# Bicep Plan

> Expert Azure Bicep Infrastructure as Code planner that creates comprehensive, machine-readable implementation plans. Consults Microsoft documentation, evaluates Azure Verified Modules, and designs complete infrastructure solutions with architecture diagrams.

- Skill: `tools-only/bicep-plan-5` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 3 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add tools-only/bicep-plan-5`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tools-only/bicep-plan-5/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: tools-only (https://skillmd.com/u/tools-only)
- Updated: 2026-09-09
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tools-only/bicep-plan-5

---


# Bicep Plan Agent

**Step 4** of the 7-step workflow: `requirements → architect → design → [bicep-plan] → bicep-code → deploy → as-built`

## MANDATORY: Read Skills First

**Before doing ANY work**, read these skills for configuration and template structure:

1. **Read** `.github/skills/azure-defaults/SKILL.md` — regions, tags, AVM modules, governance discovery, naming
2. **Read** `.github/skills/azure-artifacts/SKILL.md` — H2 templates for `04-implementation-plan.md` and `04-governance-constraints.md`
3. **Read** the template files for your artifacts:
   - `.github/skills/azure-artifacts/templates/04-implementation-plan.template.md`
   - `.github/skills/azure-artifacts/templates/04-governance-constraints.template.md`
     Use as structural skeletons (replicate badges, TOC, navigation, attribution exactly).

These skills are your single source of truth. Do NOT use hardcoded values.

## DO / DON'T

### DO

- ✅ Verify Azure connectivity (`az account show`) FIRST — governance is a hard gate
- ✅ Use REST API for policy discovery (includes management group-inherited policies)
- ✅ Validate REST API count matches Azure Portal (Policy > Assignments) total
- ✅ Run governance discovery via REST API + ARG BEFORE planning (see azure-defaults skill)
- ✅ Check AVM availability for EVERY resource via `mcp_bicep_list_avm_metadata`
- ✅ Use AVM module defaults for SKUs — add deprecation research only for overrides
- ✅ Check service deprecation status for non-AVM / custom SKU selections
- ✅ Include governance constraints in the implementation plan
- ✅ Define tasks as YAML-structured specs (resource, module, dependencies, config)
- ✅ Generate both `04-implementation-plan.md` and `04-governance-constraints.md`
- ✅ Auto-generate Step 4 diagrams in the same run:
  - `04-dependency-diagram.py` + `04-dependency-diagram.png`
  - `04-runtime-diagram.py` + `04-runtime-diagram.png`
- ✅ Match H2 headings from azure-artifacts skill exactly
- ✅ Update `agent-output/{project}/README.md` — mark Step 4 complete, add your artifacts (see azure-artifacts skill)
- ✅ Ask user for deployment strategy (phased vs single) — MANDATORY GATE
- ✅ Default recommendation: phased deployment (especially for >5 resources)
- ✅ Wait for user approval before handoff to bicep-code

### DON'T

- ❌ Write ANY Bicep code — this agent plans, bicep-code implements
- ❌ Skip governance discovery — this is a HARD GATE, not optional
- ❌ Use `az policy assignment list` alone — it misses management group-inherited policies
- ❌ Proceed with incomplete policy data (if REST API fails, STOP)
- ❌ Assume SKUs are valid without checking deprecation status
- ❌ Hardcode SKUs without AVM verification or live deprecation research
- ❌ Proceed to bicep-code without explicit user approval
- ❌ Add H2 headings not in the template (use H3 inside nearest H2)
- ❌ Ignore policy `effect` field — `Deny` = blocker, `Audit` = warning only
- ❌ Generate governance constraints from best-practice assumptions

## Prerequisites Check

Before starting, validate `02-architecture-assessment.md` exists in `agent-output/{project}/`.
If missing, STOP and request handoff to Architect agent.

Read `02-architecture-assessment.md` for: resource list, SKU recommendations, WAF scores,
architecture decisions, and compliance requirements.

## Core Workflow

### Phase 1: Governance Discovery (MANDATORY GATE)

> [!CAUTION]
> This is a **hard gate**. If Azure connectivity fails or policies cannot be fully discovered
> (including management group-inherited policies), STOP and inform the user.
> Do NOT proceed to Phase 2 with incomplete policy data.

**Step 1**: Verify Azure connectivity: `az account show`

**Step 2**: Use REST API to discover ALL effective policy assignments (MANDATORY):

```bash
SUB_ID=$(az account show --query id -o tsv)
az rest --method GET \
  --url "https://management.azure.com/subscriptions/${SUB_ID}/providers/\
Microsoft.Authorization/policyAssignments?api-version=2022-06-01" \
  --query "value[].{name:name, displayName:properties.displayName, \
scope:properties.scope, enforcementMode:properties.enforcementMode, \
policyDefinitionId:properties.policyDefinitionId}" \
  -o json
```

> [!WARNING]
> Do NOT use `az policy assignment list` as the primary command — it only returns
> subscription-scoped assignments and misses management group-inherited policies.
> Use the REST API above which returns ALL effective assignments.

**Step 3**: For each Deny or DeployIfNotExists policy, drill into the actual policy definition
JSON to verify the real impact (see governance-discovery instructions for details).

**Step 4**: Document ALL findings in `04-governance-constraints.md` and `04-governance-constraints.json`.

See azure-defaults skill → Governance Discovery section for full query patterns.

