# Generate and Read Cloudformation template without deploying

**URL:** <https://forum.serverless.com/t/generate-and-read-cloudformation-template-without-deploying/4344>\
**Category:** Serverless Framework\
**Created:** [April 24, 2018, 2:17pm UTC](https://forum.serverless.com/t/generate-and-read-cloudformation-template-without-deploying/4344 "2018-04-24T14:17:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RudolfVonKrugstein](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/forum.serverless.com/rudolfvonkrugstein/32/1891_2.png) [@RudolfVonKrugstein](https://forum.serverless.com/u/RudolfVonKrugstein)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 2:17pm UTC](https://forum.serverless.com/t/generate-and-read-cloudformation-template-without-deploying/4344/1 "2018-04-24T14:17:34Z")

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Hi,

I want to use the cloudformation template generated by serverless to setup some unit tests. I can already “render” the serverless config using `sls print` to get all variables resolved.

Can I also somehow generate the CloudFormation template without doing any deployment or other side effects?

Thanks!  
Nathan

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bfieber](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/forum.serverless.com/bfieber/32/653_2.png) [@bfieber](https://forum.serverless.com/u/bfieber)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 4:18pm UTC](https://forum.serverless.com/t/generate-and-read-cloudformation-template-without-deploying/4344/2 "2018-04-24T16:18:38Z")

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Have a look at [sls package](https://serverless.com/framework/docs/providers/aws/cli-reference/package/)  
That should create your cf template in the .serverless directory.