PowerShell · Gijs Reijn (Gijsreyn) · Sep 4, 2026
diff --git a/docs/reference/schemas/config/document.md b/docs/reference/schemas/config/document.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 description: JSON schema reference for a Desired State Configuration document.
-ms.date:     07/03/2025
+ms.date:     09/01/2026
 ms.topic:    reference
 title:       DSC Configuration document schema reference
 ---
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ For every version of the schema, there are three valid URLs:
   it includes additional definitions that provide contextual help and snippets that the others
   don't include.
 
-  This schema uses keywords that are only recognized by Visual Studio Code. While DSC can still validate the
+  This schema uses keywords that are only recognized by VS Code. While DSC can still validate the
   document when it uses this schema, other tools may error or behave in unexpected ways.
 
 ```yaml
@@ -104,9 +104,33 @@ ValidValues: [
                https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3/config/document.json
                https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3/bundled/config/document.json
                https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.2/config/document.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.2/bundled/config/document.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.2/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.2.3/config/document.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.2.3/bundled/config/document.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.2.3/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.2.2/config/document.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.2.2/bundled/config/document.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.2.2/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.2.1/config/document.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.2.1/bundled/config/document.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.2.1/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.2.0/config/document.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.2.0/bundled/config/document.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.2.0/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
                https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.1/config/document.json
                https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.1/bundled/config/document.json
                https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.1/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.1.3/config/document.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.1.3/bundled/config/document.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.1.3/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.1.2/config/document.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.1.2/bundled/config/document.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.1.2/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.1.1/config/document.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.1.1/bundled/config/document.json
+               https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.1.1/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
                https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.1.0/config/document.json
                https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.1.0/bundled/config/document.json
                https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.1.0/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
@@ -125,9 +149,33 @@ ValidValues: [
                https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3/config/document.json
                https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3/bundled/config/document.json
                https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.2/config/document.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.2/bundled/config/document.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.2/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.2.3/config/document.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.2.3/bundled/config/document.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.2.3/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.2.2/config/document.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.2.2/bundled/config/document.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.2.2/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.2.1/config/document.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.2.1/bundled/config/document.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.2.1/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.2.0/config/document.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.2.0/bundled/config/document.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.2.0/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
                https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.1/config/document.json
                https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.1/bundled/config/document.json
                https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.1/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.1.3/config/document.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.1.3/bundled/config/document.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.1.3/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.1.2/config/document.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.1.2/bundled/config/document.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.1.2/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.1.1/config/document.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.1.1/bundled/config/document.json
+               https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.1.1/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
                https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.1.0/config/document.json
                https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.1.0/bundled/config/document.json
                https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3.1.0/bundled/config/document.vscode.json
@@ -146,11 +194,208 @@ ValidValues: [
              ]
 ```
 
