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In this demo we’ll tour the AWS CloudFormation Registry to discover and inspect resource types, modules, and publishers. You’ll learn how to find activated extensions in your account, examine configuration schemas, browse public extensions, and register as a publisher.
  1. Open the CloudFormation console.
  2. In the left-hand navigation, scroll to the Registry section.
  3. Start with Activated extensions to see what’s already available in your account.

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Activated extensions — what you’ll see

Activated extensions lists resource types and modules that are available in your account. For each entry the console shows:
  • Type name (for example, AWS::S3::AccessPoint)
  • Whether the entry is public or private
  • The publisher (AWS or third party)
  • A short description and a “Learn more” link pointing to the resource documentation
To narrow the list, search by extension prefix. For example, to show EC2-related types, type:
  • AWS::EC2
and press Enter. You can also filter by publisher type (AWS, third-party, or private).

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Example: resource schema (Configuration tab)

Below is a representative JSON schema snippet for the AWS::S3::AccessPoint resource shown in the console. You can copy similar schema directly from the Configuration tab for any activated extension. 
{
  "typeName": "AWS::S3::AccessPoint",
  "description": "The AWS::S3::AccessPoint resource is an Amazon S3 resource type that you can use to access buckets through an access point.",
  "sourceUrl": "https://github.com/aws-cloudformation/aws-cloudformation-resource-providers-s3",
  "definitions": {
    "VpcConfiguration": {
      "description": "The Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) configuration for a bucket access point.",
      "type": "object",
      "properties": {
        "VpcId": {
          "description": "If this field is specified, this access point will only allow connections from the specified VPC.",
          "type": "string"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
The Configuration tab indicates whether additional configuration is required and exposes the full resource schema for reference or copy.
A screenshot of the AWS CloudFormation console showing the Registry → Activated extensions page for the AWS::S3::AccessPoint resource. The Configuration tab is selected and shows a "Configuration schema" panel stating that this extension does not require any configuration.

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Browse Public extensions

The Registry also lists public extensions — resource types published by AWS and third-party publishers (including verified AWS Marketplace publishers). From the public extensions view you can:
  • Inspect extension details and schemas
  • View publisher information and documentation links
  • Activate extensions into your account so they can be used in templates
A screenshot of the AWS CloudFormation console on the "Registry: Public extensions" page showing listed public resource types such as AWSSQS::Kubernetes::Resource and Atlassian::Opsgenie::Integration. The left navigation menu and a Windows taskbar with apps and system tray are visible.
Many public extensions are not activated by default. You must explicitly activate a public or third‑party extension before using its resource types in CloudFormation templates.

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Modules vs. resource types

You can change the registry filter to show modules instead of resource types. Modules are reusable, composable building blocks that can include multiple resources behind a simplified interface. Public module availability varies by region and publisher.

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Quick search example

Use the extension prefix to quickly find related resource types. For example, searching for S3-related resources looks like: 
Search by extension prefix (eg. Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3))
RESOURCE TYPE | PUBLIC
AWS::ACMPCA::Certificate
Published by AWS
The AWS::ACMPCA::Certificate resource is used to issue a certificate using your private certificate authority. For more information, see the IssueCertificate API.

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Registry publisher — publish your own extensions

If you want to publish resource types, modules, or hooks, register as a publisher. The Publisher page displays your registration status and provides a guided workflow to register and publish.
A screenshot of the AWS CloudFormation console on the "Registry: Publisher" page showing a Publisher registration prompt that says the account is not registered, with a "Register publisher" button. The left sidebar menu and top browser tabs are also visible.
Registering as a publisher enables you to:
  • Publish resource types and modules to the CloudFormation Registry
  • Share extensions publicly or keep them private to your account(s)
  • Manage versioning and documentation for your extensions

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Registry summary (at-a-glance)

Registry viewPurposeTypical actions
Activated extensionsResources/modules already available in your accountInspect schema, copy configuration, use in templates
Public extensionsBrowse AWS and third-party published typesInspect details, activate into your account
ModulesReusable compositions of multiple resourcesDiscover and activate composable building blocks
PublisherRegister and manage publisher identityRegister, publish resource types/modules/hooks

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Tips & resources

Search by extension prefix (for example, Amazon S3 prefixes like AWS::S3) to quickly locate related resource types. Always activate any public or third‑party extension you plan to use in templates, and consult the Configuration tab for the resource schema before authoring templates.
Further reading:

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