What is Serverless Computing?

Serverless computing, also known as Function as a Service (FaaS), is a cloud computing model where developers can build and run applications without managing the underlying infrastructure or own servers. In a serverless architecture, applications are composed of small, event-driven functions that are executed in stateless compute containers.

• In a serverless environment, you only pay for the resources consumed by your functions or applications, rather than paying for provisioned infrastructure that may be underutilized.
• This pay-per-use pricing model allows you to scale resources dynamically based on demand and avoid over-provisioning, resulting in potential cost savings compared to traditional server-based architectures.
• Adopting serverless solutions often ties your application closely to a specific cloud provider’s ecosystem. This can limit portability and flexibility, making it challenging to migrate to another provider or deploy on-premises.

In modern software development, architects and developers are faced with the challenge of selecting the most suitable architectural approach for building scalable, resilient, and cost-effective applications. Two popular architectural paradigms that have gained significant popularity in recent years are microservices and serverless computing. While both offer distinct advantages, understanding their differences and trade-offs is essential for making informed architectural decisions.