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AWS CLI CloudFormation Cheat Sheet

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AWS CLI CloudFormation commands for templates, stacks, change sets, events, package, and deploy workflows.

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## Stacks
Validate a template
↗#
aws cloudformation validate-template --template-body file://template.yaml

# Check a template for basic syntax and structural validity.

Create a stack
↗#
aws cloudformation create-stack --stack-name app-prod --template-body file://template.yaml --capabilities CAPABILITY_NAMED_IAM

# Create a CloudFormation stack from a local template.

Update a stack
↗#
aws cloudformation update-stack --stack-name app-prod --template-body file://template.yaml --capabilities CAPABILITY_NAMED_IAM

# Update an existing stack with a new template or parameters.

Deploy a stack with package-style semantics
↗#
aws cloudformation deploy --stack-name app-prod --template-file template.yaml --capabilities CAPABILITY_NAMED_IAM

# Create or update a stack using `deploy`.

Describe stacks
↗#
aws cloudformation describe-stacks --stack-name app-prod

# Inspect stack status and outputs.

Delete a stack
↗#
aws cloudformation delete-stack --stack-name app-prod

# Remove a CloudFormation stack.

Wait for stack create complete
↗#
aws cloudformation wait stack-create-complete --stack-name app-prod

# Block until a stack finishes creating.

Wait for stack update complete
↗#
aws cloudformation wait stack-update-complete --stack-name app-prod

# Block until a stack finishes updating.

## Change Sets and Events
Create a change set
↗#
aws cloudformation create-change-set --stack-name app-prod --change-set-name preview-001 --template-body file://template.yaml --capabilities CAPABILITY_NAMED_IAM

# Preview stack changes before execution.

Describe a change set
↗#
aws cloudformation describe-change-set --stack-name app-prod --change-set-name preview-001

# Inspect the changes proposed for a stack.

Execute a change set
↗#
aws cloudformation execute-change-set --stack-name app-prod --change-set-name preview-001

# Apply the changes in an existing change set.

Describe stack events
↗#
aws cloudformation describe-stack-events --stack-name app-prod

# Read the event history for a stack.

List stack resources
↗#
aws cloudformation list-stack-resources --stack-name app-prod

# Show resources managed by a stack.

Get template summary
↗#
aws cloudformation get-template-summary --template-body file://template.yaml

# Return parameter and capability requirements for a template.

## Packaging and Artifact Flows
Package local artifacts
↗#
aws cloudformation package --template-file template.yaml --s3-bucket my-cfn-artifacts --output-template-file packaged.yaml

# Upload local artifacts and rewrite a template.

Deploy with parameter overrides
↗#
aws cloudformation deploy --stack-name app-prod --template-file packaged.yaml --parameter-overrides Env=prod ImageTag=2026-03-05

# Pass parameters at deployment time.

Deploy without failing on empty change set
↗#
aws cloudformation deploy --stack-name app-prod --template-file packaged.yaml --no-fail-on-empty-changeset

# Treat no-op deployments as success.

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