Source-only Template Inputs

Default to a single source-of-truth for infrastructure-as-code and ensure CI/CD owns generated deployment artifacts. This reduces drift and keeps pipeline behavior predictable.

Apply this standard:

• If the template is authored in Bicep, commit only the .bicep source files; do not commit the generated .json deployment templates (CI should generate them).
• If a .json prereq/deployment file is committed but there is no corresponding Bicep source, remove any Bicep-specific generator/metadata/header that misrepresents how the file was produced.
• For deployment validationType/validation strategy, prefer automation; set validationType: "Manual" only when you can’t reliably automate due to external constraints (e.g., physical/hardware wiring) and keep the rationale explicit.

Example (Bicep-first repo pattern):

// File: templates/deploy-devbox.bicep
// CI will generate the corresponding azuredeploy.json.

// DO NOT commit azuredeploy.json if it is generated in CI.
// DO commit only the .bicep source plus clear metadata/justification when needed.

Result: PRs stay focused on intent (source), CI produces deployable artifacts (outputs), and deployment validation settings align with what the pipeline can automate.