Rehan van der Merwe
@rehanvdm.bsky.social
DevOps @resend.com
AWS Hero | Blogger | Speaker | Serverless and coffee junkie
Just a developer for fun
AWS Hero | Blogger | Speaker | Serverless and coffee junkie
Just a developer for fun
Did you catch Zeno's (Resend CEO) presentation at Supabase Select? Fun fact, he created Dracula while in the hospital 🐐
www.youtube.com/live/GbBGYNN...
www.youtube.com/live/GbBGYNN...
Supabase Select Build Stage
YouTube video by Supabase
www.youtube.com
October 6, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Did you catch Zeno's (Resend CEO) presentation at Supabase Select? Fun fact, he created Dracula while in the hospital 🐐
www.youtube.com/live/GbBGYNN...
www.youtube.com/live/GbBGYNN...
It's 2025, and I'm creating a "lambda warmer" function, ugh..
October 6, 2025 at 6:43 AM
It's 2025, and I'm creating a "lambda warmer" function, ugh..
🚀 It’s here: Visualize your CDK Diffs directly on your PRs! Powered by the new CDK Express Pipeline GitHub Diff Action -> github.com/rehanvdm/cdk...
Key features:
⚡ Run diffs in parallel to save time
📑 Collect outputs from multiple stacks and add them neatly to your PR description
...
Key features:
⚡ Run diffs in parallel to save time
📑 Collect outputs from multiple stacks and add them neatly to your PR description
...
September 8, 2025 at 7:19 AM
🚀 It’s here: Visualize your CDK Diffs directly on your PRs! Powered by the new CDK Express Pipeline GitHub Diff Action -> github.com/rehanvdm/cdk...
Key features:
⚡ Run diffs in parallel to save time
📑 Collect outputs from multiple stacks and add them neatly to your PR description
...
Key features:
⚡ Run diffs in parallel to save time
📑 Collect outputs from multiple stacks and add them neatly to your PR description
...
What is stopping you from having CDK Diffs on Pull Requests like this?
August 20, 2025 at 7:37 AM
What is stopping you from having CDK Diffs on Pull Requests like this?
Did you know your Lambdas can be throttled even though they are under the account concurrency? This happens if the sum of their requests per second exceeds 10x the account concurrency.
August 7, 2025 at 5:51 AM
Did you know your Lambdas can be throttled even though they are under the account concurrency? This happens if the sum of their requests per second exceeds 10x the account concurrency.
Earlier this week, I had the great opportunity to speak with students at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) about AWS Cloud and the Serverless mindset.
We explored real-world use cases, career paths in cloud, and how Serverless is changing the way we build applications.
We explored real-world use cases, career paths in cloud, and how Serverless is changing the way we build applications.
August 1, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Earlier this week, I had the great opportunity to speak with students at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) about AWS Cloud and the Serverless mindset.
We explored real-world use cases, career paths in cloud, and how Serverless is changing the way we build applications.
We explored real-world use cases, career paths in cloud, and how Serverless is changing the way we build applications.
The CDK Express Pipeline GitHub README was getting out of hand, so I've created a documentation website to organize it better!
Is it perfect? No, but done is better than perfect.
rehanvdm.github.io/cdk-express-...
Is it perfect? No, but done is better than perfect.
rehanvdm.github.io/cdk-express-...
July 17, 2025 at 7:11 AM
The CDK Express Pipeline GitHub README was getting out of hand, so I've created a documentation website to organize it better!
Is it perfect? No, but done is better than perfect.
rehanvdm.github.io/cdk-express-...
Is it perfect? No, but done is better than perfect.
rehanvdm.github.io/cdk-express-...
TIL that when GitHub does a rebase, commits will have different hashes 🤦
Not great when you are promoting assets from lower branches/envs and make use of the commit hash.
docs.github.com/en/repositor...
Not great when you are promoting assets from lower branches/envs and make use of the commit hash.
docs.github.com/en/repositor...
July 11, 2025 at 8:03 AM
TIL that when GitHub does a rebase, commits will have different hashes 🤦
Not great when you are promoting assets from lower branches/envs and make use of the commit hash.
docs.github.com/en/repositor...
Not great when you are promoting assets from lower branches/envs and make use of the commit hash.
docs.github.com/en/repositor...
🚀 Have you seen last week's CDK Express Pipeline changelog? Here's what's new:
✨ Deployment order now visualized with a Mermaid diagram
✨ New option to deploy stages sequentially
✨ Individual stack deployment order now displayed in [brackets]
👉 Check it out: github.com/rehanvdm/cdk...
#AWS #CDK
✨ Deployment order now visualized with a Mermaid diagram
✨ New option to deploy stages sequentially
✨ Individual stack deployment order now displayed in [brackets]
👉 Check it out: github.com/rehanvdm/cdk...
#AWS #CDK
June 23, 2025 at 7:54 AM
🚀 Have you seen last week's CDK Express Pipeline changelog? Here's what's new:
✨ Deployment order now visualized with a Mermaid diagram
✨ New option to deploy stages sequentially
✨ Individual stack deployment order now displayed in [brackets]
👉 Check it out: github.com/rehanvdm/cdk...
#AWS #CDK
✨ Deployment order now visualized with a Mermaid diagram
✨ New option to deploy stages sequentially
✨ Individual stack deployment order now displayed in [brackets]
👉 Check it out: github.com/rehanvdm/cdk...
#AWS #CDK
Have you seen these open source CDK gems (no particular order)?
⭐️ cdk-sops-secrets – CDK construct to sync SOPS-encrypted secrets into AWS Secrets Manager github.com/dbsystel/cdk...
⭐️ cdk-sops-secrets – CDK construct to sync SOPS-encrypted secrets into AWS Secrets Manager github.com/dbsystel/cdk...
GitHub - dbsystel/cdk-sops-secrets: CDK Construct that syncs your sops secrets into AWS SecretsManager secrets.
CDK Construct that syncs your sops secrets into AWS SecretsManager secrets. - dbsystel/cdk-sops-secrets
github.com
June 19, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Have you seen these open source CDK gems (no particular order)?
⭐️ cdk-sops-secrets – CDK construct to sync SOPS-encrypted secrets into AWS Secrets Manager github.com/dbsystel/cdk...
⭐️ cdk-sops-secrets – CDK construct to sync SOPS-encrypted secrets into AWS Secrets Manager github.com/dbsystel/cdk...
Two new features for CDK Express Pipeline.
1. Deploy Stages Sequentially within a Wave
2. The order of operation now indicates what stack will be deployed based on your stack selector (the command in the second screenshot targeted was: `cdk deploy 'Wave2_*'`)
github.com/rehanvdm/cdk...
1. Deploy Stages Sequentially within a Wave
2. The order of operation now indicates what stack will be deployed based on your stack selector (the command in the second screenshot targeted was: `cdk deploy 'Wave2_*'`)
github.com/rehanvdm/cdk...
June 17, 2025 at 6:32 AM
Two new features for CDK Express Pipeline.
1. Deploy Stages Sequentially within a Wave
2. The order of operation now indicates what stack will be deployed based on your stack selector (the command in the second screenshot targeted was: `cdk deploy 'Wave2_*'`)
github.com/rehanvdm/cdk...
1. Deploy Stages Sequentially within a Wave
2. The order of operation now indicates what stack will be deployed based on your stack selector (the command in the second screenshot targeted was: `cdk deploy 'Wave2_*'`)
github.com/rehanvdm/cdk...
New blog post 🚀
If you're using AWS CDK Pipelines but struggling with its complexity and slow performance, I've written a detailed guide on migrating to CDK Express Pipeline.
rehanvdm.com/blog/migrate...
#AWS #CDK #DevOps
If you're using AWS CDK Pipelines but struggling with its complexity and slow performance, I've written a detailed guide on migrating to CDK Express Pipeline.
rehanvdm.com/blog/migrate...
