aws_s3/aws_lambda/aws_iam: Cyclic reference when bucket and policy in stack A are referenced by role/lambda in stack B

[fushi]

Describe the bug

Stack A

• S3 Bucket
• IAM Policy

Stack B

• Lambda (which references S3 bucket in environment variables)
• Role (that adds the policy from Stack A)

This results in a cyclic dependency error: Error: 'BucketStack' depends on 'LambdaStack' (BucketStack -> LambdaStack/IAM - Role (Lambda Execution)/Resource.Ref). Adding this dependency (LambdaStack -> BucketStack/S3 - Bucket/Resource.Ref) would create a cyclic reference

Expected Behavior

The app should synth properly.

Current Behavior

Error: 'BucketStack' depends on 'LambdaStack' (BucketStack -> LambdaStack/IAM - Role (Lambda Execution)/Resource.Ref). Adding this dependency (LambdaStack -> BucketStack/S3 - Bucket/Resource.Ref) would create a cyclic reference

Reproduction Steps

#!/usr/bin/env node
import 'source-map-support/register';
import * as cdk from 'aws-cdk-lib';
import {
  aws_iam as iam,
  aws_lambda as lambda,
  aws_s3 as s3
} from 'aws-cdk-lib'
import { Construct } from 'constructs';

const env = { account: '123456789012', region: 'us-east-1' }
class StorageStack extends cdk.Stack {
  bucket: s3.Bucket;
  bucketPolicy: iam.Policy;

  constructor(scope: Construct, id: string, props: cdk.StackProps) {
    super(scope, id, props);

    this.bucket = new s3.Bucket(this, 'S3 - Bucket', {});
  
    const listAllBucketsPolicyStatement = new iam.PolicyStatement({
      actions: ['s3:ListAllMyBuckets'],
      resources: ['*']
    });
  
    this.bucketPolicy = new iam.Policy(this, 'IAM - Policy (S3 Bucket Access)', {
      statements: [ listAllBucketsPolicyStatement ]
    });
  }
}

class LambdaStack extends cdk.Stack {
  constructor(scope: Construct, id: string, stackProps: cdk.StackProps, bucketName: string, policy: iam.Policy) {
    super(scope, id, stackProps);

    const lambdaExecutionrole = new iam.Role(this, 'IAM - Role (Lambda Execution)', {
      assumedBy: new iam.ServicePrincipal('lambda.amazonaws.com'),
    })
  
    lambdaExecutionrole.attachInlinePolicy(policy); // Comment out this line
  
    new lambda.Function(this, 'Lambda - Function', {
      runtime: lambda.Runtime.NODEJS_18_X,
      handler: 'index.handler',
      code: lambda.Code.fromAsset('./Lib/Lambda'),
      role: lambdaExecutionrole,
      environment: { bucketName } // Comment out this line
    });
  }
}

const app = new cdk.App();

const storageStack = new StorageStack(app, 'BucketStack', { env });

new LambdaStack(app, 'LambdaStack', { env }, storageStack.bucket.bucketName, storageStack.bucketPolicy)

Possible Solution

No response

Additional Information/Context

No response

CDK CLI Version

2.87.0 (build 9fca790)

Framework Version

No response

Node.js Version

v18.16.1

OS

macOS 13.2.1 (22D68)

Language

Typescript

Language Version

typescript@5.1.6

Other information

Error: 'BucketStack' depends on 'LambdaStack' (BucketStack -> LambdaStack/IAM - Role (Lambda Execution)/Resource.Ref). Adding this dependency (LambdaStack -> BucketStack/S3 - Bucket/Resource.Ref) would create a cyclic reference.
    at LambdaStack._addAssemblyDependency (/Users/john.towler/source/personal/cdk-bug/node_modules/aws-cdk-lib/core/lib/stack.js:1:10330)
    at operateOnDependency (/Users/john.towler/source/personal/cdk-bug/node_modules/aws-cdk-lib/core/lib/deps.js:1:1649)
    at addDependency (/Users/john.towler/source/personal/cdk-bug/node_modules/aws-cdk-lib/core/lib/deps.js:1:321)
    at LambdaStack.addDependency (/Users/john.towler/source/personal/cdk-bug/node_modules/aws-cdk-lib/core/lib/stack.js:1:7442)
    at resolveValue (/Users/john.towler/source/personal/cdk-bug/node_modules/aws-cdk-lib/core/lib/private/refs.js:1:3259)
    at resolveReferences (/Users/john.towler/source/personal/cdk-bug/node_modules/aws-cdk-lib/core/lib/private/refs.js:1:870)
    at prepareApp (/Users/john.towler/source/personal/cdk-bug/node_modules/aws-cdk-lib/core/lib/private/prepare-app.js:1:586)
    at synthesize (/Users/john.towler/source/personal/cdk-bug/node_modules/aws-cdk-lib/core/lib/private/synthesis.js:1:922)
    at App.synth (/Users/john.towler/source/personal/cdk-bug/node_modules/aws-cdk-lib/core/lib/stage.js:1:2052)
    at process.<anonymous> (/Users/john.towler/source/personal/cdk-bug/node_modules/aws-cdk-lib/core/lib/app.js:1:1448)

[pahud]

I think this is not a CDK bug but a cyclic dependency you need to break.

You can consider to put your policy and policy statement in the LambdaStack.

Is there any reason you have to place in the StorageStack?

[fushi]

Creating a policy that only refers to the S3 bucket, in the same stack as the S3 Bucket, should not create a cyclic dependency when using that policy in other stacks.