Infrastructure as code for AWS using YAML or JSON templates
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103 reviews trackedThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Paid plans only
Biggest pro
Native AWS IaC
Biggest con
YAML/JSON syntax verbose
TL;DR - AWS CloudFormation
- AWS CloudFormation enables infrastructure as code using declarative YAML or JSON templates
- It provisions and manages AWS resources consistently, with automatic rollback on failures
- Free to use-you only pay for the underlying AWS resources created
Pricing: Paid only
Best for: Enterprises & pros
4.5/5 across review platforms
What is AWS CloudFormation?
CloudFormation manages AWS infrastructure through declarative templates. Describe the resources you want, and CloudFormation creates them in the right order with proper dependencies.
Stack updates are atomic-everything succeeds or rolls back. Change sets preview what will happen before you apply changes. Drift detection finds manual modifications.
Teams running production AWS infrastructure treat CloudFormation templates as the source of truth for what exists in their accounts.
Available on: Web
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Native AWS IaC
- Supports all AWS services
- Drift detection
- Stack management
- No additional cost
Cons
- YAML/JSON syntax verbose
- AWS only
- Slow deployments
- Error messages cryptic
- Rollback can be slow
Ratings Across the Web
4.5(103 reviews)
Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more
Key Features
Infrastructure as codeYAML/JSONStacksDrift detectionAWS nativeTemplates
Pricing Plans
Free TrialFree
null
Usage-based pricing
- Create AWS stacks
- No handler operations
- First-party resources
- Core functionality
Most Popular
Handler Operations
$0.001/per operation
Third-party resources
- Private extensions
- Third-party types
- Activated public extensions
Reviews
4.5/5
Across 103 verified user reviews on Capterra
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AWS CloudFormation FAQ
Is CloudFormation free?
Yes, CloudFormation itself is free. You pay only for resources it creates. No additional charges for the orchestration service.
What is CloudFormation?
CloudFormation is AWS's infrastructure as code service. Define resources in YAML or JSON templates. AWS creates and manages the stack.
CloudFormation vs Terraform?
CloudFormation is AWS-native with best AWS integration. Terraform is multi-cloud. CloudFormation for AWS-only; Terraform if you use multiple clouds.
What are CloudFormation stacks?
A stack is a collection of resources defined in a template. Create, update, or delete together. Nested stacks allow modular templates.
Should I use CloudFormation or CDK?
CDK if you prefer programming languages. CloudFormation for YAML templates or if your team knows it. CDK compiles to CloudFormation anyway.
Source: aws.amazon.com