**To validate an AWS CloudFormation template**

The following ``validate-template`` command validates the ``sampletemplate.json`` template::

  aws cloudformation validate-template --template-body file://sampletemplate.json

Output::

  {
      "Description": "AWS CloudFormation Sample Template S3_Bucket: Sample template showing how to create a publicly accessible S3 bucket. **WARNING** This template creates an S3 bucket. You will be billed for the AWS resources used if you create a stack from this template.",
      "Parameters": [],
      "Capabilities": []
  }

For more information, see `Working with AWS CloudFormation Templates`_ in the *AWS CloudFormation User Guide*.

.. _`Working with AWS CloudFormation Templates`: http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSCloudFormation/latest/UserGuide/template-guide.html