Npm Serverless Computing Libraries

When Are Serverless Computing Libraries Useful?

Serverless computing libraries can be extremely useful in multiple scenarios. Here are a few:

1. Event-driven applications: Serverless architecture is fundamentally event-driven. Libraries in this category provide functions that run in response to events such as HTTP requests, database operations, queue services, storage drops, or schedule events. This makes serverless computing ideal for real-time file processing or data streaming.

2. Microservice Architectures: Serverless computing libraries are also excellent for developing and deploying microservices. Each function can be developed, deployed, and scaled independently.

3. Resource-Intensive Jobs: Applications that have heavy processing tasks and do not need to run continuously can benefit from serverless computing. For example, a job that runs once an hour to aggregate data from various sources and stores them in a database.

4. Scalability: Serverless architecture automates scaling. It allows the system to easily handle a large number of requests without worrying about server or resource management.

What Functionalities Do Serverless Computing Libraries Usually Have?

There are a few common functionalities prevalent among serverless computing libraries:

1. Event Handling: Ability to trigger functions in response to specific events from various service providers. These events could range from HTTP requests to database changes.

2. Middleware: Support for middleware functions that can modify the request/response objects, handle exceptions or perform tasks such as validation or logging, similar to Express.js middleware.

3. Routing: Ability to route different URLs or paths to various functions. This often includes support for various HTTP methods (GET, POST, etc.).

4. Session Management: Libraries often manage state through session variables considering the stateless nature of serverless functions.

5. Environment Configuration: Provide ways to load and use environment variables in local and cloud environments.

Gotchas/Pitfalls to Look Out for

There are some potential issues that you need to be wary of while using serverless computing libraries.

1. Cold Start: This is a delay that occurs when a function is invoked after being idle for some time. Subsequent calls are faster, but the first one may take longer. This can affect user experience or processing time, especially for infrequently-called functions.

2. Testing and Debugging: Debugging serverless applications can be complex. Traditional debugging methods might not always work, and developers need to rely on logging and monitoring.

3. Vendor Lock-In: When using cloud-based computing services with serverless architecture, there's risk of vendor lock-in. Being dependent on a single provider can limit your control over your application and increase migration difficulties and costs.

4. Timing Out: Functions that run longer than the timeout duration set by your cloud provider will be forcibly terminated. For most services, this ranges from a few seconds to 10-15 minutes but it is configurable.

5. Statelessness: Serverless functions are stateless. They do not store information between functions call. This requires different thinking of application architecture and may require other services to manage state.

6. Package Size Limit: With npm, be aware of your dependencies' total size. Many serverless providers limit the package size that can be uploaded to their platform. Ensure that your libraries and dependencies do not exceed this limit.