cdk --help has issues

[Doug-AWS]

It still states:

--json, -j Use JSON output instead of YAML
[boolean] [default: false]

Which makes no sense as it output JSON anyway. We need a -y (YAML) flag for those who want YAML

It also states:

--app, -a REQUIRED: command-line for executing your app or a cloud
assembly directory (e.g. "node bin/my-app.js") [string]

Which is also incorrect. The example should be "npx ts-node bin/my-app.ts"

Version:

• Windows
• TypeScript
• 0.34.0

[rix0rrr]

Which makes no sense as it output JSON anyway. We need a -y (YAML) flag for those who want YAML

Is that true? I was under the impression we were outputting YAML.

Which is also incorrect. The example should be "npx ts-node bin/my-app.ts"

What it should be is discutable. At the very least it's incorrect to say that the example is incorrect. It's a matter of workflow, preference and tooling.

• The quoted example is correct for JavaScript apps and some TypeScript workflows.
• Your example is only correct for some TypeScript workflows.
• Neither the given nor your example would be correct if the application was a Java app, for example.

[mhuebner]

Any ideas on how to set yaml output? Just updated to 0.34.0 and there seems to be no way to use yaml output anymore (already mentioned by @Doug-AWS). Is there a possibility to workaround this issue?

[Doug-AWS]

Sorry, I was completely wrong. The cdk commands output YAML by default and you need only use the -j flag to get JSON.

[mhuebner]

I'm getting Json output only in 0.34.0. No chance to switch to yaml.

[Doug-AWS]

Really? Here's the first 4 lines of cdk synth for the code created in the https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cdk/latest/guide/ecs_example.html:

  MyVpcF9F0CA6F:
    Type: AWS::EC2::VPC
    Properties:```

And with the -j flag:

```{
  "Resources": {
    "MyVpcF9F0CA6F": {
      "Type": "AWS::EC2::VPC",```

[mhuebner]

Yes, console output is YML but looking into folder cdk.out only contains json files (./cdk.out/TestStack.template.json).

[Doug-AWS]

Excellent point. @rix0rrr?

[elexisvenator]

since 0.34, the yaml seems to be output to console (even when --output is specified) and the output folder always contains json. Previously if --output was specified no stacks were output in console. These are both problems - I would much prefer yaml file outputs, and I don't want to spam my console with stacks everytime I synth.

[rix0rrr]

cdk.out should be treated as a CLI-internal directory, and should not be treated as the final output directory.

[rix0rrr]

I'm going to close this issue as the title no longer covers its contents. Please use #2965 to discuss the output of YAML/JSON to output directories.