Pulumi has launched the beta version of its next-generation Azure provider, the azure-nextgen, which aims to deliver comprehensive support for Microsoft Azure's API surface by working directly with the Azure Resource Manager (ARM) platform. This new provider enhances quality and fidelity with Azure by supporting 890 resource types at launch, nearly doubling the previous number, and ensuring full API coverage across Azure services. It automatically updates via an automated pipeline that incorporates changes from Azure API specifications, ensuring that SDKs remain current without manual intervention. The azure-nextgen provider is available in preview for all Pulumi languages and integrates seamlessly with Azure's ecosystem, offering tools to convert ARM templates to Pulumi programs and allowing existing Azure resources to be managed with the new provider. While the current Pulumi Azure provider will continue to receive updates, the new provider offers a more robust and reliable solution for managing cloud infrastructure, with new projects defaulting to azure-nextgen upon its general availability.