deployment create -g functionexamplegroup --template-uri https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Azure/azure-docs-json-samples/master/azure-resource-manager/functions/greater.json

To deploy this example template with PowerShell, use:

New-AzureRmResourceGroupDeployment -ResourceGroupName functionexamplegroup -TemplateUri https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Azure/azure-docs-json-samples/master/azure-resource-manager/functions/greater.json

greaterOrEquals

greaterOrEquals(arg1, arg2)

Checks whether the first value is greater than or equal to the second value.

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Type	Description
arg1	Yes	int or string	The first value for the greater or equal comparison.
arg2	Yes	int or string	The second value for the greater or equal comparison.

Return value

Returns True if the first value is greater than or equal to the second value; otherwise, False.

Example

The following example template checks whether the one value is greater than or equal to the other.

{
    "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2015-01-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
    "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
    "parameters": {
        "firstInt": {
            "type": "int",
            "defaultValue": 1
        },
        "secondInt": {
            "type": "int",
            "defaultValue": 2
        },
        "firstString": {
            "type": "string",
            "defaultValue": "A"
        },
        "secondString": {
            "type": "string",
            "defaultValue": "a"
        }
    },
    "resources": [
    ],
    "outputs": {
        "checkInts": {
            "type": "bool",
            "value": "[greaterOrEquals(parameters('firstInt'), parameters('secondInt') )]"
        },
        "checkStrings": {
            "type": "bool",
            "value": "[greaterOrEquals(parameters('firstString'), parameters('secondString'))]"
        }
    }
}

The output from the preceding example with the default values is:

Name	Type	Value
checkInts	Bool	False
checkStrings	Bool	True

To deploy this example template with Azure CLI, use:

az group deployment create -g functionexamplegroup --template-uri https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Azure/azure-docs-json-samples/master/azure-resource-manager/functions/greaterorequals.json

To deploy this example template with PowerShell, use:

New-AzureRmResourceGroupDeployment -ResourceGroupName functionexamplegroup -TemplateUri https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Azure/azure-docs-json-samples/master/azure-resource-manager/functions/greaterorequals.json

less

less(arg1, arg2)

Checks whether the first value is less than the second value.

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Type	Description
arg1	Yes	int or string	The first value for the less comparison.
arg2	Yes	int or string	The second value for the less comparison.

Return value

Returns True if the first value is less than the second value; otherwise, False.

Example

The following example template checks whether the one value is less than the other.

{
    "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2015-01-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
    "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
    "parameters": {
        "firstInt": {
            "type": "int",
            "defaultValue": 1
        },
        "secondInt": {
            "type": "int",
            "defaultValue": 2
        },
        "firstString": {
            "type": "string",
            "defaultValue": "A"
        },
        "secondString": {
            "type": "string",
            "defaultValue": "a"
        }
    },
    "resources": [
    ],
    "outputs": {
        "checkInts": {
            "type": "bool",
            "value": "[less(parameters('firstInt'), parameters('secondInt') )]"
        },
        "checkStrings": {
            "type": "bool",
            "value": "[less(parameters('firstString'), parameters('secondString'))]"
        }
    }
}

The output from the preceding example with the default values is:

Name	Type	Value
checkInts	Bool	True
checkStrings	Bool	False

To deploy this example template with Azure CLI, use:

az group deployment create -g functionexamplegroup --template-uri https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Azure/azure-docs-json-samples/master/azure-resource-manager/functions/less.json

To deploy this example template with PowerShell, use:

New-AzureRmResourceGroupDeployment -ResourceGroupName functionexamplegroup -TemplateUri https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Azure/azure-docs-json-samples/master/azure-resource-manager/functions/less.json

lessOrEquals

lessOrEquals(arg1, arg2)

Checks whether the first value is less than or equal to the second value.

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Type	Description
arg1	Yes	int or string	The first value for the less or equals comparison.
arg2	Yes	int or string	The second value for the less or equals comparison.

Return value

Returns True if the first value is less than or equal to the second value; otherwise, False.

Example

The following example template checks whether the one value is less than or equal to the other.

{
    "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2015-01-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
    "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
    "parameters": {
        "firstInt": {
            "type": "int",
            "defaultValue": 1
        },
        "secondInt": {
            "type": "int",
            "defaultValue": 2
        },
        "firstString": {
            "type": "string",
            "defaultValue": "A"
        },
        "secondString": {
            "type": "string",
            "defaultValue": "a"
        }
    },
    "resources": [
    ],
    "outputs": {
        "checkInts": {
            "type": "bool",
            "value": "[lessOrEquals(parameters('firstInt'), parameters('secondInt') )]"
        },
        "checkStrings": {
            "type": "bool",
            "value": "[lessOrEquals(parameters('firstString'), parameters('secondString'))]"
        }
    }
}

The output from the preceding example with the default values is:

Name	Type	Value
checkInts	Bool	True
checkStrings	Bool	False

To deploy this example template with Azure CLI, use:

az group deployment create -g functionexamplegroup --template-uri https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Azure/azure-docs-json-samples/master/azure-resource-manager/functions/lessorequals.json

To deploy this example template with PowerShell, use:

New-AzureRmResourceGroupDeployment -ResourceGroupName functionexamplegroup -TemplateUri https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Azure/azure-docs-json-samples/master/azure-resource-manager/functions/lessorequals.json

Next steps

For a description of the sections in an Azure Resource Manager template, see Authoring Azure Resource Manager templates.
To merge multiple templates, see Using linked templates with Azure Resource Manager.
To iterate a specified number of times when creating a type of resource, see Create multiple instances of resources in Azure Resource Manager.
To see how to deploy the template you have created, see Deploy an application with Azure Resource Manager template.

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resource-group-template-functions-comparison.md

resource-group-template-functions-comparison.md

Comparison functions for Azure Resource Manager templates

equals

Parameters

Return value

Remarks

Example

greater

Parameters

Return value

Example

greaterOrEquals

Parameters

Return value

Example

less

Parameters

Return value

Example

lessOrEquals

Parameters

Return value

Example

Next steps

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resource-group-template-functions-comparison.md

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resource-group-template-functions-comparison.md

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Comparison functions for Azure Resource Manager templates

equals

Parameters

Return value

Remarks

Example

greater

Parameters

Return value

Example

greaterOrEquals

Parameters

Return value

Example

less

Parameters

Return value

Example

lessOrEquals

Parameters

Return value

Example

Next steps