+### contentVersion
+
+The `contentVersion` property defines a version string for the configuration document. You can use
+this property to track revisions of the document. DSC doesn't validate or use this value when
+processing a configuration document. The document that the `dsc config export` command returns
+always defines this property as `1.0.0`.
+
+```yaml
+Type:     string
+Required: false
+```
+
+### directives
+
+The `directives` property defines how DSC processes the configuration document as a whole. Every
+directive is optional.
+
+```yaml
+Type:     object
+Required: false
+```
+
+You can define the following directives for a configuration document:
+
+#### resourceDiscovery
+
+The `resourceDiscovery` directive controls when DSC raises an error for a resource that it can't
+find. When you don't define this directive or set it to `preDeployment`, DSC discovers resources
+and extensions before invoking any resource instance and raises an error if any instance in the
+document uses a resource that DSC didn't discover.
+
+Set this directive to `duringDeployment` to defer this check until DSC processes each instance.
+This is useful when the configuration document itself installs a resource that a later instance
+depends on. With this setting, DSC performs discovery again when it processes an instance whose
+resource wasn't initially discovered and only raises an error if the resource isn't available at
+that time.
+
+```yaml
+Type:        string
+Required:    false
+Default:     preDeployment
+ValidValues: [preDeployment, duringDeployment]
+```
+
+#### securityContext
+
+The `securityContext` directive defines the security context the configuration document requires.
+Before invoking any resource instances, DSC validates that it's running in the required security
+context and raises an error if it isn't:
+
+- `current` - DSC can process the document in any security context. This is the default.
+- `elevated` - DSC must be running as `root` (non-Windows) or in an elevated session with
+  Administrator privileges (Windows).
+- `restricted` - DSC must be running as a normal user or account in a non-elevated session.
+
+This directive replaces the deprecated `Microsoft.DSC.securityContext` property in the document's
+[metadata][02]. If you define both, the values must match or DSC raises an error. A resource
+instance can override this directive with its own `directives.securityContext` setting.
+
+```yaml
+Type:        string
+Required:    false
+Default:     current
+ValidValues: [current, elevated, restricted]
+```
+
+#### version
+
+The `version` directive defines a semantic version requirement for DSC itself. When you define this
+directive, DSC compares its own version to the requirement before invoking any resource instances
+and raises an error if its version doesn't satisfy the requirement. This enables you to prevent a
+configuration document from being processed by an incompatible version of DSC.
+
+The value must be one or more comparators separated by commas. Each comparator is an operator
+(`=`, `>`, `>=`, `<`, `<=`, `^`, or `~`) followed by a version, like `>=3.2.0, <4.0.0`. Build
+metadata isn't allowed in the version. The syntax is the same as for the `requireVersion` property
+of a resource instance. For more information, see [requireVersion][03].
+
+```yaml
+Type:     string
+Required: false
+```
+
+### executionInformation
+
+The `executionInformation` property describes the DSC operation that produced a configuration
+document. DSC adds this property to the document returned by the `dsc config export` command. The
+schema accepts this property in any configuration document, but DSC ignores it when it processes
+the document.
+
+The value is an object with the same properties as the [Microsoft.DSC metadata][04] object that DSC
+returns in command output, plus an optional `whatIf` property that describes any what-if
+operations DSC performed.
+
+```yaml
+Type:     object
+Required: false
+```
+
+### functions
+
+The `functions` property defines user-defined functions that you can call in configuration
+expressions anywhere in the document. Each item in the list defines a namespace and the functions
+that belong to it:
+
+- `namespace` - Required. The name that groups the functions. You call a user-defined function as
+  `<namespace>.<name>()`.
+- `members` - Required. An object that maps each function name to its definition. Each definition
+  is an object with the following properties:
+
+  - `parameters` - Optional. A list of parameters for the function. Each parameter is an object
+    that defines the `name` and `type` of the parameter. The `type` must be one of the
+    [parameter data types][05]. When you call the function, DSC raises an error if the number of
+    arguments or their types don't match the parameters.
+  - `output` - Required. An object that defines the `type` of the value the function returns and
+    the `value` as a string. DSC evaluates the `value` as a configuration expression and raises an
+    error if the result doesn't match the declared `type`.
+
+In the `value` expression, use the [parameters()][06] function to access the function's own
+parameters. User-defined functions can't access the document's parameters or variables, can't use
+the `reference()` function, and can't call other user-defined functions.
+
+For example, this document defines the `contoso.greet()` function and calls it in a resource
+instance:
+
+```yaml
+$schema: https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3/bundled/config/document.json
+functions:
+  - namespace: contoso
+    members:
+      greet:
+        parameters:
+          - name: name
+            type: string
+        output:
+          type: string
+          value: "[format('Hello, {0}!', parameters('name'))]"
+resources:
+  - name: Greeting
+    type: Microsoft.DSC.Debug/Echo
+    properties:
+      output: "[contoso.greet('World')]"
+```
+
+```yaml
+Type:      array
+Required:  false
+ItemsType: object
+```
+
 ### metadata
 
