Serverless computing is a cloud computing model in which a cloud provider automatically manages the provisioning of servers and the allocation of resources. This allows developers to focus on writing code without having to worry about the underlying infrastructure. Charges are not based on the amount of resources allocated to the server, but rather on the actual amount of resources consumed by an application. This is a cost-effective way to run applications, as it eliminates the need to pay for idle resources.
Serverless computing can also be referred to as Function as a Service (FaaS), as it allows developers to run small, event-driven functions without having to manage the underlying infrastructure. These functions are triggered by specific events, such as HTTP requests, database changes, or file uploads. By using serverless computing, developers can build applications composed of small, independent functions that can be scaled independently in a microsservices architecture.
Most serverless computing providers also offer a wide range of services that can be used in conjunction with serverless functions, such as databases, and, storage. This allows developers to build complex applications without having to manage the underlying infrastructure.
For example, Cloudflare Workers is a serverless platform that allow developers to run JavaScript code at the edge of the Cloudflare’s global network, close to the end user. For accompaining services, Cloudflare offers storage services such as Cloudflare KV, a serverless key-value store, Cloudflare D1, a serverless SQLite database, and Cloudflare R2, an object storage, that can be accessed from within the serverless functions code.
Cloudflare Workers is an alternative to popular serverless computing platforms, such as AWS Lambda, Google Cloud Functions, and Azure Functions.