> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.formae.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Everyday changes
> The routine operations once your infrastructure is under formae management: inspect it, change it surgically, and tear it down.
Once your infrastructure is under management, most of your work is routine: look
at what you have, find a specific resource, make a small change without disturbing
the rest, and remove what you no longer need. This guide collects those everyday
operations.
## See what formae manages
List everything under management:
```bash theme={"languages":{"custom":["/languages/pkl.json"]}}
formae inventory resources --query="managed:true"
```
formae inventory
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
╭─────────────╮
│ 1 Resources │ 2 Targets 3 Stacks 4 Policies
─╯ ╰────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Label ▲ Stack Type NativeID
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
lifeline-alb-http-ingress lifeline AWS::EC2::SecurityGroupIngresssgr-0ffb678dce902c817
lifeline-alb-sg lifeline AWS::EC2::SecurityGroup sg-00ec7ea75992bcc27
lifeline-igw lifeline AWS::EC2::InternetGateway igw-04356683dcee09288
lifeline-igw-attachment lifeline AWS::EC2::VPCGatewayAttachmentIGW|vpc-043bbacbd0ebea8e5
lifeline-public-route lifeline AWS::EC2::Route rtb-01d9445d47e4f00f8|0.0.0.0/0|Ga…
lifeline-public-rt lifeline AWS::EC2::RouteTable rtb-01d9445d47e4f00f8
lifeline-public-subnet-1 lifeline AWS::EC2::Subnet subnet-0451bdccb16a96a55
lifeline-public-subnet-1-…lifeline AWS::EC2::SubnetRouteTableAss…rtbassoc-02a56640c3d1fd589
lifeline-public-subnet-2 lifeline AWS::EC2::Subnet subnet-05c570615c4b79d89
lifeline-public-subnet-2-…lifeline AWS::EC2::SubnetRouteTableAss…rtbassoc-0603dbe3b5c152211
lifeline-task-http-ingresslifeline AWS::EC2::SecurityGroupIngresssgr-0f5bc7f88105a5f70
lifeline-task-sg lifeline AWS::EC2::SecurityGroup sg-037010e17da032dcf
lifeline-vpc lifeline AWS::EC2::VPC vpc-043bbacbd0ebea8e5
Showing 13 of 13 resources (filtered)
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
/ managed:true /: edit query
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
↑↓/j/k: navigate enter: detail /: search s: sort r: refresh 1-4: tab q: quit ?: help
The list shows every managed resource. Above 200 results formae shows the first 200
and asks you to narrow the query. Filter by `stack`, `type`, `label`, or `target`:
```bash theme={"languages":{"custom":["/languages/pkl.json"]}}
formae inventory resources --query="stack:production"
formae inventory resources --query="stack:production type:AWS::EC2::SecurityGroup"
```
`formae inventory` opens on the Resources tab, but it is a tabbed view. Press `1`-`4`
to switch between Resources, Targets, Stacks, and Policies, or run a subcommand to jump
straight to one. `formae inventory stacks` opens on Stacks:
formae inventory
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
╭──────────╮
1 Resources 2 Targets │ 3 Stacks │ 4 Policies
─────────────────────────────╯ ╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Label ▲ Description Policies
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
lifeline Stack for the lifeline showcase none
Showing 1 of 1 stacks
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
/: query
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
↑↓/j/k: navigate enter: detail /: search s: sort r: refresh 1-4: tab q: quit ?: help
`formae inventory targets` opens the Targets tab:
formae inventory
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
╭───────────╮
1 Resources │ 2 Targets │ 3 Stacks 4 Policies
────────────────╯ ╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Label ▲ Namespace Discoverable Config
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
aws-target AWS yes Region: us-east-1, Type: AWS
Showing 1 of 1 targets
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
/: query
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
↑↓/j/k: navigate enter: detail /: search s: sort r: refresh 1-4: tab q: quit ?: help
## Find and inspect a resource
Search by any attribute, or combine filters:
```bash theme={"languages":{"custom":["/languages/pkl.json"]}}
formae inventory resources --query="label:api-sg"
formae inventory resources --query="stack:production type:AWS::EC2::SecurityGroup"
```
Type queries are case-insensitive; stack and label values are case-sensitive. To
read a resource's full configuration, extract it to Pkl:
```bash theme={"languages":{"custom":["/languages/pkl.json"]}}
formae extract --query="label:api-sg" api-sg.pkl
```
## Make a change
Your stack's forma is the source of truth. To change something, edit the resource
in that forma and reconcile: formae compares your forma against what is deployed
and applies just the difference. Reconcile is the mode you reach for on routine
changes, so run `formae apply --mode reconcile`. For urgent one-off fixes during
an incident, reach for patch instead (see [Incidents and recovery](/documentation/guides/incidents-and-recovery)).
Change the resource in your stack's forma. For example, scale a deployment
from one replica to two:
```kotlin theme={"languages":{"custom":["/languages/pkl.json"]}}
spec {
replicas = 2
// ...the rest of the deployment unchanged
}
```
```bash theme={"languages":{"custom":["/languages/pkl.json"]}}
formae apply --mode reconcile your-stack.pkl
```
formae shows the plan, here a single `spec.replicas` change, and asks you
to confirm before applying. Use `--yes` to skip the prompt. Reconcile
compares against the whole stack, so keep the forma complete: a resource
you remove from it is destroyed.
With the [formae MCP plugin](/documentation/guides/ai-coding-assistants)
connected, describe the change and let the assistant edit the forma and
reconcile:
Conversation
You
Scale the chat-ui deployment to 2 replicas.
Assistant
I'll update the forma and reconcile, simulating first: the plan changes spec.replicas on the chat-ui deployment in vllm-chat from 1 to 2, with nothing else affected. Apply it?
Assistant
Done. chat-ui is now running 2 replicas.
## Tear down a stack
To remove everything in a stack, destroy it. formae shows the full deletion plan
and asks you to confirm before deleting anything, in dependency order (dependents
before their dependencies):
```bash theme={"languages":{"custom":["/languages/pkl.json"]}}
formae destroy --query="stack:my-app"
```
formae destroy query: stack:lifeline
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
- 13 delete
▌ Resources
Operation ▲ Label Type
- delete lifeline-igw AWS::EC2::InternetGateway
- delete lifeline-vpc AWS::EC2::VPC
- delete lifeline-public-rt AWS::EC2::RouteTable
- delete lifeline-igw-attachment AWS::EC2::VPCGatewayAttachment
- delete lifeline-task-sg AWS::EC2::SecurityGroup
- delete lifeline-alb-sg AWS::EC2::SecurityGroup
- delete lifeline-public-route AWS::EC2::Route
- delete lifeline-public-subnet-1 AWS::EC2::Subnet
- delete lifeline-public-subnet-2 AWS::EC2::Subnet
- delete lifeline-alb-http-ingress AWS::EC2::SecurityGroupIngress
↓ show 10 more (3 remaining)
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
↑↓: select space: expand →←: column s: sort y: confirm q: abort This operation will delete 13 resource(s).
Do you want to continue? (y/N) ?: help
Use `--yes` to skip the confirmation (for scripts). You can also destroy by
pointing at the forma: `formae destroy my-app.pkl`. The stack is removed once its
last resource is gone; unmanaged (discovered) resources are untouched.
## See also
* [Apply modes](/documentation/concepts/apply-modes): patch versus reconcile, and how drift is handled.
* [Stack](/documentation/concepts/stack): how stacks group resources.
* [Explore your infrastructure](/documentation/guides/explore-your-infrastructure): view what is not yet managed.