#AWS #CDK #DevOps
Migrate from CDK Pipelines to CDK Express Pipeline
A practical guide to migrating from AWS CDK Pipelines to CDK Express Pipeline. Learn the reasons, benefits, and step-by-step process, with benchmarks and code comparisons.
rehanvdm.com
June 9, 2025 at 6:10 AM
New blog post 🚀
If you're using AWS CDK Pipelines but struggling with its complexity and slow performance, I've written a detailed guide on migrating to CDK Express Pipeline.
rehanvdm.com/blog/migrate...
#AWS #CDK #DevOps
If you're using AWS CDK Pipelines but struggling with its complexity and slow performance, I've written a detailed guide on migrating to CDK Express Pipeline.
rehanvdm.com/blog/migrate...
#AWS #CDK #DevOps
Finding a bad behaving SQL query is like a murder mystery and who doesn't love that
a cartoon of a pony with the words " they will never find the body " below it
ALT: a cartoon of a pony with the words " they will never find the body " below it
media.tenor.com
June 3, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Finding a bad behaving SQL query is like a murder mystery and who doesn't love that
📘The AWS CDK Express Pipeline library helps you create simple and fast deployment pipelines using the AWS CDK.
This new tutorial shows you how to set up and manage deployments with cdk-express-pipeline on GitHub.
rehanvdm.com/blog/cdk-exp...
This new tutorial shows you how to set up and manage deployments with cdk-express-pipeline on GitHub.
rehanvdm.com/blog/cdk-exp...
CDK Express Pipeline Tutorial
Learn how to create and manage simple and fast deployment pipelines using the cdk-express-pipeline library, a powerful tool built on top of AWS CDK that enables CDK-native pipeline definitions.
rehanvdm.com
May 13, 2025 at 5:56 AM
📘The AWS CDK Express Pipeline library helps you create simple and fast deployment pipelines using the AWS CDK.
This new tutorial shows you how to set up and manage deployments with cdk-express-pipeline on GitHub.
rehanvdm.com/blog/cdk-exp...
This new tutorial shows you how to set up and manage deployments with cdk-express-pipeline on GitHub.
rehanvdm.com/blog/cdk-exp...
FEATURE REQUEST - I actually want something AI
`@slack what have I been up to last week and what still needs attention`
`@slack what have I been up to last week and what still needs attention`
March 3, 2025 at 9:52 AM
FEATURE REQUEST - I actually want something AI
`@slack what have I been up to last week and what still needs attention`
`@slack what have I been up to last week and what still needs attention`
Check it out, this time I am in front of the camera not behind it 🙂 talking about CDK Express Pipelines an alternative to CDK Pipelines. Spoiler alert Express is faster, less opinionated and runs anywhere, even locally!
Finally back on - @rehanvdm.bsky.social is on fire in the first episode in 2025 that just dropped on my YouTube channel!
#awscommunity #cicd #awscdk #cdk
youtu.be/pma4zP7mhMU
#awscommunity #cicd #awscdk #cdk
youtu.be/pma4zP7mhMU
Exploring CI/CD with AWS CDK Express Pipeline: Faster and Efficient Deployments
YouTube video by CI and CD on Amazon Web Services (AWS)
youtu.be
February 10, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Check it out, this time I am in front of the camera not behind it 🙂 talking about CDK Express Pipelines an alternative to CDK Pipelines. Spoiler alert Express is faster, less opinionated and runs anywhere, even locally!
Have you seen the AWS Data Landing Zone CDK Construct? It creates the groundwork/platform enabling the rest of your teams https://datalandingzone.com/
Do you see the value in using a Landing Zone? If so what are you using today?
Do you see the value in using a Landing Zone? If so what are you using today?
February 6, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Have you seen the AWS Data Landing Zone CDK Construct? It creates the groundwork/platform enabling the rest of your teams https://datalandingzone.com/
Do you see the value in using a Landing Zone? If so what are you using today?
