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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.

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)

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.

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.

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:

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!

Connect Azure Account#

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"

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.

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

View Resource Details#

Click on any resource node to see:

  • Resource properties from your template
  • Parameters and variables
  • Dependencies on other resources
  • Output values

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"

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

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.

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

Common Issues#

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

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

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

Getting Help#

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