CloudFront Functions, Amazon Web Service’s (AWS) new serverless scripting platform for running lightweight JavaScript code at the edge, is now generally available.
Amazon CloudFront provides customers with the ability to deliver content, such as data, videos, and APIs, securely with low latency and high speed.
To help ease complex and compute-heavy operations and customizations, AWS introduced Lambda@Edge functionality as part of Amazon CloudFront in 2017. Due to faster processing power in data centers, Lambda@Edge functions are typically executed from regional data center cache instead of edge locations.
“When you’re streaming video or audio, you can use Lambda@Edge to create and serve the right segments on-the-fly reducing the need for origin scalability,” explained Amazon.
CloudFront's second category of use cases involves handling simple HTTP(S) request/ response manipulations via short-lived functions.
The new CloudFront Functions from AWS offer the performance and speed required to process millions of requests per second. A process-based isolation model combined with specific network and file system access restrictions enables scalability. This is in stark contrast to Lamda@Edge, which relies on virtual machine-based (VM-based) isolation.
According to AWS, CloudFront Functions are best-suited for lightweight web request processing, including cache-key manipulations and normalization; URL rewrites and redirects; HTTP header manipulation; access authorization; and more.
RELATED RESOURCE
Transforming business operations with AI, IoT data, and edge computing
A Pathfinder report on the ROI of AI, IoT, and edge computing
CloudFront Functions, like Lambda@Edge, respond to events generated by CloudFront. In particular, CloudFront Functions can be triggered upon receiving a viewer request or delivering a viewer response.
“Lambda@Edge can also be triggered before CloudFront forwards the request to the origin (origin request) and after CloudFront receives the response from the origin (origin response). You can use CloudFront Functions and Lambda@Edge together, depending on whether you need to manipulate content before, or after, being cached,” said Amazon.
Using Lambda@Edge before or after CloudFront caches content is an option if you need certain features of Lambda@Edge that aren't available in CloudFront Functions.
-
Meta just revived plans to train AI models using European user dataNews Meta has confirmed plans to train AI models using European users’ public content and conversations with its Meta AI chatbot.
-
AI is helping bad bots take over the internetNews Automated bot traffic has surpassed human activity for the first time in a decade, according to Imperva
-
‘If you want to look like a flesh-bound chatbot, then by all means use an AI teleprompter’: Amazon banned candidates from using AI tools during interviews – here’s why you should never use them to secure a jobNews Amazon has banned the use of AI tools during the interview process – and it’s not the only major firm cracking down on the trend.
-
Amazon's RTO mandate could spark a talent exodusNews A survey of Amazon staff suggests plenty remain unhappy about returning to the office next year
-
Amazon's RTO mandate just hit a major roadblock – it doesn’t have enough office spaceNews The company has told staff in several locations that it won't have room for them all in time
-
“There are other companies around”: AWS CEO Matt Garman says employees pushing back on RTO mandates should quitNews AWS CEO Matt Garman says employees pushing back on RTO mandates should quit
-
Business execs just said the quiet part out loud on RTO mandates — A quarter admit forcing staff back into the office was meant to make them quitNews Companies know staff don't want to go back to the office, and that may be part of their plan with RTO mandates
-
Microsoft tells staff it won’t follow Amazon or Dell on enforcing a return to the office – but there’s a catchNews While other big tech companies are forcing reluctant workforces back into the office, Microsoft isn’t following suit
-
Amazon workers aren’t happy with the company’s controversial RTO scheme – and they’re making their voices heardNews An internal staff survey at Amazon shows many workers are unhappy about the prospect of a full return to the office
-
Amazon set a goal to reach 100% renewable energy by 2030 – it reached it seven years earlyNews The tech giant has rapidly accelerated renewable energy investment in recent years
