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. The resource declarations are provided as templates. One of the greatest benefits of templates and AWS CloudFormation is the ability to create a set of resources that work together to create an application or solution.

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 - the only required top-level object>

Outputs:
  <set of outputs>

Resources

A resource must have a Type attribute, which defines the kind of AWS resource should be created.

AWS::ProductIdentifier::ResourceType

Full list of resource types:

AWS Resource and Property Types Reference

Resource declarations use a Properties attribute to specify the information used to create a resource.

Resource Name

The name used for a resource within the template is a logical name. When AWS CloudFormation creates the resource, it generates a physical name that is based on the combination of the logical name, the stack name, and a unique ID.

Function

AWS CloudFormation has a number of intrinsic functions that can be used to refer to other resources and their properties.