AWS Lambda is a compute service that lets you run code without provisioning or managing servers.
Lambda runs your code on a high-availability compute infrastructure and performs all of the administration of the compute resources, including server and operating system maintenance, capacity provisioning and automatic scaling, and logging. With Lambda, all you need to do is supply your code in one of the language runtimes that Lambda supports.
You organize your code into Lambda functions. The Lambda service runs your function only when needed and scales automatically. You only pay for the compute time that you consume—there is no charge when your code is not running.
Utilizing AWS Lambda offers numerous advantages in modern cloud computing. One primary benefit is its serverless architecture, allowing developers to focus solely on writing code without managing infrastructure. This results in cost savings as Lambda functions are billed per execution and only for the resources used during that time, eliminating the need to pay for idle resources.
Scalability is another key advantage; Lambda automatically scales based on incoming traffic, ensuring seamless performance during peak loads. Additionally, Lambda integrates seamlessly with other AWS services, enabling easy development of complex applications by leveraging services like S3, DynamoDB, and API Gateway.
Furthermore, AWS Lambda supports multiple programming languages, facilitating flexibility for developers to work with their preferred language. Its event-driven model enables quick deployment, enhances agility, and encourages rapid innovation within a scalable and reliable environment, making AWS Lambda an invaluable tool for modern application development
Lambda is an ideal compute service for application scenarios that need to scale up rapidly, and scale down to zero when not in demand. For example, you can use Lambda for:
- File processing: Use Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) to trigger Lambda data processing in real time after an upload.
- Stream processing: Use Lambda and Amazon Kinesis to process real-time streaming data for application activity tracking, transaction order processing, clickstream analysis, data cleansing, log filtering, indexing, social media analysis, Internet of Things (IoT) device data telemetry, and metering.
- Web applications: Combine Lambda with other AWS services to build powerful web applications that automatically scale up and down and run in a highly available configuration across multiple data centers.
- IoT backends: Build serverless backends using Lambda to handle web, mobile, IoT, and third-party API requests.
- Mobile backends: Build backends using Lambda and Amazon API Gateway to authenticate and process API requests. Use AWS Amplify to easily integrate with your iOS, Android, Web, and React Native frontends.
When using Lambda, you are responsible only for your code. Lambda manages the compute fleet that offers a balance of memory, CPU, network, and other resources to run your code. Because Lambda manages these resources, you cannot log in to compute instances or customize the operating system on provided runtimes.
Lambda performs operational and administrative activities on your behalf, including managing capacity, monitoring, and logging your Lambda functions.
