AWS CloudFormation
Model and provision all your cloud infrastructure resources
Overview
AWS CloudFormation provides a common language for you to model and provision all the infrastructure resources in your cloud environment. It allows you to use a simple text file to model and provision, in an automated and secure manner, all the resources needed for your applications across all regions and accounts. This file serves as the single source of truth for your cloud environment.
✨ Key Features
- Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
- Declarative templates (YAML/JSON)
- Automated resource provisioning
- Change management with change sets
- Drift detection
- Stack management and rollback
- Extensibility with third-party resources
🎯 Key Differentiators
- Native integration with all AWS services
- Managed state and rollback capabilities
- Deep integration with AWS IAM for security
Unique Value: Provides the most tightly integrated and secure way to automate infrastructure provisioning exclusively within the AWS cloud.
🎯 Use Cases (4)
✅ Best For
- Deploying scalable web applications
- Automating creation of VPCs and networking infrastructure
💡 Check With Vendor
Verify these considerations match your specific requirements:
- Real-time configuration management (better suited for Ansible/Puppet)
- Managing non-AWS resources without custom providers
🏆 Alternatives
Unlike multi-cloud tools like Terraform, CloudFormation offers deeper, day-one support for new AWS features and a fully managed state backend.
💻 Platforms
🔌 Integrations
🛟 Support Options
- ✓ Email Support
- ✓ Live Chat
- ✓ Phone Support
- ✓ Dedicated Support (AWS Business Support tier)
🔒 Compliance & Security
💰 Pricing
Free tier: No additional charge for CloudFormation itself. You pay for AWS resources created using CloudFormation.
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