# atmos aws cloudformation changeset delete

Delete a named changeset (`DeleteChangeSet`) without touching the stack
itself. Use this to clean up changesets created with
[`changeset create`](/cli/commands/aws/cloudformation/changeset/create) that
you decided not to execute.

> ⚠️ Experimental

## Usage

```shell
atmos aws cloudformation changeset delete <component> --stack <stack> --changeset-name <name> [options]
```

```shell
atmos aws cloudformation changeset delete vpc -s plat-ue2-dev --changeset-name vpc-2026-08-25
```

A changeset name that does not exist on the stack is an error
(`aws/cloudformation changeset not found`) with a hint to run
[`changeset list`](/cli/commands/aws/cloudformation/changeset/list) for the
valid names, never a `deleted` message with exit code 0.

Deleting the last unexecuted CREATE changeset also leaves its `REVIEW_IN_PROGRESS`
stack placeholder intact. The placeholder still consumes stack quota. If you
are abandoning the stack, first confirm that no pending changesets are needed,
then explicitly run [`atmos aws cloudformation delete`](/cli/commands/aws/cloudformation/delete):

```shell
atmos aws cloudformation delete vpc -s plat-ue2-dev
```

That command asks for confirmation and waits for stack deletion to finish.
Automatic placeholder cleanup applies only to placeholders created by the
current `plan` or `diff` preview; deleting a named changeset never deletes its stack.

## Flags

- **`--stack`, `-s` (required for a single component)**
  Atmos stack. Required when operating on a single component; optional (and used only to narrow the selected set) with 
  `--all`
  /
  `--affected`
  .
- **`--changeset-name` (required)**
  Name of the changeset to delete.
- **`--auto-approve` (optional)**
  Skip the interactive confirmation prompt. Without it, 
  `changeset delete`
   prompts for confirmation on a TTY before deleting the changeset.

:::note
`changeset delete` does not fire `before`/`after` hook events — only
[`apply`](/cli/commands/aws/cloudformation/apply),
[`diff`](/cli/commands/aws/cloudformation/diff),
[`delete`](/cli/commands/aws/cloudformation/delete),
[`drift detect`](/cli/commands/aws/cloudformation/drift/detect), and
[`drift describe`](/cli/commands/aws/cloudformation/drift/describe) do.
:::