Cloud Computing
AWS Lambda
Definition
AWS Lambda is an event-driven, serverless computing platform provided by Amazon as a part of the Amazon Web Services. It is a computing service that runs code in response to events and automatically manages the computing resources required by that code.
Why It Matters
Lambda is a pioneer and leader in the serverless/FaaS space. It allows developers to run code for virtually any type of application or backend service with zero administration, and pay only for what they use.
Contextual Example
When a new user signs up for a service, a "user created" event is triggered. This event invokes a Lambda function that sends a welcome email to the new user. The function runs for a few seconds and then shuts down.
Common Misunderstandings
- Lambda functions are stateless and have a maximum execution time (currently 15 minutes).
- It is a key component for building event-driven and microservices architectures on AWS.