AWS CloudFormation Concepts

External

• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSCloudFormation/latest/UserGuide/cfn-whatis-concepts.html

Internal

• AWS CloudFormation

Overview

CloudFormation creates and configures resources, grouped in stacks.

Stack

Working with Stacks

A stack is a collection of AWS resources that can be managed (create, update or delete) as a single unit. All resources in a stack are defined by the stack's AWS CloudFormation template. Because AWS CloudFormation treats the stack resources as a single unit, they must all be created or deleted successfully for the stack to be created or deleted. If a resource cannot be created, AWS CloudFormation rolls the stack back and automatically deletes any resources that were created. If a resource cannot be deleted, any remaining resources are retained until the stack can be successfully deleted.

Nested Stack

A nested stack is a stack created as part of other stacks.

Template

CloudFormation Templates

Learn Template Basics

AWS CloudFormation Template Formats

A template is a declaration of AWS resources that make up a stack. The templates are stored as JSON or YAML text files.

Template Structure

Template Anatomy

---
AWSTemplateFormatVersion: "version date"

Description:
  String

Metadata:
  template metadata

Parameters:
  set of parameters

Mappings:
  set of mappings

Conditions:
  set of conditions

Transform:
  set of transforms

Resources:
  set of resources

Outputs:
  set of outputs