Serverless architecture is a cloud computing design model where developers can write code, build, and run applications without needing to manage the underlying servers. Instead, cloud providers take the responsibility of providing, scaling, and managing the servers. Cloud computing design explains the management of resources, including databases, servers, storage, software, networking, and analytics, over the internet.
An Overview of Serverless Architecture:
Though the developer’s work involves using servers, they won’t manage or see them. For example, if you cook a burger, you need to maintain and run the oven. In contrast, if you order the burger, then you need not worry about how it is cooked or delivered. While the first example represents the traditional server model, the second example is best for the serverless model.
What are the Core Features?
Driven by Events:
Allows functions to run only to respond to events. They could be file uploads, database changes, API calls, a user logging in, or any other associated scheduled task. Such a facility ensures cost-efficiency while enabling real-time responsiveness and easy scalability. Significantly, it reduces the need to worry about managing the infrastructure. Other examples of event instances include an IoT device sending data, immediately the serverless computing stores the data in the database and triggers an alert. Likewise, after receiving an order from an e-commerce app, there will be updating inventory, followed by sending a confirmation message. When the user signs up, the server sends a welcome email.
No Need to Maintain Servers:
The developer or user need not worry about managing and running servers. Google Cloud, Azure, and AWS are some prominent players in cloud solutions. Can concentrate on writing software code, as cloud providers take on this responsibility.
Pay-per-use:
An important feature of serverless architecture is that it allows users to pay per use, unlike traditional servers, where users end up paying for servers regardless of whether they are being used or idle. In the serverless method, the user pays only when the code is running but not while being idle. While calculating the bill, the system takes into account the total number of requests, the duration of execution in milliseconds, and the memory used during execution.
Support Auto-Scaling:
Serverless architecture allows the computing resources to adjust automatically according to the workload requirement without anyone operating it manually. Through such a facility, users ranging from one to millions can access it without any difficulty, as the servers can automatically adjust to increasing or decreasing traffic.
Firebase functions, Google Cloud functions, Azure functions, and AWS Lambda are some popular platforms that support the auto-scaling feature.
Say, for example, if a developer is running a video-sharing app with Firebase functions in the background, it may encounter the following instances at different time intervals,
They include,
Suppose at 4 AM, only five active users are accessing the app. Then, the Firebase runs five instances alone.
And, by 11 AM, if the video is viral with 20,000 users accessing the app, then Firebase scales to 20,000 instances instantly.
But, by 5 PM in the evening, if the number reduces to 10, then the Firebase scales down to 10 instances without incurring idle costs.
Thus, auto-scaling involves the process of automatically adjusting computing resources.
Stateless Function :
Each function is independent of its own and is stateless, which means they do not store previous memory or information of an instance. Exhibiting such features allows for scalability while lowering the associated complexities, making them more suitable for use across event-driven apps.
In summary, serverless architecture encourages developers to concentrate on writing code by enabling server provisioning and supporting auto-scaling. Moreover, due to stateless design, it ensures resilience, simplicity, and scalability.