-The `metadata` property defines a set of key-value pairs as annotations for the configuration. DSC
-doesn't validate the metadata. A configuration can include any arbitrary information in this
-property.
+The `metadata` property defines a set of key-value pairs as annotations for the configuration.
+Except for the `Microsoft.DSC` property, DSC doesn't validate the metadata. A configuration can
+include any arbitrary information in this property.
+
+The `Microsoft.DSC` property is reserved for DSC. For more information, see
+[DSC Configuration document metadata schema][02].
+
+```yaml
+Type:     object
+Required: false
+```
+
+### outputs
+
+The `outputs` property defines values that DSC evaluates after it processes every resource instance
+in the document and returns in the `outputs` property of the command output. Each output is defined
+as a key-value pair. The key is the name of the output. The value is an object with the following
+properties:
+
+- `type` - Required. The [data type][05] of the output value. DSC raises an error if the evaluated
+  value doesn't match this type. DSC doesn't return outputs with the `secureString` or
+  `secureObject` types. Instead, it raises a warning and skips them.
+- `value` - Required. A string that DSC evaluates as a configuration expression. Use this property
+  to return data from resource results, parameters, variables, and functions, like
+  `"[reference(resourceId('Microsoft.DSC.Debug/Echo', 'echo')).output]"`.
+- `condition` - Optional. A string that DSC evaluates as a configuration expression. DSC only
+  returns the output when the condition evaluates to `true`. When it evaluates to any other value,
+  DSC skips the output.
+
+The schema also accepts a `copy` object in place of `value`, with the same shape as the `copy`
+property of a resource instance. DSC doesn't currently support copy loops for outputs. When an
+output defines `copy` instead of `value`, DSC raises a warning and skips the output.
+
+DSC doesn't evaluate outputs when you invoke the `dsc config set` command with the `--what-if`
+option.
+
+For example, this document returns the value that the `echo` instance reported:
+
+```yaml
+$schema: https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3/bundled/config/document.json
+resources:
+  - name: echo
+    type: Microsoft.DSC.Debug/Echo
+    properties:
+      output: Hello World
+outputs:
+  echoOutput:
+    type: string
+    value: "[reference(resourceId('Microsoft.DSC.Debug/Echo', 'echo')).output]"
+```
 
 ```yaml
 Type:     object
@@ -168,15 +413,33 @@ Parameters may be overridden at runtime, enabling re-use of the same configurati
 different contexts.
 
 For more information about defining parameters in a configuration, see
-[DSC Configuration document parameter schema][02].
+[DSC Configuration document parameter schema][07].
 
 <!-- For more information about using parameters in a configuration, see
-[DSC Configuration parameters][03] -->
+[DSC Configuration parameters][08] -->
 
 ```yaml
 Type:                object
 Required:            false
-ValidPropertySchema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.0.0/config/document.parameter.json
+ValidPropertySchema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.1.0/config/document.parameter.json
+```
+
+### resources
+
+The `resources` property defines a list of DSC Resource instances that the configuration manages.
+Instances may share the same DSC Resource type, but every instance must have a unique combination
+of `type` and `name`. If two instances share the same type and name, DSC raises an error.
+
+For more information about defining a valid resource instance in a configuration, see
+[DSC Configuration document resource schema][09].
+
+<!-- For more information about how DSC uses resources in a configuration, see
+[DSC Configuration resources][10] and [DSC Configuration resource groups][11]. -->
+
+```yaml
+Type:            array
+Required:        true
+ValidItemSchema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.1.0/config/document.resource.json
 ```
 
 ### variables
@@ -190,37 +453,24 @@ which makes the document easier to read and maintain. Unlike parameters, variabl
 defined in the configuration and can't be overridden at runtime.
 
 <!-- For more information about using variables in a configuration, see
-[DSC Configuration variables][04]. -->
+[DSC Configuration variables][12]. -->
 
 ```yaml
 Type:     object
 Required: false
 ```
 
-### resources
-
-The `resources` property defines a list of DSC Resource instances that the configuration manages.
-Every instance in the list must be unique, but instances may share the same DSC Resource type.
-
-For more information about defining a valid resource instance in a configuration, see
-[DSC Configuration document resource schema][05].
-
-<!-- For more information about how DSC uses resources in a configuration, see
-[DSC Configuration resources][06] and [DSC Configuration resource groups][07]. -->
-
-```yaml
-Type:             array
-Required:         true
-MinimumItemCount: 1
-ValidItemSchema:  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3.0.0/config/document.resource.json
-```
-
 <!-- Link reference definitions -->
-[01]: functions/resourceId.md
+[01]: functions/overview.md
 <!-- [01]: ../../../configurations/overview.md -->
-[02]: parameter.md
-<!-- [03]: ../../../configurations/parameters.md -->
-<!-- [04]: ../../../configurations/variables.md -->
-[05]: resource.md
-<!-- [06]: ../../../configurations/resources.md -->
-<!-- [07]: ../../../configurations/resource-groups.md -->
+[02]: metadata.md
+[03]: resource.md#requireversion
+[04]: ../metadata/Microsoft.DSC/properties.md
+[05]: ../definitions/parameters/dataTypes.md
+[06]: functions/parameters.md
+[07]: parameter.md
+<!-- [08]: ../../../configurations/parameters.md -->
+[09]: resource.md
+<!-- [10]: ../../../configurations/resources.md -->
+<!-- [11]: ../../../configurations/resource-groups.md -->
+<!-- [12]: ../../../configurations/variables.md -->