CloudFormation is AWS's native Infrastructure as Code service for creating and managing cloud resources using templates. It describes infrastructure in JSON or YAML and provisions everything as a single stack.
CloudFormation ensures that resources are created in the correct order based on their dependencies. It provides automatic rollback when deployments fail, keeping environments consistent.
CloudFormation integrates deeply with AWS services, often supporting new features immediately. It promotes repeatability by allowing entire architectures to be versioned and redeployed. Custom resources extend CloudFormation to automate complex workflows or interact with external systems.
Drift detection alerts teams when real resources no longer match declared templates. CloudFormation is well suited for organizations that operate primarily on AWS. It acts as a core tool for managing predictable, reproducible infrastructure deployments.