Title

AWS re:Invent 2023 - Construct your constructs: Use AWS CDK to create architecture at scale (BWP302)

Summary

• ByWithPrime leverages AWS CDK to deploy architecture at scale, saving time, reducing repetitive decisions, and increasing developer confidence.
• ByWithPrime offers a seamless shopping experience for Prime members on merchant sites, with a 25% average increase in shopper conversion.
• The architecture behind ByWithPrime includes services like order service, Amazon's multi-channel fulfillment service, a flexible product catalog, and payment processing.
• AWS CDK is used to create a microservices architecture that is composable and meets various merchant requirements.
• A cross-functional CDK team was formed to create a repository of CDK best practice constructs, standardizing infrastructure deployment and saving significant engineering time.
• The CDK constructs are divided into three layers: Layer 1 (CloudFormation resource specification), Layer 2 (higher-level service constructs), and Layer 3 (abstractions created by AWS, the organization, or third parties).
• ByWithPrime's CDK team focused on opinionated defaults for constructs, particularly around security and operations, to ensure best practices and reduce the need for security teams to review every attribute.
• The CDK constructs repository is available on GitHub for other organizations to use as a starting point for their own strategies.

Insights

• ByWithPrime's use of AWS CDK demonstrates the power of infrastructure as code (IaC) in creating scalable, repeatable, and secure cloud architectures.
• The creation of a cross-functional CDK team to develop a repository of best practice constructs is a strategic move that can be replicated by other organizations to streamline their cloud infrastructure development.
• The emphasis on opinionated defaults within the constructs ensures that best practices are followed by default, reducing the risk of security vulnerabilities and operational inefficiencies.
• The division of constructs into three layers allows for a clear separation of concerns and the ability to build upon AWS-provided constructs with organization-specific enhancements.
• The significant time savings reported by ByWithPrime (50 engineering years) highlights the efficiency gains possible when adopting a well-organized approach to IaC using AWS CDK.
• The availability of ByWithPrime's CDK constructs on GitHub provides a valuable resource for the community and encourages collaboration and sharing of best practices within the AWS ecosystem.