Serverless architecture, also known as cloud computing execution model, has been widely adopted due to its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. It allows developers to build and run applications and services without concerning about the server infrastructure management.
The Evolution
Serverless computing model feels like you are using a software-as-a-service application within your application architecture. It’s designed to take the distractions away and help developers focus on coding. One of its most admired features is functions-as-a-service (FaaS) or cloud functions. This is where you can run your server-side software without worrying about server infrastructure such as Kubernetes clusters or virtual machines. AWS Lambda, known for FaaS, is quite popular among serverless users, yet there is more to serverless than only AWS Lambda.
Flavors of Serverless
Recently, application hosting becoming more specialized is seen as a new trend in serverless. Services like Vercel or Netlify, which host your websites or Next JS applications, are examples where they manage your applications for you and still are considered serverless.
Some users refrain from writing much custom server-side code and rely on independent custom services. They use a third-party authentication system instead of their databases and libraries. Joe Emison, who is exploring this concept in his upcoming book, is one such enthusiast. He integrates numerous third-party services through a front-end application to depict a modern way of using serverless.
Enterprise-ification of Serverless
While serverless is hot in the market, its definition is going through a wave of changes. One such emerging trend is the “enterprise-ification” of serverless. An array of serverless-ish version of services being launched by Amazon is an example of that. These services, even though automated, don’t have a zero-cost floor, raising questions on their “serverless” tag.
Enhanced Features
Lambda, to cater increasing demands, has added several features some of which are SnapStart (to reduce cold start times) and an option to lock down the runtime version. These additions are meant to entice developers to run more workloads on Lambda.
Serverless Development and Challenges
Serverless development has its unique challenges. Common misconceptions like major changes in CI/CD with serverless are rampant. However, it’s the application architecture needing major revisions due to the removal of always-on servers.
Choosing the granularity of the service also generates debate among serverless developers. Should an application with 20 tasks have 20 Lambda functions or one function managing all 20 tasks? Seems like a simple question but the answer varies significantly.
Furthermore, the costs of serverless may seem higher due to visible pricing models but the overall cost, including the reduced labor in managing the Kubernetes environments, may be more cost-effective.
Wrapping Up
Serverless brings in a dramatic shift in how applications are built and managed. The complexity and costs associated are less tangible and upfront. However, the agility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness make it a worthy consideration. Architecting applications with serverless may take time initially but the long-term benefits are immense.
Tags: #ServerlessArchitecture, #AWSServerless, #LambdaFunctions, #EnterpriseServerless