CloudFormation doesn't deploy to API gateway stages on update

Question

When I run CloudFormation deploy using a template with API Gateway resources, the first time I run it, it creates and deploys to stages. The subsequent times I

Answer 1

From the blogspot post linked by TheClassic (best answer so far!), you have to keep in mind that if you aren't generating your templates with something that can insert a valid timestamp in place of $TIMESTAMP$, you must update that manually with a time stamp or otherwise unique ID. Here is my functional example, it successfully deletes the existing deployment and creates a new one, but I will have to update those unique values manually when I want to create another change set:

    rDeployment05012019355:
        Type: AWS::ApiGateway::Deployment
        DependsOn: rApiGetMethod
        Properties:
            RestApiId:
                Fn::ImportValue: 
                    !Sub '${pApiCoreStackName}-RestApi'
            StageName: !Ref pStageName

    rCustomDomainPath:
        Type: AWS::ApiGateway::BasePathMapping
        DependsOn: [rDeployment05012019355]
        Properties:
            BasePath: !Ref pPathPart
            Stage: !Ref pStageName
            DomainName:
                Fn::ImportValue: 
                    !Sub '${pApiCoreStackName}-CustomDomainName'
            RestApiId:
                Fn::ImportValue: 
                    !Sub '${pApiCoreStackName}-RestApi'

Answer 2

CloudFormation in Amazon's words is:

AWS CloudFormation takes care of provisioning and configuring those resources for you http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSCloudFormation/latest/UserGuide/Welcome.html

Redeployment of APIs is not a provisioning task... It is a promotion activity which is part of a stage in your software release process.

AWS CodePipeline is a continuous delivery service you can use to model, visualize, and automate the steps required to release your software. http://docs.aws.amazon.com/codepipeline/latest/userguide/welcome.html

CodePipeline also supports execution of Lambda functions from Actions in the pipeline. So, as advised before, create a Lambda function to deploy your API but call it from Codepipeline instead of CloudFormation.

Consult this page for details: http://docs.aws.amazon.com/codepipeline/latest/userguide/actions-invoke-lambda-function.html