Getting Started with Serverless Computing: Building Your First Application on AWS Lambda

You just Imagine: You have a wonderful idea about an app. You are sitting and thinking to start coding and in no time, it’s done and running. What is the best part here—there’s no need for you to set up the servers, think about scaling or get bothered by infrastructure. It seems like an ideal scenario to you, right? Well, with Serverless Computing, this is possible and easier than ever. With the AWS Lambda framework, all you need to take care of is writing the code. AWS takes care of the rest whether it is server, scaling, and infrastructure costs. You can simply spend more time creating and less time managing.

Are you willing to start and build your first app on AWS Lambda? I am quite confident that you’re in the right place! This blog will guide you through what is server-less computing, how to build your very first Serverless application, explain its roles and provide actionable steps to get started.

Let’s start and see how serverless architecture can bring your ideas to life in just a few steps!

What is Serverless Computing?
Let us start with understanding what Serverless computing is. It seems like there are “no servers” required, but that is not the case. It is a method of building and running the apps without having the need to manage the servers. Instead, there are various cloud providers like AWS, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure that manage the servers for you. Imagine we are building an application and instead of building up and managing servers, we can just focus on our code related things and letting cloud providers manage the infrastructure. That is the strength of serverless computing where you only pay for what you use and the server is handled automatically. Also, AWS Lambda framework is an interesting choice, as it allows developers to run code in response to requests without having a dedicated server. We don’t have to think about server setup, managing the high traffic or paying for unused resources unnecessarily.

The Role of Serverless Architecture and Serverless Framework to build Apps

Here we are going to explain the relation between serverless architecture and serverless framework to have a clear understanding to build more efficient and scalable applications by utilizing the best of both concepts.

Imagine you want to build an application, but instead of setting up your own server to run it, you prefer to use a service that runs your code only when it’s needed. This is the idea behind serverless architecture. It is the design of an application that can be built using serverless computing without constantly running your own servers. 

Now, setting up this “serverless” app still takes a bit of work — you have to tell the cloud service (like AWS) what your app needs and how to connect different pieces together. Here’s where the Serverless Framework comes into picture. The Serverless Framework is a tool which helps us to set up and organize all these instructions so we do not have to do it one step at a time. It’s like a support system that does all the work for you in the background operations, making it simple for you to build and run the app using serverless architecture.

So, in short:

• Serverless Computing is the idea of running programs without managing servers.
• Serverless Architecture is the way or how you design your applications with the help of serverless computing resources. A way to run your app without managing your own computers.
• Serverless Framework is a kind of tool that helps you set up and manage everything to run your app smoothly in a serverless environment.

These all work together so you can build apps faster and more easily without worrying about anything else to run it.

Getting Started: Building Your First App on AWS Lambda 

Before we start building the app, it is important to set up an AWS account and configure permissions to the AWS Service Console. Let us go through one by one step to start creating your first app in AWS Lambda function.

Step 1: Set Up an AWS Account

To get started with AWS, open https://aws.amazon.com/ and create an account if you don’t have one. You will find a button at the right upper corner “Create an AWS Account”. Complete the sign up process by entering basic information, including verifying your identity and setting up billing preferences. Once the verification process is done, choose an AWS Support plan and get access to the AWS Console. Once registration is complete, go to the AWS Management Console and log in with the email and password you used to create the account. This console will be our one stop control panel where you can access all AWS services, including AWS Lambda framework.

Step 2: Configure Necessary Permissions

To start work with AWS Lambda, make sure you have the following permissions:

• Lambda Access: To create and manage Lambda functions.
• IAM (Identity and Access Management): To define roles and permissions for your function.
• API Gateway (optional): For creating REST APIs if needed.
• CloudWatch Logs: For monitoring and logging Lambda function activity.

Permissions are managed through IAM Roles:

• Go to the IAM Console and create a new role for Lambda, granting necessary permissions.

Step 3: Navigate to AWS Lambda

You should be able to see the AWS Service Console, start searching for “Lambda” in the search bar and elect AWS Lambda from the provided list of services. This will redirect you to the Lambda dashboard, where you can create and manage your AWS Lambda functions.

Step 4: Creating an AWS Lambda Function

1. Click on the Create function button.
2. Select “Author from scratch.”
3. Think of a name for your function and enter it, for example, HelloUniverseFunction.
4. Choose the runtime for your code as per your suitable programming language like Python or Node.js.
5. Select the correct execution role that gives the permissions to your AWS Lambda function.

Click on Create function to complete the setup.

Step 5: Write Your Code

Now that your Lambda function is created, you can start writing your code directly in the AWS Lambda editor. To showcase an example, below is a simple program in Python:

python

def lambda_handler(event, context):

    return {

        ‘statusCode’: 200,

        ‘body’: ‘Hi Universe. This is the Lamda function!’

    }

Save the function and Deploy it. It is ready to run.

Step 6: Test Your Lambda Function

We would like you to test your Lambda function:

1. Click on Test.
2. Create a new test event
3. Click Create and then Test.

If everything is set up correctly, you should see a successful response with the message: Hi Universe. This is the Lamda function!

Step 7: Lambda Monitoring and Optimization

As your app grows, lambda monitoring will help you keep an eye on performance and catch any issues. AWS offers tools like CloudWatch to track your function’s execution, memory usage, and any errors.

1. Set Up Alarms: Configure alerts to notify you if something goes off-track.
2. Optimize Your Code: Use lambda monitoring data to adjust memory or execution settings and improve efficiency.

Conclusion

In this blog, we explored how serverless computing and AWS provides a powerful platform for mobile app development, enabling businesses to focus on innovation rather than managing server infrastructure. To build applications that are easier to manage, thankful to serverless architecture and AWS Lambda. With AWS mobile app development, you can seamlessly integrate backend services, streamline user experiences and scale your applications without worrying about the servers.

For companies and all the individuals looking to start this journey, collaborating with an AWS consulting partner like eTraverse can significantly ease the process. Our expertise can help optimize your serverless architecture, deploy solutions more efficiently and ensure that you are leveraging AWS’s full potential.

Embracing the serverless technique, you not only reduce the overall costs but also support your team to concentrate on building and scaling the application more effectively. So, are you ready to take your app development to a better level? If yes, take advantage of AWS’s serverless services and partner with an AWS consulting expert to get the best out of this innovative technology.

The world of serverless computing and AWS mobile app development is all set for you—are you ready for it?

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