How to Create Cloud Infrastructure using the AWS Cloud Development Kit

Introduction to CDK

The AWS CDK allows developers to define their cloud application resources using popular programming languages such as TypeScript, JavaScript, Python, Java, C#, and Go. It is an open-source software development framework that enables the coding of cloud infrastructure and its provisioning using AWS CloudFormation.

The CDK can be thought of as a cloud infrastructure compiler, providing a set of high-level class libraries, known as Constructs, that abstract cloud resources and encapsulate AWS best practices. These Constructs can be combined into object-oriented CDK applications that precisely define the application infrastructure, eliminating complex boilerplate logic. When the CDK application is run, it is compiled into a CloudFormation Template, which serves as the assembly language for AWS cloud infrastructure. The template is then processed by the CloudFormation provisioning engine and deployed into the user’s AWS account. The CDK tools simplify the process of defining the application infrastructure stack, while the CloudFormation service handles the secure and dependable provisioning of the stack.

Infrastructure management workflow with AWS CDK is shown below:

Source: AWS

CDK Code structure

To simplify the concept of AWS CDK is that it consists of three major building blocks that allow us to customize the provisioning of our infrastructure:

1. Apps

• Executable program
• Used to render and deploy cfn templates

2. Stacks

• Deployable unit
• Aware of region and account

3. Constructs

• Representations of AWS resources
• Can form a hierarchical tree structure

Benefits of AWS CDK

• The AWS CDK offers several benefits, including easier cloud onboarding through the use of existing skills and tools, acceleration of the development process, customization and reusability of code, leverage of the full power of the programming language, and type-checking for the infrastructure.
• The AWS CDK offers several benefits to developers including easier cloud onboarding, faster development processes, customizability and reusability, and the ability to leverage the full power of programming languages. It also provides type-checking for the infrastructure to avoid compiler errors.
• The CDK can be used to improve infrastructure and business logic, a provision common infrastructure patterns faster, migrate complex backends more efficiently, and automate AWS service provisioning. Developers can also use constructs created by the community to programmatically create new microservices, and code applications using tools built for the cloud.

Use cases

AWS CDK include improving infrastructure and business logic, developing apps more efficiently, provisioning common infrastructure patterns, migrating complex backends, automating AWS service provisioning, using tools built for the cloud, and accelerating transitions from new to fully deployed infrastructure.

Demo to create S3 bucket using CDK

Pre-requisites

• NPM
• AWS CLI

Step 1: To create CDK, start by installing CDK

• npm install -g aws-cdk
• cdk version (to check if it’s installed)

Step 2: Initiate the CDK app with cdk init app –language python

Step 3: This gives us a default code as shown below

Step 4: Enter the following code

Step 5: Once your code is entered, deploy the CDK by cdk deploy

Stack:

Result:

Step 6: Cleanup the resources by cdk destroy

Conclusion

AWS Cloud Development Kit is a code-first approach to defining cloud application infrastructure. From that launch, and following the “release early, release often” philosophy, more than 30 versions of it have been released to deliver new features as quickly as possible. As it continues to gain more traction, new features will be developed quickly and released often. The AWS CDK provides a powerful tool for developers to define their cloud infrastructure using familiar programming languages and provision it using the AWS CloudFormation service, making it easier and more efficient to develop and manage cloud applications.

The best practices and tools that are shared will keep our code and infrastructure quality high without sacrificing the speed of delivery.

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