There are several bootstrap methods for cloudformations: 1. Create image with application ready to go 2. Use cloud-init to run a startup script passed as userdata to the nova server create 3. Use the CloudFormation instance helper scripts This directory contains files required for choice #3. cfn-init - Reads the AWS::CloudFormation::Init for the instance resource, installs packages, and starts services cfn-signal - Waits for an application to be ready before continuing, ie: supporting the WaitCondition feature cfn-hup - Handle updates from the UpdateStack CloudFormation API call