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Getting Started with Cloudeval

From Sign-Up to Your First Diagram in 5 Minutes This guide will walk you through setting up Cloudeval and generating your first infrastructure diagram from Azure ARM templates or Bicep files. By the end, you’ll have a working visualization of your infrastructure.

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:
  • Azure ARM templates or Bicep files
  • A modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge)
  • Basic understanding of Azure infrastructure concepts
  • (Optional) Azure account for cloud import (Coming Soon)

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Step 1: Sign Up

  1. Visit cloudeval.ai
  2. Click “Sign Up” in the top right corner
  3. Enter your email address and create a password
  4. Verify your email address (check your inbox)
  5. Log in to your dashboard
Tip: You can also sign up with GitHub or Google for faster onboarding.

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Step 2: Try the Playground

New to Cloudeval? Try our interactive playground to explore features without signing up: Launch Playground → The playground lets you:
  • Explore sample infrastructure diagrams
  • Try the AI Chat assistant
  • Test diagram features
  • See Cloudeval in action
Tip: Use the playground to get familiar with Cloudeval before working with your own infrastructure.

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Step 3: Create Your First Project

  1. Click “New Project” in the dashboard
  2. Enter a project name (e.g., “Production Infrastructure”)
  3. Choose your input method:
=== “Infrastructure as Code (Recommended)“

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Upload ARM Template or Bicep File

Infrastructure as Code
  1. Click “Upload File” or drag and drop
  2. Select your ARM template (.json) or Bicep file (.bicep)
  3. Cloudeval automatically parses the file
  4. Resources are discovered and mapped
Supported Formats:
  • Azure ARM Templates (JSON)
  • Azure Bicep files
  • Multiple files (for modular templates)
Example: 
# Upload your template
az deployment group create \
  --resource-group my-rg \
  --template-file main.bicep \
  --parameters @parameters.json
Then upload main.bicep to Cloudeval! === “Cloud Import (Coming Soon)“

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Connect Azure Account

!!! warning “Coming Soon” Direct cloud account connection is coming soon! For now, use Infrastructure as Code files. Planned Features:
  • Connect Azure subscription
  • Automatic resource discovery
  • Real-time synchronization
  • Multi-subscription support
Join our waitlist to be notified when this feature launches.
  1. Click “Create Project”

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Step 4: Generate Your First Diagram

Once your project is created, Cloudeval will automatically:
  1. Parse Infrastructure Code - Analyze your ARM/Bicep templates
  2. Map Resources - Identify all Azure resources
  3. Detect Relationships - Find dependencies and connections
  4. Generate Diagram - Create an interactive visualization
This typically takes 10-30 seconds depending on template complexity.

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Step 5: Explore Your Diagram

Your diagram is now ready! Here’s what you can do:
  • Pan: Click and drag the canvas
  • Zoom: Use mouse wheel or pinch gesture
  • Select: Click on any resource to see details
  • Search: Use the search bar (Ctrl+K) to find specific resources

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View Resource Details

Click on any resource node to see:
  • Resource properties from your template
  • Parameters and variables
  • Dependencies on other resources
  • Output values

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Use the AI Chat

  1. Click the chat icon in the bottom right
  2. Try these questions:
    • “Show me all storage accounts”
    • “What resources depend on this virtual network?”
    • “Explain the network topology”
    • “Find resources without tags”

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Step 6: Edit Your Infrastructure

Cloudeval includes a web-based editor for your Infrastructure as Code:
  1. Click “Code Editor” tab
  2. View your ARM template or Bicep file
  3. Make edits with syntax highlighting
  4. See changes reflected in the diagram
  5. Export updated files
Features:
  • Syntax highlighting
  • Auto-completion
  • Error detection
  • Format validation
  • Multi-file support

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First Win Checklist

  • Account created and verified
  • Tried the playground
  • First project created
  • Infrastructure file uploaded
  • Diagram generated successfully
  • Explored the interactive diagram
  • Asked a question in AI Chat
  • Edited infrastructure code
Congratulations! You’ve successfully set up Cloudeval and generated your first infrastructure diagram.

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Next Steps

Now that you have the basics, explore these features:
  1. Work with ARM Templates - Deep dive into ARM template visualization
  2. Use Bicep Files - Visualize Bicep infrastructure
  3. Customize Your Diagram - Adjust layouts and styling
  4. Export Your Diagram - Share with your team
  5. Use AI Chat - Master the AI assistant
  6. Collaborate with Team - Invite team members

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Common Issues

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Template Parsing Fails

Problem: Can’t parse ARM template or Bicep file Solutions:
  • Verify file is valid JSON (for ARM) or valid Bicep syntax
  • Check for syntax errors
  • Ensure all required parameters are provided
  • Try validating with Azure CLI first: 
    az deployment group validate --resource-group my-rg --template-file template.json

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No Resources Found

Problem: Diagram is empty after upload Solutions:
  • Verify template contains resource definitions
  • Check template structure is correct
  • Ensure resources are in the resources section
  • Try a sample template first

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Diagram Generation Slow

Problem: Diagram takes too long to generate Solutions:
  • Large templates (>100 resources) may take longer
  • Check template complexity
  • Consider breaking into smaller modules
  • Contact support for optimization

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Getting Help

Ready to dive deeper? Check out our tutorials or feature guides