AWS CloudFormation
AWS CloudFormation is an Infrastructure as Code (IaC) service that allows developers to model and provision AWS resources using declarative templates in JSON or YAML format. It automates the deployment and management of cloud infrastructure, ensuring consistency and repeatability across environments. A CloudFormation stack is a collection of AWS resources created and managed as a single unit based on a template.
Developers should use CloudFormation when managing complex AWS infrastructure that requires version control, automated deployments, and disaster recovery. It is essential for DevOps practices, enabling infrastructure changes to be tracked alongside application code and facilitating environment replication for testing or scaling. Specific use cases include deploying multi-tier web applications, setting up CI/CD pipelines, and managing compliance through standardized templates.