Do you see the value in using a Landing Zone? If so what are you using today?
If everything is a priority, then nothing is.
- Me after this week 🥲
- Me after this week 🥲
January 31, 2025 at 2:58 PM
If everything is a priority, then nothing is.
- Me after this week 🥲
- Me after this week 🥲
I need to get back to blogging this year, I have been having too much fun in builder land. First post, is about two new CDK Constructs I published to help connect Lambdas to the Tailscale network. Blogging about building is still considered blogging right? 😅
https://rehanvdm.com/blog/cdk-lambda-t…
https://rehanvdm.com/blog/cdk-lambda-t…
CDK Constructs for connecting AWS Lambda to Tailscale
With the Tailscale Lambda Extension and Proxy CDK Constructs, you can simplify secure networking without having to rely on Docker and serverfull infrastructure
rehanvdm.com
January 31, 2025 at 7:42 AM
I need to get back to blogging this year, I have been having too much fun in builder land. First post, is about two new CDK Constructs I published to help connect Lambdas to the Tailscale network. Blogging about building is still considered blogging right? 😅
https://rehanvdm.com/blog/cdk-lambda-t…
https://rehanvdm.com/blog/cdk-lambda-t…
We get it already!
January 28, 2025 at 7:51 AM
We get it already!
Astro had a big 2024!
"Astro started life as a static site generator, but in recent years it has actively expanded its server-side functionality, now capable of building sites with dynamic content like e-commerce sites without sacrificing UX."
"Astro started life as a static site generator, but in recent years it has actively expanded its server-side functionality, now capable of building sites with dynamic content like e-commerce sites without sacrificing UX."
2024 year in review | Astro
Revisit everything that happened in Astro last year: new feature releases, survey results, Astro Together, and more!
astro.build
January 22, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Astro had a big 2024!
"Astro started life as a static site generator, but in recent years it has actively expanded its server-side functionality, now capable of building sites with dynamic content like e-commerce sites without sacrificing UX."
"Astro started life as a static site generator, but in recent years it has actively expanded its server-side functionality, now capable of building sites with dynamic content like e-commerce sites without sacrificing UX."
> If you don’t remove the resources, enrollment into the new OU will fail, somewhat spectacularly.
😂 "somewhat spectacularly" The docs calling out that you really screwed up, pitty you only get to read it after the screw-up
😂 "somewhat spectacularly" The docs calling out that you really screwed up, pitty you only get to read it after the screw-up
January 16, 2025 at 9:03 AM
> If you don’t remove the resources, enrollment into the new OU will fail, somewhat spectacularly.
😂 "somewhat spectacularly" The docs calling out that you really screwed up, pitty you only get to read it after the screw-up
😂 "somewhat spectacularly" The docs calling out that you really screwed up, pitty you only get to read it after the screw-up
🚀 New Features in the Data Landing Zone (DLZ) CDK Construct:
🔐 IAM Management: Manage Users, Groups, Roles, and Policies effortlessly.
📦 Account Suspension: Move accounts to the Suspended OU with ease.
🧹 Resource Cleanup: Account resource cleanup with AWS Nuke.
🔐 IAM Management: Manage Users, Groups, Roles, and Policies effortlessly.
📦 Account Suspension: Move accounts to the Suspended OU with ease.
🧹 Resource Cleanup: Account resource cleanup with AWS Nuke.
January 15, 2025 at 2:30 PM
🚀 New Features in the Data Landing Zone (DLZ) CDK Construct:
🔐 IAM Management: Manage Users, Groups, Roles, and Policies effortlessly.
📦 Account Suspension: Move accounts to the Suspended OU with ease.
🧹 Resource Cleanup: Account resource cleanup with AWS Nuke.
🔐 IAM Management: Manage Users, Groups, Roles, and Policies effortlessly.
📦 Account Suspension: Move accounts to the Suspended OU with ease.
🧹 Resource Cleanup: Account resource cleanup with AWS Nuke.
