Master AWS DevOps Pro 2026 – Conquer the Cloud with Confidence!

AWS CloudFormation Drift Detection is a feature designed to help users determine whether the actual configuration of a stack differs from its expected configuration defined in the CloudFormation template. When updates or changes are made directly to AWS resources outside of CloudFormation (e.g., manually via the AWS Management Console or AWS CLI), the stack’s actual state can drift away from the state defined in the CloudFormation template. Drift Detection identifies these discrepancies, enabling users to understand where their infrastructure no longer aligns with the intended setup specified in the stack template.

This capability is crucial for maintaining configuration consistency and governance, providing visibility into the current state of resources managed by CloudFormation. Users can quickly reconcile differences and take corrective actions if necessary, ensuring that infrastructure remains aligned with operational needs and compliance requirements.

Drift Detection specifically focuses on the configuration status of resources rather than access control or policy updates, making it essential for infrastructure management and monitoring.