Learn CLOUDFORMATION with Real Code Examples
Updated Nov 27, 2025
Installation Setup
No local installation required; templates are deployed via AWS Console, CLI, or SDKs
Install AWS CLI for command-line deployment
Configure AWS credentials and default region
Optionally install tools like Visual Studio Code with CloudFormation plugins
Use SAM CLI for serverless extensions if needed
Environment Setup
Install AWS CLI
Configure credentials and default region
Optionally install SAM CLI for serverless stacks
Enable IAM permissions for CloudFormation operations
Use CloudFormation Designer or IDE plugins for template editing
Config Files
template.yaml / template.json - main CloudFormation template
parameters.json - dynamic parameter values
nested templates for modularization
Mappings and Conditions for environment-specific configs
Optional scripts for automation (CLI or SDK)
Cli Commands
aws cloudformation create-stack
aws cloudformation update-stack
aws cloudformation delete-stack
aws cloudformation validate-template
aws cloudformation describe-stack-events
Internationalization
Supports Unicode in resource names
Time-zone-aware scheduling for resources like Lambda
Multi-region deployments with StackSets
Localized logging and monitoring
Parameter-driven regional configurations
Accessibility
Accessible via CLI, Console, and SDKs
Keyboard-driven deployment workflows
Screen-reader friendly IDEs
CloudFormation Designer accessible for diagrams
Template-based approach ensures universal accessibility
Ui Styling
Not applicable - purely declarative templates
Optional: CloudFormation Designer for visual representation
IDE syntax highlighting for YAML/JSON
Diagram tools for stack architecture
Third-party visualization tools for complex deployments
State Management
Stack outputs and exported values
Change Sets for controlled updates
Stack drift detection
Cross-stack references
Stack events and status monitoring
Data Management
Template parameters for dynamic input
Use SSM Parameter Store or Secrets Manager for secrets
Outputs for sharing data between stacks
Integration with DynamoDB or S3 for state
Tracking resource states and changes across deployments