Function as a service definition
Function as a service is a cloud computing platform that lets users develop, run, and manage application functionalities without the infrastructure typically required to perform these tasks.
The cloud provider fully manages the execution environment (server, operating system management, capacity provisioning, scaling, logging) to let developers focus on the individual functions in their application code.
See also: cloud architecture, cloud server, data processor
Usage of FaaS
- Web applications. FaaS efficiently manages the backend, so it often handles HTTP requests in web applications.
- Microservices architectures. When applications need to adapt to changes or scale functionalities, FaaS is great for deploying individual microservices.
- Event-driven applications. For applications that respond to real-time events (e.g., changes in a database, file uploads, message queue processing), FaaS provides the necessary computational resources.
- Data processing. FaaS is ideal for scenarios where data — such as log files, images, or videos — needs to be processed as they arrive.
- Internet of Things (IoT). In IoT applications, FaaS processes data sent from IoT devices.
- Automation. FaaS automates tasks, for example: email notifications sent in response to triggers.
- DevOps. FaaS also automates various DevOps tasks (running tests, deploying updates, or managing infrastructure).
- Batch processing. FaaS provides the computing power for tasks that involve processing large volumes of data in batches.
