The IoT Academy Blog

What is Function as a Service – Deep Introduction to FaaS

  • Written By The IoT Academy 

  • Published on February 7th, 2024

Welcome to today’s blog from The IoT Academy, in which we delve into the fascinating world of FaaS or Function as a Service. If you’re interested in this innovative approach to cloud computing, you’ve come to the right place. In fact, In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn what FaaS is, how it works, what use cases there are, what advantages and disadvantages it entails, and its significance in the field of serverless computing – with some FaaS examples.

What is FaaS?

FaaS, or Function as a Service, lets developers run small tasks when something specific happens, like a website visit or data change, without worrying about the computer stuff. However, They just write the code for these tasks, and the cloud company takes care of everything else, making it easier and cheaper to build apps that react to events.

Working of FaaS

FaaS works by letting developers upload functions to the cloud and decide what should make them run. Ultimately, When a website visit or a data change happens, the cloud makes sure the right function runs to handle it.

The platform gives each function the right amount of resources to work well and be cheap. As well as When the job’s done, it stops using those resources, saving money. Developers only pay for what they use when their functions run, not for sitting around doing nothing.

However, This setup handles all the technical stuff, so developers can just concentrate on writing their code. This makes it faster to build and launch apps that react to events.

FaaS Use Cases

Function as a service can be used in many different industries and for many different things. Some common use cases include:

  • Event-driven processing: FaaS can deal with events from IoT devices. It processes data in real-time and does tasks one after another without waiting.
  • Web applications: Generally, FaaS helps in creating websites, APIs, and small software pieces without worrying about servers.
  • Automation: FaaS helps do everyday jobs like handling files, changing data, and resizing pictures automatically.
  • Scheduled tasks: FaaS lets you run tasks on a schedule, like daily checks or regular jobs, without needing your servers.

The Benefits of FaaS

FaaS lets developers run their code when something happens without dealing with the tech stuff underneath. In addition, Here are several benefits of using FaaS:

  • Flexibility: FaaS lets developers pick the language they like for their code.
  • Integration: It easily works with other cloud services and outside tools, so developers can use lots of different things together.
  • Elasticity: FaaS adjusts how much it uses depending on how much is needed, so it works well and doesn’t waste anything.
  • Reduced operational overhead: When organizations let the cloud provider handle the tech stuff, they have less work to do and can concentrate on making new things and growing their business.

Advantages of FaaS

Using Function as a Service (FaaS) is better than the old way of building and deploying apps on servers for many reasons:

  • Scalability: FaaS adjusts automatically to handle busy times, making sure everything runs smoothly even when lots of people are using it.
  • Cost-effectiveness: Ultimately, users only pay for what they use with pay-as-you-go pricing, so they don’t have to spend money upfront on infrastructure.
  • Simplified management: Developers just need to write code. They don’t have to deal with setting up, taking care of, or making sure there’s enough space for their programs to run.
  • Faster time-to-market: FaaS makes it quick to create and launch apps, making the whole process faster.
  • High availability: Top Cloud companies make sure FaaS services are almost always available and work well, so there are fewer times when they’re not working.

Disadvantages of FaaS

Although Functions as a Service (FaaS) has many good points. In brief, there are also some things it can’t do and problems it might cause:

  • Cold start latency: Sometimes, it can take a bit longer for a new container to start running a function. It might cause delays, especially for functions that aren’t used often.
  • Vendor lock-in: If you use FaaS from one cloud company, you might find it hard to switch to another later. This could make it tricky to change things or move your stuff around.
  • Limited runtime environment: FaaS platforms have rules about what software they can use, which might stop them from using some tools or resources they need.
  • Monitoring and debugging: Keeping an eye on and fixing problems with functions in a FaaS serverless setup can be hard compared to the old way of doing things with servers.

What is the Difference Between FaaS and PaaS?

While both FaaS and Platform as a Service (PaaS) offer cloud-based solutions for deploying applications. However, there are some key differences between the two:

Aspect FaaS(Function as a Service) PaaS(Platform as a Service)

Granularity

FaaS lets developers put each small piece of their code into action separately.

PaaS gives you a place to put all parts of your app at once.

Scaling

FaaS automatically adjusts how much it does for each function as needed.

PaaS changes how much it does for apps based on how you set it up beforehand.

Billing

FaaS charges you only for what you use, depending on how much each function needs.

PaaS usually costs a set amount based on how much you’ve given it to use.

Flexibility

FaaS lets you use more different languages and ways to run your code.

PaaS only works with certain languages and frameworks.

 

Real-Life FaaS Examples

In simple terms, Function as a Service helps web apps scale up and down automatically by running bits of code only when needed. For example, AWS Lambda lets companies run code when certain events happen, As well as when data changes in Amazon S3 or DynamoDB.

In simpler terms, Functions as a Service (FaaS) is used in IoT to handle sensor data, trigger actions, and do real-time analysis. It’s also handy in DevOps for automating tasks like deploying code or monitoring systems. However, FaaS lets you run code without worrying about the technical stuff, which is why it’s liked by many different types of businesses.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Function as a Service (FaaS) in cloud computing is a big deal because it lets developers just focus on writing code for certain tasks when needed, without worrying about managing complex infrastructure. Generally, It’s flexible, integrates easily, scales well, saves money, and helps get products to market faster. Though it has some issues like slow starts and getting locked into one provider, it’s changing the game, letting developers innovate quickly and stay ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Which is cheaper: FaaS or PaaS?

Ans. Whether FaaS or PaaS is cheaper depends on how you use it, like how often and what you’re doing, and how the cloud company charges. FaaS is better for things that don’t happen regularly because you only pay for what you use.

Q. What is the principle of FaaS?

Ans. FaaS is all about serverless computing, meaning developers just write and launch code without worrying about the computer stuff. FaaS makes it easy by handling all the complicated infrastructure. Developers can focus on making apps that work well and don’t cost too much.

About The Author:

The IoT Academy as a reputed ed-tech training institute is imparting online / Offline training in emerging technologies such as Data Science, Machine Learning, IoT, Deep Learning, and more. We believe in making revolutionary attempt in changing the course of making online education accessible and dynamic.

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