Last Updated on March 15, 2023
Serverless architecture (also known as serverless computing or function as a service, FaaS) is a software design paradigm in which third-party services host applications, removing the developer’s need to handle server software and hardware. Distinct functions are divided down into individual applications that can be called and scaled independently. To run your apps, databases, and storage systems, you no longer need to provision, scale, and maintain servers.
Your developers can focus on their core product instead of worrying about managing and administering servers or runtimes, whether in the cloud or on-premises when you choose a serverless design. This reduced overhead frees up time and resources for developers to focus on creating amazing, scalable, and dependable solutions.
What is Serverless Computing?
Serverless computing refers to the practice of offering backend services on a per-user basis. Users can build and deploy code without having to worry about the underlying infrastructure using a serverless provider. Because the service is auto-scaling, a company that uses backend services from a serverless vendor is charged depending on their calculations and does not have to reserve and pay for a fixed amount of bandwidth or number of servers. Physical servers are still used, despite the nickname serverless, although developers do not need to be aware of them.
Anyone who wanted to construct a web application in the early days of the web had to own the physical gear required to run a server, which was a time-consuming and costly task. Then came cloud computing, which allowed users to rent certain numbers of servers or amounts of server space through the internet. Developers and businesses that rent these fixed units of server space typically buy more than they need to ensure that a surge in traffic or activity does not cause their applications to crash. This means that a lot of the money spent on server space could be wasted. To solve the problem, cloud vendors have offered auto-scaling models, but even with auto-scaling, an unwelcome spike in activity, such as a DDoS attack, might be highly costly.
Serverless computing allows developers to purchase backend services on a flexible ‘pay-as-you-go’ basis, meaning that developers only have to pay for the services they use. This is like switching from a cell phone data plan to a monthly fixed limit, to one that only charges for each byte of data that actually gets used.
How Serverless Architecture Works
Users can interface with an application and access its business logic through servers, but managing servers requires a lot of time and effort. Teams must maintain server hardware, keep software and security upgrades up to date, and generate backups in the event of a breakdown. Developers can outsource these tasks to a third-party supplier by using serverless architecture, allowing them to focus on building application code.
Function as a Service (FaaS) is a serverless architecture in which developers compose their application code as a set of discrete functions. When triggered by an event, such as an incoming email or an HTTP request, each function will do a certain action. Developers then deploy their functions, along with their triggers, to a cloud provider account after going through the standard steps of testing. When a function is called, the cloud provider either executes it on an existing server or spins up a new server to perform the function. Developers can focus on building and deploying application code while this execution process is abstracted away from them.
Most serverless providers offer database and storage capabilities to their users, and many, like Cloudflare Workers, also have Function-as-a-Service (FaaS) platforms. Developers can run small pieces of code on the network edge with FaaS. Developers can create a modular architecture with FaaS, resulting in a more scalable codebase without having to invest resources in maintaining the underlying backend.
While serverless architecture has been present for more than a decade, Amazon launched AWS Lambda in 2014 as the first popular FaaS platform. The bulk of developers still use AWS Lambda to construct serverless apps, but Google and Microsoft both have their own FaaS services, Google Cloud Functions (GCF) and Azure Functions, respectively.
Benefits of Serverless Architecture
It is easy to deploy
For your application, a serverless method could be ideal. If you need to get an app up and running quickly, serverless might be the way to go. You may now deploy an app in hours or days rather than weeks or months. The reason for this is that you will not have to worry about infrastructure. You can concentrate on the code and release it right away. You don’t have to worry about provisioning because scalability is automatic.
More Time For UX
Customers don’t care about infrastructure, so keep that in mind if your app caters to them. They don’t have access to all of the back-end code you’ve built. The front-end code will be the only thing they notice. They place a higher value on the user interface and experience. So, instead of focusing on features that consumers do not care about, why not allocate resources to elements that keep customers happy? As you can get infrastructure taken care of easily with serverless architecture, you can focus more on your frontend and use experience.
Better scalability
If you want to be the next Google, you should think about whether your server can take such a demand. You can roll with the punches if you use a serverless design. If your app succeeds and expands, it will be simple to make changes to meet the expansion. If that’s not the case, there’s no harm done! There’s no use in building infrastructure if you don’t know if it’ll be used. That’s a significant advantage.
Low cost
Going serverless is a fantastic way to save money. That’s because you’re contracting out the management of servers, databases, and some logic. Aside from the financial savings, serverless computing requires less processing power and human resources. There’s no reason why you should have to design your own server from the ground up. You can concentrate on the server-side code that counts because serverless takes care of the infrastructure. There are some instances where the cost isn’t that much lower, but it depends on your use case.
It is more efficient
You pay per request in a serverless architecture. You’d maintain a typical server running at all times if you had one. You’re only charged when the server is used with a serverless architecture. As a result, there is less trash produced. It’s also more efficient because scaling is no longer a concern. You don’t have to worry about infrastructure, setup, capacity planning, or DevOps anymore.
Improved flexibility
It’s easier to get started with serverless development than it is with traditional methods. As a result, being serverless allows you to innovate more quickly. You can go on to the next project when you can see quick practical results. You can now begin developing your next feature or microservice. When you’re not restricted by limits, the serverless design gives this benefit. In circumstances where you need to restructure, pivoting is also easier.
Serverless Architecture Does Have Limitations
The serverless design isn’t without flaws. It’s still a developing architecture, so some people are hesitant to accept it.
- Long-running application inefficiencies. Long-running workloads could be more expensive to execute on serverless. It is often more efficient to use a dedicated server.
- Third-party dependency. You must rely on your supplier if you use a serverless architecture. You don’t have complete control, and changes may have an unanticipated impact on you. The platform’s accessibility is constrained by its terms.
- Cold starts. When a platform must activate internal resources, it is referred to as a “cold start.” It’s possible that your serverless architecture will take some time to respond to your first function request. You can avoid a “cold start” by making sure the function is still activated. You do this by giving it requests on a regular basis.
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