cdk deploy defaults to errors-only progress for AI agents

Introduced 2026-08-26 · score 0.96

HOW TO USE IT

When no progress preference is configured and the CLI detects an AI agent, run `cdk deploy`; it uses `errors-only` automatically. For explicit errors-only output, run `cdk deploy --progress errors-only` and inspect the result or failures.

WHY THIS HELPS

Deploy a CDK app from an AI-agent context and inspect the deployment result or failures.

BEFORE THIS CHANGE

The release-note evidence says agents received per-event deployment output in events mode; `errors-only` preserves failures while suppressing routine progress.

REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS

• Version: 2.1139.0
• <stack-id>: Optional CDK stack construct ID to deploy; omit to deploy the app’s stack selection by default.
• --progress <STRING>: Select deployment progress output. `errors-only` prints nothing during deployment except errors; documented values in the current repository README are `bar`, `events`, and `errors-only`.
• progress: Scalar progress preference in `cdk.json` or `~/.cdk.json`; explicit configuration takes precedence over automatic agent detection.
• -v: Verbose logging; disables AI-agent detection for this default.
• Prerequisite: Install the AWS CDK CLI; the AWS guide says it is installed with Node Package Manager.
• Prerequisite: The target AWS environment must be bootstrapped for stacks with assets or synthesized templates over 51,200 bytes to deploy.
• The automatic default applies when an AI agent is detected and no progress preference is configured anywhere.
• An explicit `--progress` or a `progress` key in `cdk.json` or `~/.cdk.json` takes precedence.
• Verbose logging (`-v`) disables detection.
• When the automatic default applies, a one-line info notice explains the setting and how to override it.
• Docs conflict: The current AWS CLI command reference lists only `bar` and `events` as valid `--progress` values and gives `bar` as the default, while the current official repository README documents `errors-only` and automatic agent detection. The repository README is newer than the stated release; verify behavior against the installed v2.1139.0 CLI.

FIRST-PARTY EVIDENCE

• https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk-cli/releases/tag/aws-cdk%40v2.1139.0
• https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk-cli/pull/1800
• https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk-cli/pull/1850
• https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk-cli/blob/main/packages/aws-cdk/README.md
• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cdk/v2/guide/ref-cli-cmd-deploy.html
• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cdk/v2/guide/cli.html

Check the installed version and the source before using it. Entry JSON

Report a problem with this card