AWS CDK Tutorial, for Beginners
1. What is AWS CDK?
AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) is a framework that lets you define cloud infrastructure using real programming languages like TypeScript, Python, Java, etc.
Instead of writing long YAML/JSON files (like CloudFormation), you can use logic like loops, conditions, and functions.
2. Prerequisites
- Node.js (v14+)
- AWS CLI installed and configured (
aws configure) - Basic familiarity with JavaScript/TypeScript
3. Install AWS CDK
npm install -g aws-cdk
cdk --version # should show the installed version
4. Create a New CDK Project
mkdir my-cdk-app
cd my-cdk-app
cdk init app --language typescript
This generates a CDK project with this structure:
my-cdk-app/
├── bin/
│ └── my-cdk-app.ts # Entry point
├── lib/
│ └── my-cdk-app-stack.ts # Stack definition
├── cdk.json # CDK settings
├── package.json
5. Add an AWS S3 Bucket (Example Resource)
Edit lib/my-cdk-app-stack.ts:
import * as cdk from 'aws-cdk-lib';
import { Construct } from 'constructs';
import * as s3 from 'aws-cdk-lib/aws-s3';
export class MyCdkAppStack extends cdk.Stack {
constructor(scope: Construct, id: string, props?: cdk.StackProps) {
super(scope, id, props);
new s3.Bucket(this, 'MyFirstBucket', {
versioned: true,
removalPolicy: cdk.RemovalPolicy.DESTROY, // cleans up on stack delete
autoDeleteObjects: true, // required for DESTROY policy
});
}
}
6. Build the Project
CDK uses TypeScript, so you must compile it before deploying:
npm run build
7. Bootstrap Your Environment (Only Once Per Account/Region)
cdk bootstrap
This sets up the AWS environment to support CDK deployments (like S3 for storing assets).
8. Deploy the Stack
cdk deploy
CDK will:
- Synthesize the stack (generate CloudFormation template)
- Show you a preview
- Ask for confirmation
- Deploy the resources (in this case, an S3 bucket)
9. Clean Up (Delete Resources)
cdk destroy
Destroys the entire stack and deletes resources like the bucket.
10. Common CDK Commands
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
cdk init | Initialize a CDK project |
cdk synth | Output the CloudFormation template |
cdk deploy | Deploy the stack to AWS |
cdk destroy | Remove all resources in the stack |
cdk diff | Show changes between current vs. deployed stack |
cdk bootstrap | Prepare environment for CDK usage |
Summary
- CDK lets you write infra using code (like TypeScript)
- No need to manage raw YAML or JSON
- CDK apps are compiled and synthesized into CloudFormation templates
Optional: Add More Resources
You can add more AWS services by importing their modules and defining them inside the constructor, like:
import * as lambda from 'aws-cdk-lib/aws-lambda';
import * as apigateway from 'aws-cdk-lib/aws-apigateway';
Here is a simple, practical AWS CDK tutorial, limited to ~3 pages. It walks you through creating and deploying a basic AWS resource (an S3 bucket) using AWS CDK in TypeScript.
✅ AWS CDK Tutorial (for Beginners)
1. What is AWS CDK?
AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) is a framework that lets you define cloud infrastructure using real programming languages like TypeScript, Python, Java, etc.
Instead of writing long YAML/JSON files (like CloudFormation), you can use logic like loops, conditions, and functions.
2. Prerequisites
- Node.js (v14+)
- AWS CLI installed and configured (
aws configure) - Basic familiarity with JavaScript/TypeScript
3. Install AWS CDK
npm install -g aws-cdk
cdk --version # should show the installed version
4. Create a New CDK Project
mkdir my-cdk-app
cd my-cdk-app
cdk init app --language typescript
This generates a CDK project with this structure:
my-cdk-app/
├── bin/
│ └── my-cdk-app.ts # Entry point
├── lib/
│ └── my-cdk-app-stack.ts # Stack definition
├── cdk.json # CDK settings
├── package.json
5. Add an AWS S3 Bucket (Example Resource)
Edit lib/my-cdk-app-stack.ts:
import * as cdk from 'aws-cdk-lib';
import { Construct } from 'constructs';
import * as s3 from 'aws-cdk-lib/aws-s3';
export class MyCdkAppStack extends cdk.Stack {
constructor(scope: Construct, id: string, props?: cdk.StackProps) {
super(scope, id, props);
new s3.Bucket(this, 'MyFirstBucket', {
versioned: true,
removalPolicy: cdk.RemovalPolicy.DESTROY, // cleans up on stack delete
autoDeleteObjects: true, // required for DESTROY policy
});
}
}
6. Build the Project
CDK uses TypeScript, so you must compile it before deploying:
npm run build
7. Bootstrap Your Environment (Only Once Per Account/Region)
cdk bootstrap
This sets up the AWS environment to support CDK deployments (like S3 for storing assets).
8. Deploy the Stack
cdk deploy
CDK will:
- Synthesize the stack (generate CloudFormation template)
- Show you a preview
- Ask for confirmation
- Deploy the resources (in this case, an S3 bucket)
9. Clean Up (Delete Resources)
cdk destroy
Destroys the entire stack and deletes resources like the bucket.
10. Common CDK Commands
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
cdk init | Initialize a CDK project |
cdk synth | Output the CloudFormation template |
cdk deploy | Deploy the stack to AWS |
cdk destroy | Remove all resources in the stack |
cdk diff | Show changes between current vs. deployed stack |
cdk bootstrap | Prepare environment for CDK usage |
Optional: Add More Resources
You can add more AWS services by importing their modules and defining them inside the constructor, like:
import * as lambda from 'aws-cdk-lib/aws-lambda';
import * as apigateway from 'aws-cdk-lib/aws-apigateway';
Summary
- CDK lets you write infra using code (like TypeScript)
- No need to manage raw YAML or JSON
- CDK apps are compiled and synthesized into CloudFormation templates