What is AWS Lambda

Introduction

AWS Lambda is an event-driven, serverless computing technology available through Amazon Web Services (AWS).

AWS Lambda code is executed in response to events in AWS services, such as adding/deleting files in an S3 bucket and calling the Amazon API gateway over HTTP.

The AWS Lambda function lets you concentrate on your core product and business logic rather than managing Operating System (OS) access control, OS patching, right-sizing, provisioning, scaling, and other tasks. In this article, we will cover AWS Lambda’s features, working, benefits, limitations, and use cases.

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AWS Lambda Concepts

Function:

Lambda sends invocation events to your function, which processes and responds to the event.

Runtimes:

The runtime allows functions written in different languages to run in the same execution environment, and this aids in the configuration of your function during execution.

Event Source:

An event source can be a bespoke service or an AWS service like Amazon SNS. This triggers function aids in the execution of your logic.

Lambda Layers:

Lambda layers are crucial for distributing libraries, custom runtimes, and other critical function dependencies. This AWS component also allows you to manage your development function code separately from the code and resources it relies on.

Log Streams:

Log stream allows you to add custom logging statements to your function code, which may be used to analyze your AWS Lambda functions’ execution flow and performance.

When Should I Use Lambda

Lambda is a suitable computing option for many application scenarios as long as you can run your application code using Lambda’s standard runtime environment and within Lambda’s resources.

You are solely responsible for your code while using Lambda. Lambda manages the compute fleet, which provides a proper mix of memory, CPU, network, and other resources to run your code. Lambda maintains these resources; you cannot log in to compute instances or alter the operating system on given runtimes. Lambda takes care of your operational and administrative tasks, such as managing capacity, monitoring, and logging your Lambda functions.

When Not to Use AWS Lambda

The following are some scenarios in which Lambda is not the best choice:

If utilized for custom software applications with licensing agreements like MS Office document processing, Oracle databases, etc., it is inappropriate to employ AWS Lambda software packages or apps that rely on calling underlying Windows RPCs.

Custom hardware processes, such as GPU acceleration and hardware affinity, should not be used with AWS Lambda.

How Does AWS Lambda Work?

AWS Lambda works in a few simple steps:

Step 1: Upload your AWS Lambda code in any language that AWS Lambda supports. AWS Lambda functions support various languages, including Java, Python, Go, and C#.

Step 2: AWS Lambda can be triggered using the AWS services.

Step 3: AWS Lambda assists you in uploading code and the event data that should be used to trigger it.

Step 4: When prompted by the AWS service, execute AWS Lambda Code.

The Benefits of Using AWS Lambda

Here are some advantages of adopting AWS Lambda:

• It assists you in granting access to resources, such as VPCs
• It is accessible as a Visual Studio and Eclipse plugin
• As it is a serverless design, you will not have to worry about managing or provisioning servers
• It is unnecessary to establish a Virtual Machine when using AWS Lambda
• It allows developers to run and execute code that responds to events without having to establish any infrastructure
• It enables you to run your code without setting up or operating a server
• It allows you to run the code only when necessary
• It can be scaled automatically to accommodate a few requests per day and even hundreds of requests per second
• External event timers can set up AWS Lambda to run scheduled operations
• External events and timers should be configured in AWS Lambda functions to be used for scheduling
• Lambda functions are stateless, allowing for rapid scaling
• AWS Lambda is lightning fast, so your code will be executed in milliseconds

Limitations of AWS Lambda

The following are the disadvantages of using AWS Lambda:

• As AWS Lambda relies exclusively on AWS for infrastructure, you will not be able to install any other software until your code requires it
• The maximum number of concurrent executions is 100
• AWS Lambda relies on AWS for infrastructure; if your code requires it, you cannot install any extra software
• It has a memory capacity of 128 to 1536 MB
• An event request can be up to 128 KB in size
• You must log in directly to CloudWatch in order to track and troubleshoot your functions
• It features a 5-minute timeout for code execution

AWS Lambda Use Cases

AWS Lambda is used for a wide range of purposes, including:

• Aids in the ETL process
• Allows you to process real-time files and streams in real-time
• You can create web applications with it
• Use in Amazon products such as Alexa Chatbots and Echo/Alexa
• Processing of data (real-time streaming analytics)
• Automated Backups of routine tasks
• Backends that scale (mobile apps, loT devices)
• Aids in the execution of server-side backend logic
• You can use it to filter and transform data

What Does a Lambda Function Entail?

AWS Lambda functions become independent containers when you adopt the Serverless Application Model (SAM) for your code.

As it contains configuration information for that function, the Lambda function is frequently referred to as a container. The name and description of the function, resource needs, and entry point are all included.

AWS Lambda in 2022

This year Amazon Lambda will be delivering a serverless coding service that will have the ability to run practically any application without the need for creating servers. Currently, Lambda is supported by more than 200 Amazon Web Services, and it also works with SaaS systems. Lambda is a cost-effective approach to running code without clusters or servers because it is a part of AWS.

Recent Development

AWS Lambda Function URLs — As a built-in capability of the AWS Lambda service, AWS Lambda Function URL is a new feature that makes it easier to call functions through an HTTPS endpoint. The Lambda console makes adding Function URLs to new and existing functions simple. Function URLs are great for getting started with Lambda web services or typical chores like creating webhooks.

Conclusion

AWS Lambda provides a comprehensive set of tools for developing secure and scalable applications. Most of Lambda’s security and compliance best practices are the same as in other AWS services, while a few are unique to Lambda. It’s best to consider what you learned about AWS Lambda and how it might improve your next workload solution when planning your subsequent implementation.