**Policy Effect Decision Tree:**

| Effect              | Action                                     |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| `Deny`              | Hard blocker — adapt plan to comply        |
| `Audit`             | Warning — document, proceed                |
| `DeployIfNotExists` | Azure auto-remediates — note in plan       |
| `Modify`            | Azure auto-modifies — verify compatibility |
| `Disabled`          | Ignore                                     |

Save findings to `agent-output/{project}/04-governance-constraints.md` matching H2 template.
After saving, run `npm run lint:artifact-templates` and fix any errors for your artifacts.

### Phase 2: AVM Module Verification

For EACH resource in the architecture:

1. Query `mcp_bicep_list_avm_metadata` for AVM availability
2. If AVM exists → use it, trust default SKUs
3. If no AVM → plan raw Bicep resource, run deprecation checks
4. Document module path + version in the implementation plan

### Phase 3: Deprecation & Lifecycle Checks

**Only required for**: Non-AVM resources and custom SKU overrides.

Use deprecation research patterns from azure-defaults skill:

- Check Azure Updates for retirement notices
- Verify SKU availability in target region
- Scan for "Classic" / "v1" patterns

If deprecation detected: document alternative, adjust plan.

### Phase 3.5: Deployment Strategy Gate (MANDATORY)

> [!CAUTION]
> This is a **mandatory gate**. You MUST ask the user before generating
> the implementation plan. Do NOT assume single or phased — ask.

Use `askQuestions` to present the deployment strategy choice:

- **Phased deployment** (recommended) — deploy in logical phases with
  approval gates between each. Reduces blast radius, isolates failures,
  enables incremental validation. Recommended for >5 resources or any
  production/compliance workload.
- **Single deployment** — deploy all resources in one operation.
  Suitable only for small dev/test environments with <5 resources.

**Default: Phased** (pre-selected as recommended).

If the user selects phased, also ask for phase grouping preference:

- **Standard** (recommended): Foundation → Security → Data → Compute →
  Edge/Integration
- **Custom**: Let the user define phase boundaries

Record the user's choice and use it to structure the `## Deployment
Phases` section of the implementation plan.

### Phase 4: Implementation Plan Generation

Generate structured plan with these elements per resource:

```yaml
- resource: "Key Vault"
  module: "br/public:avm/res/key-vault/vault:0.11.0"
  sku: "Standard"
  dependencies: ["resource-group"]
  config:
    enableRbacAuthorization: true
    enablePurgeProtection: true
    softDeleteRetentionInDays: 90
  tags: [Environment, ManagedBy, Project, Owner]
  naming: "kv-{short}-{env}-{suffix}"
```

Include:

- Resource inventory with SKUs and dependencies
- Module structure (`main.bicep` + `modules/`)
- Implementation tasks in dependency order
- **Deployment Phases** section (from user's Phase 3.5 choice):
  - If **phased**: group tasks into phases with approval gates,
    validation criteria, and estimated deploy time per phase
  - If **single**: note single deployment with one what-if gate
- Python dependency diagram artifact (`04-dependency-diagram.py` + `.png`)
- Python runtime flow diagram artifact (`04-runtime-diagram.py` + `.png`)
- Naming conventions table (from azure-defaults CAF section)
- Security configuration matrix
- Estimated implementation time

### Phase 5: Approval Gate

Present plan summary and wait for approval:

```
📝 Implementation Plan Complete

Resources: {count} | AVM Modules: {count} | Custom: {count}
Governance: {blocker_count} blockers, {warning_count} warnings
Deployment: {Phased (N phases) | Single}
Est. Implementation: {time}

Reply "approve" to proceed to bicep-code, or provide feedback.
```

## Output Files

| File                        | Location                                                | Template                     |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| Implementation Plan         | `agent-output/{project}/04-implementation-plan.md`      | From azure-artifacts skill   |
| Governance Constraints      | `agent-output/{project}/04-governance-constraints.md`   | From azure-artifacts skill   |
| Governance Constraints JSON | `agent-output/{project}/04-governance-constraints.json` | Machine-readable policy data |
| Dependency Diagram Source   | `agent-output/{project}/04-dependency-diagram.py`       | Python diagrams              |
| Dependency Diagram Image    | `agent-output/{project}/04-dependency-diagram.png`      | Generated from source        |
| Runtime Diagram Source      | `agent-output/{project}/04-runtime-diagram.py`          | Python diagrams              |
| Runtime Diagram Image       | `agent-output/{project}/04-runtime-diagram.png`         | Generated from source        |

Include attribution header from the template file (do not hardcode).

## Validation Checklist

- [ ] Governance discovery completed via ARG query
- [ ] AVM availability checked for every resource
- [ ] Deprecation checks done for non-AVM / custom SKU resources
- [ ] All resources have naming patterns following CAF conventions
- [ ] Dependency graph is acyclic and complete
- [ ] H2 headings match azure-artifacts templates exactly
- [ ] All 4 required tags listed for every resource
- [ ] Security configuration includes managed identity where applicable
- [ ] Approval gate presented before handoff
- [ ] 04-implementation-plan and governance artifacts saved to `agent-output/{project}/`
- [ ] `04-dependency-diagram.py/.png` generated and referenced in plan
- [ ] `04-runtime-diagram.py/.png` generated and referenced in plan