Everyone is trying to make their web applications faster, more scalable, and easier to maintain. There's a huge push moving us more and more to the cloud for our hosting, meaning there are fewer shops that have the cold server closest onsite. With everything moving towards the cloud, we aren't always sure what OS our "server" is using. So we might as well take it a step further and get rid of the server altogether. That's what serverless apps are trying to do. The concept has been around for a few years, but it's starting to pick up speed. Companies are starting to experiment with serverless applications because of all the benefits they provide, but just as many companies are hesitating because of the potential issues. By the time you finish reading this, you should understand what the heck a serverless app is, the benefits and potential issues, and how to architect one.
What is the meaning of Serverless?
The term "serverless" is weird because you know you need a server to host anything online. What's really happening is kind of a distributed server thing. So you'll have the code for your web app (HTML, CSS, JS) hosted somewhere, and then all of your back-end stuff will be taken care of elsewhere. You'll make API calls to other services and use tools like Azure Functions or AWS Lambda to handle the data.
You can think of a serverless app as a front-end that calls 3rd party APIs when an event happens. That means nothing is sitting there waiting for an event to happen or a call to come through. Unlike with normal web apps, you don't have to handle the back-end at all. Everything happens dynamically which frees up a lot of resources for your application.
Pros/Cons of Serverless Architectures
It's hard to describe serverless architecture without talking about its pros and cons. There are just as many reasons that serverless apps are starting to become more popular as there are reasons for keeping monolithic applications. Here are a few of the pros and cons of the serverless app.
Pros
- In serverless architecture, each function operates independently. This isolation means that if one function encounters an error or bug, it won't cause the entire backend to crash, ensuring better reliability and scalability of applications.
- Serverless architecture eliminates the need for large deployments by distributing the backend into numerous independent functions. This approach promotes a microservices architecture, where each function operates autonomously to execute specific operations, enhancing scalability and reducing the impact of errors or changes across the entire system.
- Many serverless platforms provide no-code and low-code options, enabling developers to build applications without needing expertise in specific backend languages or writing extensive code. This accessibility simplifies application development and empowers a broader range of users to create functional solutions quickly and efficiently.
- Serverless platforms offer incredibly fast setup times by providing out-of-the-box infrastructure, thereby eliminating the need for extensive setup and configuration processes. This streamlined approach accelerates development cycles and allows developers to focus more on building and deploying applications rather than managing infrastructure.
- Serverless platforms offer rapid setup with pre-configured infrastructure, minimizing setup time and simplifying deployment processes.
- Serverless functions automatically scale to handle incoming requests, dynamically allocating resources as needed, ensuring scalability from the outset without concerns about server capacity.
Cons
- You give up a lot of control over how the code is implemented and how the original data is processed.
- User experience could suffer if the app is architected properly.
- There are more potential security risks since you are depending on third-parties.
- Testing locally can be difficult.
- A lot of discipline is required to keep the app from sprawling out of control.
You have to be sure that your app really needs to be serverless or not. Not every web app needs to be serverless because monoliths and cloud-hosting provide their own sets of pros and cons. It's not a trivial task to switch your app over to a serverless architecture. It's not something you can gradually do either. Once you commit, you have to be all in.
Setting up a serverless app isn't difficult, it's all the thought and design that happens before you start building. When you are sure you want to go forward with a serverless web app, here's a simple architecture you can follow. One of the most interesting things about serverless apps is the absence of a back-end. That means developers only have to focus on the front-end and the architecture for the APIs it calls.
How to Architect a Serverless App?
The main thing you need to understand is how to set up a serverless app. The architecture is simple, but that's what makes it tricky. You only need five main components for a serverless app to work: a web server for your front-end, some lambda functions, a security token service, some user authentication, and a database.
It really is that simple. You just "plugin" the APIs you need to use and you use them when the user triggers an event. There are some libraries for Node you can use to make serverless apps, like Claudia.js or Apex to kick-start your apps. As far as the lambdas you use, the most popular options are AWS Lambda and Azure Functions.
One scenario you would consider using a serverless app is if you know there will be an increasing number of users. One of the strongest aspects of the serverless architecture is its ability to scale. A couple of other scenarios include doing live broadcasting and processing IoT data, like those home monitoring systems.
Who should use a serverless architecture?
- Startups and Small Businesses with limited budgets can benefit from serverless architecture due to its cost efficiency and reduced operational overhead.
- Application which is experiencing so mush traffic such as e-commerce website can take advantage of serverless scalability. It automatically scale up during peak times and scale down during low traffic periods.
- Developers can use the serverless architecture to quickly deploy the prototype application.
- Serverless architecture is well suited for microservices applications.
When should developers avoid using a serverless architecture?
- If your application requires long-running processes then serverless architecture may not be suitable due to execution time limits imposed by most platforms.
- If your applications require high-performance computing then you should not use serverless architecture due to resource limits and potential latency issues.
- If your application needs to meet strict compliance and regulatory requirements, then serverless architecture may not be appropriate due to the lack of control over data residency and security configurations.
- If your application requires thorough local development and testing, then serverless architecture may not be ideal due to the difficulty in accurately simulating the cloud environment locally.
Conclusion
Serverless architecture offers various benefits including cost efficiency, scalability, and reduced operational overhead, making it an attractive choice for many applications. However, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. You must be carefully evaluating your application's specific requirements and constraints. For applications that involve long-running processes, high-performance computing or strict compliance and regulatory requirements, traditional server-based or containerized architectures may be more appropriate.
Must Read