Techniques are described that enable a user to upgrade a stack of resources by providing a template that reflects the desired end state of the stack. Upon receiving a new template, the system automatically detects changes that should be performed and determines the order in which the changes should be performed. The system can also detect if the desired changes to the stack are a result of direct modifications; because parameters to the resources have changed; or the changes are indirectly caused by other dependency/attribute changing. Additionally, the system determines whether the changes require creating new resources or if the changes can be made to the resources live. In case of replacement of resources, the system will first create the new resource, move that new resource into the stack and remove the old resource(s). In case of failures, the system ensures that the stack rolls back to the initial state.