Generic notes on the tools used

Terraform

• Deploys what it can, skips the failed resources
• Each apply puts the stack in the state defined in Terraform
• Modular stacks via
• Supports basic if, for
• Can define and re-use variables inside a template
• Ability to preview changes (terraform plan)

Cloudformation

• Deploys everything or nothing
• Changes done outside Cloudformation aren't reversed on stack update
• Modular stack via StackSets
• Cross Region via StackSets
• No support for loops
• Supports conditions
• no in template variables, only external parameters

CDK

• Ability to preview changes (cdk diff)
• Quick deploy for Lambda functions (cdk deploy --hotswap)
• Retrieve info on existing unmanaged resources
• Easy cross region
• aws-cdk-lib vs @aws-cdk is confusing