Too long; Ph.D.
Serverless architecture is an ideal foundation for new projects. They can launch quickly, minimize costs through a pay-per-use model, and dynamically adapt to changing needs. Don’t have a user profile yet? No problem: Serverless helps you gather valuable insights and optimize your infrastructure in a data-driven way. You can rely on the KISS principle (“Keep It Simple, Stupid”) to save time and resources rather than starting with a very large architecture. If your architecture needs to change, most of your code can still be reused. Serverless offers flexibility, efficiency and a clear future outlook.
The demands on developers are getting higher and higher
Software development teams face an almost paradoxical challenge: they need to bring innovative products to market in less time while utilizing limited resources. However, reality is often different. Developers waste valuable time managing infrastructure, while unused resources put pressure on budgets due to over-provisioning. Not only does this situation lead to frustration, it also stifles innovation. The question we need to ask ourselves is: How can we get rid of this ballast and focus entirely on the essence – creating added value?
The role of software developers has changed significantly in recent years. It’s no longer just writing code. Developers must handle a variety of additional tasks that were traditionally left to operations teams.
These include infrastructure management, setting up CI/CD pipelines, security monitoring, and scaling applications, tasks that often come at the expense of actual development work. Research shows that developers can only spend about 40% of their time developing new features. The rest of the time is spent on administrative tasks and maintenance. As a result, innovations fall by the wayside and projects are delayed.
Serverless solution
Serverless represents a new type of infrastructure management. It is not just a technical concept, but a new operating model that allows developers to focus on their core tasks. An illustrative example is Coca-Cola, which added a mobile app to its Freestyle vending machines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coca-Cola Freestyle machines offer consumers the opportunity to create their own personalized beverages from more than 100 flavors. But with the emergence of the epidemic, new challenges have emerged: customers are afraid to touch the touch screen of the machine. To solve this problem while creating an innovative customer experience, Coca-Cola developed an app that allows users to operate the machines contact-free via their smartphones.
Since the pandemic required an immediate solution, the app had to be developed quickly. Coca-Cola chose a serverless approach to save time and costs. Using services like AWS Lambda and API Gateway, the company was able to deploy a working solution within weeks, and a pay-per-use model allowed Coca-Cola to pay only for actual usage.
This is especially important because it’s unclear at the outset how many customers will actually use the app. Serverless ensures no waste of resources and no bottlenecks. The speed to market and flexibility of serverless architecture are critical to regaining customer trust while delivering innovative digital experiences.
The perfect solution for greenfield projects
Serverless architectures are ideal for greenfield projects: they give developers the freedom to get started immediately without the burden of complex infrastructure. Instead of spending weeks setting up and maintaining, teams can get straight to work – developing features and innovations.
The first advantage is obvious: cost control. With a pay-per-use model, you only pay for what you actually use. No idle time, no wasted resources. At the same time, the architecture can flexibly adapt – whether it’s a sudden influx of new users or periods of low demand. Serverless ensures your infrastructure scales as your project grows.
Comparison of resource allocation models: over-provisioning, under-provisioning and pay-as-you-go
But as so often happens in software development, change is inevitable. Changes in demand: suddenly more users than expected, new features, or unexpected high traffic spikes. This is where serverless comes into play—at least in the beginning. Once your data and metrics mature, it will become clearer whether serverless is still the best option or whether a new architecture is required.
Here’s the key point: You shouldn’t choose an oversized infrastructure from the beginning just because your needs may change later. In the initial stages of a project, there is often a lack of accurate data on user behavior, load distribution, and other key factors. With serverless, you can gather initial insights without time-consuming preparation or investment in large infrastructure.
Monitor serverless applications to provide important information about access counts, response times, and load distribution (https://www.asserts.ai/blog/monitoring-aws-lambda/)
As your project grows, you will generate more and more valuable data and metrics. This data helps you optimize your architecture and make informed decisions. If it turns out that serverless is no longer suitable for your specific scenario, you have the flexibility to migrate to a new architecture – and reuse much of your code and logic in the process.
The “KISS – Keep It Simple, Stupid” principle applies here: start simple. A lean serverless architecture not only reduces complexity but also minimizes risk. It’s better to start small and grow dynamically than to waste valuable time and resources with a huge solution. Serverless is the perfect way to get started, giving you the flexibility to focus on your priorities while being future-ready, and the best part?
If your needs change at some point and require a different architecture, migration is often easier than you think. Most of your code and logic is preserved and can be easily integrated into the new architecture. Allen Helton also confirmed this when he switched from a serverless architecture to a monolithic architecture through the Amazon Prime video/audio monitoring service:
Conceptually, the high-level architecture remains unchanged. We still have exactly the same elements (media converters, detectors, or orchestrators) as in the original design. This allows us to reuse large amounts of code and quickly migrate to new architectures.
Serverless is therefore more than just a technology model, it’s a way of thinking that enables teams to work faster and more agilely, drive innovation and respond flexibly to market changes.