Should I create a CI/CD pipeline for my AWS CDK repository? Or use the cdk commands to deploy changes in the stacks?

Creating a CI/CD pipeline for your AWS CDK repository is generally recommended over manually using CDK commands to deploy changes, especially for production environments or team-based projects. Here's why:

1. Consistency and Reliability: A CI/CD pipeline ensures that every deployment follows the same process, reducing human errors and inconsistencies that can occur with manual deployments.

2. Automation: Once set up, a pipeline automatically triggers deployments when changes are pushed to your repository, saving time and effort compared to manual deployments.

3. Version Control: A pipeline integrates well with version control systems, making it easier to track changes, rollback if needed, and maintain a history of deployments.

4. Security and Compliance: Pipelines can incorporate security checks and compliance validations as part of the deployment process, enhancing the overall security of your infrastructure.

5. Scalability: As your project grows, a pipeline can easily accommodate more complex deployment scenarios and multiple environments (dev, test, prod).

6. Collaboration: For team projects, a pipeline ensures that all team members follow the same deployment process and can easily deploy changes without extensive knowledge of CDK commands.

7. Testing: You can incorporate automated testing into your pipeline, ensuring that only working code is deployed.

However, for small personal projects or during the initial development phase, using CDK commands directly can be simpler and faster to get started. As your project matures or if you're working in a team environment, transitioning to a CI/CD pipeline becomes more beneficial.

AWS offers several tools to create CI/CD pipelines for CDK applications, such as AWS CodePipeline and CDK Pipelines. These integrate well with other AWS services and can be set up using CDK itself, making the transition from manual deployments to automated pipelines relatively straightforward.
Sources
Building the pipeline - Practicing Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery on AWS
Community | Deploy Your Web Application with AWS Elastic Beanstalk and AWS CDK Pipelines
Set up a CI/CD pipeline by using AWS CodePipeline and AWS CDK - AWS Prescriptive Guidance
Building an end-to-end DevSecOps CI/CD pipeline with DXC’s Continuous Delivery Express solution | AWS Partner Network (APN) Blog