aws-cloudformation

name	aws-cloudformation
description	CloudFormation via AWS CLI v2 (`aws cloudformation`). Stacks, change sets, stack sets, drift detection, resource scanning, type registry, generated templates.

AWS CLI v2 — CloudFormation

Overview

Complete reference for all aws cloudformation subcommands in AWS CLI v2. Covers stack lifecycle management, change sets, stack sets for multi-account/multi-region deployments, drift detection, resource imports, stack refactors, generated templates, resource scanning, type registry, exports/imports, organization integrations, hooks, and wait commands.

Quick Reference — Common Workflows

Create a stack

aws cloudformation create-stack --stack-name my-stack \
  --template-body file://template.yaml \
  --parameters ParameterKey=Env,ParameterValue=prod \
  --capabilities CAPABILITY_NAMED_IAM \
  --tags Key=Project,Value=MyApp

Update a stack

aws cloudformation update-stack --stack-name my-stack \
  --template-body file://template.yaml \
  --parameters ParameterKey=Env,ParameterValue=staging \
  --capabilities CAPABILITY_NAMED_IAM
aws cloudformation wait stack-update-complete --stack-name my-stack

Create and execute a change set

aws cloudformation create-change-set --stack-name my-stack \
  --change-set-name my-changes --template-body file://template.yaml \
  --capabilities CAPABILITY_NAMED_IAM
aws cloudformation wait change-set-create-complete \
  --stack-name my-stack --change-set-name my-changes
aws cloudformation describe-change-set --stack-name my-stack \
  --change-set-name my-changes
aws cloudformation execute-change-set --stack-name my-stack \
  --change-set-name my-changes

Delete a stack

aws cloudformation delete-stack --stack-name my-stack
aws cloudformation wait stack-delete-complete --stack-name my-stack

Detect drift on a stack

aws cloudformation detect-stack-drift --stack-name my-stack
aws cloudformation describe-stack-drift-detection-status \
  --stack-drift-detection-id <detection-id>
aws cloudformation describe-stack-resource-drifts --stack-name my-stack

Create a stack set (multi-account deployment)

aws cloudformation create-stack-set --stack-set-name my-set \
  --template-body file://template.yaml \
  --permission-model SERVICE_MANAGED \
  --auto-deployment Enabled=true,RetainStacksOnAccountRemoval=false
aws cloudformation create-stack-instances --stack-set-name my-set \
  --deployment-targets OrganizationalUnitIds=ou-1234 \
  --regions us-east-1 us-west-2

Import existing resources into a stack

aws cloudformation create-change-set --stack-name my-stack \
  --change-set-name import-resources --change-set-type IMPORT \
  --resources-to-import file://resources-to-import.json \
  --template-body file://template.yaml

List exports and check cross-stack references

aws cloudformation list-exports --query 'Exports[].{Name:Name,Value:Value}'
aws cloudformation list-imports --export-name my-export

Command Reference

See index.md for the quick reference table and global options.

Group	File	Commands
Stacks	stacks.md	create-stack, update-stack, delete-stack, describe-stacks, list-stacks, list-stack-resources, describe-stack-resources, describe-stack-resource, describe-stack-events, cancel-update-stack, continue-update-rollback, rollback-stack, update-termination-protection, signal-resource, get-stack-policy, set-stack-policy, get-template, get-template-summary, estimate-template-cost, validate-template, deploy, package
Change Sets	change-sets.md	create-change-set, delete-change-set, describe-change-set, describe-change-set-hooks, execute-change-set, list-change-sets
Stack Sets	stack-sets.md	create-stack-set, update-stack-set, delete-stack-set, describe-stack-set, describe-stack-set-operation, list-stack-sets, list-stack-set-operations, list-stack-set-operation-results, list-stack-instances, describe-stack-instance, create-stack-instances, update-stack-instances, delete-stack-instances, import-stacks-to-stack-set, stop-stack-set-operation
Drift Detection	drift-detection.md	detect-stack-drift, detect-stack-resource-drift, detect-stack-set-drift, describe-stack-drift-detection-status, describe-stack-resource-drifts
Stack Refactors	stack-refactors.md	create-stack-refactor, describe-stack-refactor, execute-stack-refactor, list-stack-refactors, list-stack-refactor-actions
Generated Templates	generated-templates.md	create-generated-template, update-generated-template, delete-generated-template, describe-generated-template, get-generated-template, list-generated-templates
Resource Scanning	resource-scanning.md	start-resource-scan, describe-resource-scan, list-resource-scans, list-resource-scan-resources, list-resource-scan-related-resources
Type Registry	type-registry.md	register-type, deregister-type, describe-type, describe-type-registration, list-types, list-type-versions, list-type-registrations, set-type-default-version, set-type-configuration, batch-describe-type-configurations, activate-type, deactivate-type, publish-type, test-type, register-publisher, describe-publisher, record-handler-progress
Exports & Imports	exports-imports.md	list-exports, list-imports, describe-account-limits
Organizations	organizations.md	activate-organizations-access, deactivate-organizations-access, describe-organizations-access
Hooks	hooks.md	list-hook-results, get-hook-result
Wait Commands	wait.md	wait stack-create-complete, wait stack-update-complete, wait stack-delete-complete, wait stack-exists, wait stack-import-complete, wait stack-rollback-complete, wait change-set-create-complete, wait type-registration-complete