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docs: replace frozen 'blessed version' with automated pin-currency policy (#11)

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Exact pins remain (reproducibility) but the pinned version is kept
current by Dependabot version updates gated by CI + dependency review,
not by a number frozen in the handbook. Blanket dependabot ignore
entries are banned; version-specific ignores only, commented and
temporary. Bundled-dep vulnerabilities are a prompt to advance the
pin, never to dismiss the alert.
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8
aws-infrastructure.md
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@ -22,9 +22,13 @@ Never rely on the CloudWatch default for log retention. Always set `RetentionInD
## CDK Version Policy
Pin `aws-cdk-lib` to a known-good version. The current blessed version is **2.257.0**.
Pin `aws-cdk-lib` to an exact version (no `^`, `~`, or `>=`) and let Dependabot keep it current. There is no static "blessed version" — the org standard is the latest release that passes the gates below. Do not add blanket `dependabot.yml` ignore entries for `aws-cdk-lib`; that is how pins rot into carrying known vulnerabilities.
Why: aws-cdk-lib bundles transitive dependencies (`inBundle: true`). Certain versions (e.g., 2.254.0) break `npm ci` with phantom missing-package errors, and bundled deps can carry vulnerabilities that npm `overrides` cannot fix (e.g., 2.253.1 bundled a high-severity-vulnerable fast-uri; the only remedy is moving to a release that bundles the patched version). When bumping the blessed version: test `npm ci` locally and confirm the new release's bundled deps clear dependency review.
Why exact + automated: the exact pin plus the lockfile gives reproducible builds; weekly Dependabot version updates keep the pin moving; CI (`npm ci` + `cdk synth`) and the dependency-review check reject a bad release at the PR. A release with broken bundled-dep metadata (e.g. 2.254.0) fails `npm ci` on its own bump PR; a release bundling a vulnerable transitive dep fails dependency review. Either way, a bad release never merges — the gates do the vetting, not a frozen number in this document.
aws-cdk-lib bundles transitive dependencies (`inBundle: true`) that npm `overrides` cannot patch. When a bundled dep has a vulnerability, the only fix is advancing to a release that bundles the patched version — treat the alert as a prompt to merge the next Dependabot bump, never as something to dismiss indefinitely.
If a specific release is known-bad, ignore that version only (`ignore: - dependency-name: aws-cdk-lib, versions: ["2.254.0"]`) with a comment explaining why, and remove the entry once a fixed release ships.
When upgrading, verify on a branch first:
1. Update `package.json` to the new version

6
cdk-project-layout.md
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@ -83,16 +83,16 @@ A handful of stacks predate this convention and remain PascalCase (e.g., `SeaHav
## Version Pinning
Pin `aws-cdk-lib` to the blessed version: **2.257.0**.
Pin `aws-cdk-lib` to an exact version (no `^`/`~`/`>=`) and let Dependabot keep it current — no blanket ignore entries. See [aws-infrastructure.md](aws-infrastructure.md#cdk-version-policy) for the full policy.
`aws-cdk-lib` bundles transitive dependencies (`inBundle: true`). Certain versions break `npm ci` with phantom missing-package errors that cannot be fixed via npm `overrides`. Always test before bumping:
`aws-cdk-lib` bundles transitive dependencies (`inBundle: true`). Certain versions break `npm ci` with phantom missing-package errors that cannot be fixed via npm `overrides`. CI gates Dependabot bumps automatically; when bumping manually, test first:
1. Update `package.json` to the new version
2. Run `rm -rf node_modules package-lock.json && npm install`
3. Run `npm ci` -- if it fails, the version is not safe
4. Run `npx cdk synth` -- if it fails, the version is not safe
Dependabot will flag vulnerabilities in bundled transitive deps. Dismiss these alerts with **"waiting for upstream fix"** -- there is no action available until `aws-cdk-lib` publishes a patched release.
Dependabot will flag vulnerabilities in bundled transitive deps. npm `overrides` cannot fix these — the remedy is advancing to the release that bundles the patched version. Merge the next `aws-cdk-lib` bump rather than dismissing the alert.
See [aws-infrastructure.md](aws-infrastructure.md#cdk-version-policy) for more detail.

8
github-standards.md
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@ -13,6 +13,14 @@
Every active repo with package dependencies must have a `.github/dependabot.yml` that covers all relevant ecosystems.
### Pinning Principle
Exact pins are for reproducibility, not for freezing time. The pinned version is kept current by Dependabot version updates gated by CI and dependency review — never by a version number written in documentation.
- Never add a blanket `ignore` entry for a dependency. If a specific release is broken, ignore that release only (`versions: ["x.y.z"]`), with a comment, and remove the entry once a fixed release ships.
- Never dismiss a vulnerability alert as "waiting for upstream" without a linked follow-up that advances the pin when the fix ships.
- If a bump PR fails CI, the gate worked — leave the bad release unmerged and take the next one.
### Ecosystem Selection
Choose ecosystems based on what dependency files exist in the repo: