AWS CloudFormation: Introduction & Getting Started

AWS CloudFormation is an infrastructure as code (IaC) service that enables you to define and provision AWS resources using templates written in YAML or JSON.

Why Use CloudFormation?

• Automate AWS infrastructure deployment
• Use version-controlled templates for repeatability
• Integrate with AWS services and CI/CD pipelines

How CloudFormation Works

• Templates define resources and their relationships
• Stacks are deployed and managed via the AWS Console, CLI, or API
• Supports parameters, outputs, and resource dependencies

Quick Start Example

1. Write a simple template (template.yaml):

   AWSTemplateFormatVersion: '2010-09-09'
   Resources:
     MyBucket:
       Type: AWS::S3::Bucket
   Outputs:
     BucketName:
       Value: !Ref MyBucket
   

2. Deploy the stack (CLI):

   aws cloudformation create-stack --stack-name my-stack --template-body file://template.yaml
   

3. Check the stack status:

   aws cloudformation describe-stacks --stack-name my-stack
   

Learn More

• CloudFormation Documentation
• Getting Started Guide