AWS::CloudFormation::Interface

AWS::CloudFormation::Interface is a metadata key that defines how parameters are grouped and sorted in the Amazon CloudFormation console. By default, the console lists input parameters in alphabetical order by their logical IDs when you create or update stacks in the console. By using this key, you can define your own parameter grouping and ordering so that users can efficiently specify parameter values. For example, you could group all EC2-related parameters in one group and all VPC-related parameters in another group.

In the metadata key, you can specify the groups to create, the parameters to include in each group, and the order in which the console shows each parameter within its group.

You can also define labels for parameters. A label is a friendly name or description that the console displays instead of a parameter's logical ID. Labels are useful for helping users understand the values to specify for each parameter. For example, you could label a KeyPair parameter Select an EC2 key pair.

All parameters that you reference in the metadata key must be declared in the Parameters section of the template.

Syntax

To declare this entity in your CloudFormation template, use the following syntax:

"Metadata" : {
  "AWS::CloudFormation::Interface" : {
    "ParameterGroups" : [ ParameterGroup, ... ],
    "ParameterLabels" : ParameterLabel
  }
}

Metadata:
  AWS::CloudFormation::Interface:
    ParameterGroups:
      - ParameterGroup
    ParameterLabels:
      ParameterLabel

Properties

Example

The following example defines two parameter groups: Network Configuration and Amazon EC2 Configuration. The Network Configuration group includes the VPCID, SubnetId, and SecurityGroupID parameters, which are defined in the Parameters section of the template (not shown). The order in which the console shows these parameters is defined by the order in which the parameters are listed, starting with the VPCID parameter. The example similarly groups and orders the Amazon EC2 Configuration parameters.

The example also defines a label for the VPCID parameter. The console will show Which VPC should this be deployed to? instead of the parameter's logical ID (VPCID).

"Metadata" : {
  "AWS::CloudFormation::Interface" : {
    "ParameterGroups" : [
      {
        "Label" : { "default" : "Network Configuration" },
        "Parameters" : [ "VPCID", "SubnetId", "SecurityGroupID" ]
      },
      {
        "Label" : { "default":"Amazon EC2 Configuration" },
        "Parameters" : [ "InstanceType", "KeyName" ]
      }
    ],
    "ParameterLabels" : {
      "VPCID" : { "default" : "Which VPC should this be deployed to?" }
    }
  }
}

Metadata: 
  AWS::CloudFormation::Interface: 
    ParameterGroups: 
      - 
        Label: 
          default: "Network Configuration"
        Parameters: 
          - VPCID
          - SubnetId
          - SecurityGroupID
      - 
        Label: 
          default: "Amazon EC2 Configuration"
        Parameters: 
          - InstanceType
          - KeyName
    ParameterLabels: 
      VPCID: 
        default: "Which VPC should this be deployed to?"

Parameter groups in the console

Using the metadata key from this example, the following figure shows how the console displays parameter groups when a stack is created or updated: Parameter groups in the console