Best practices in CDK for using Smithy and VTL for APIG+DDB app

[andreip]

Hello,

If I'm looking to start an application using APIG + DDB + Smithy model, would you have any suggestions how I can make my application follow as many development best practices as possible? E.g what I'm currently struggling with in my POC is:

1. VTL templates (for converting input to DDB / output from DDB) I'd manage as string templates in CDK and fill in placeholders? It'd be so much better to have constructs for these?
2. Smithy model is just a string, can it be parsed in CDK in a construct to leverage those fields in the VTL for e.g.? Otherwise I'd have two places that would know the model schema a bit, the VTL and the Smithy model, so not totally DRY.

P.S Found this as an example and it's got the issues I mentioned with asking you to pass in VTL as strings to the class or it's done inline. Moreover it isn't using Smithy. If you know of examples doing either or both #1 and #2 points above, please let me know I'd like to learn from these projects.

Thanks a lot!

[andreip]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4JoAjzMW08 might get you there