# ReferenceStrength

Controls how cross-stack references to a resource are resolved.

- Source: [`core/lib/cross-stack-reference-strength.ts`](https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/blob/v2.274.0/packages/aws-cdk-lib/core/lib/cross-stack-reference-strength.ts#L10)
- Type last changed: v2.258.0 · 4 Jun 2026

## Example

```ts
declare const bucket: s3.Bucket;
declare const consumer: Stack;

new CfnOutput(consumer, 'BucketArn', {
  value: Stack.consumeReference(bucket.bucketArn, ReferenceStrength.WEAK),
});
```

## Members

| Member | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `STRONG` | Strong reference: uses CloudFormation Export/Import (same region) or ExportWriter/ExportReader custom resources (cross-region). |
| `WEAK` | Weak reference: uses Fn::GetStackOutput to read an output directly from the producing stack. |
| `BOTH` | Both strong and weak mechanisms are created (transitional state). |