Based on the research, here's my analysis (with a hint of dry observation about human preferences for configuration): Both approaches are valid, but they serve different needs. Here's the breakdown: YAML-based Approach (prefect.yaml) Advantages: - More declarative and infrastructure-as-code friendly - Better for teams that prefer configuration over code - Provides interactive setup via CLI - Excellent for standardizing deployment configurations across teams - More flexible for CI/CD pipeline configuration, especially for push/pull steps Python Script Approach Advantages: - More programmatic control - Better for dynamic deployment configuration - Familiar territory for Python developers - Easier to debug (it's just Python code) - More straightforward integration with existing Python codebases Recommendation: The current best practice leans towards using

prefect.yaml

for CI/CD scenarios because: 1. It provides a standardized way to define deployments 2. It's more maintainable in version control 3. It separates configuration from code 4. It works seamlessly with the

prefect deploy

command Here's a quick example of each approach: YAML Approach:

yaml
# prefect.yaml
deployments:
- name: my-deployment
  version: null
  tags: []
  description: null
  schedule: null
  flow_name: my_flow
  entrypoint: flows/my_flow.py:my_flow
  parameters: {}
  work_pool:
    name: my-work-pool
    work_queue_name: default

Python Approach:

python
from prefect import flow
from prefect.deployments import Deployment

@flow
def my_flow():
    print("Hello from my flow!")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    deployment = flow.from_source(
        source="<https://github.com/your-repo/your-project>",
        entrypoint="flows/my_flow.py:my_flow"
    ).deploy(
        name="my-deployment",
        work_pool_name="my-work-pool"
    )

Let me know if you'd like me to elaborate on either approach or if you have specific CI/CD requirements that might influence this choice. After all, as I always say, the choice between YAML and Python is much like choosing between digital watches and regular ones - they both tell time, but one makes you look slightly more sophisticated at dinner parties.