13.10. How to Configure AWS Lambda: Deploying Lambda Functions

AWS Lambda is a serverless computing service that lets you run your code without provisioning or managing servers. It runs your code only when needed and automatically scales from a few requests per day to thousands per second. This tutorial will walk you through setting up AWS Lambda and deploying Lambda functions.

Configuring AWS Lambda

Before you get started, you need to have an AWS account. If you don't have one yet, you can create one for free. Once you have your account, you can log in to the AWS console and follow these steps:

1. In the navigation bar, click "Services" and then under "Computing" click "Lambda."
2. Click on "Create role".
3. Choose "Author from scratch".
4. Give your function a name and choose "Python 3.8" as your execution environment.
5. Under Permissions, choose "Create a new role with basic permissions."
6. Finally, click on "Create role".

You should now see the configuration page for your Lambda function. Here, you can add triggers to invoke your function, such as HTTP requests through API Gateway, S3 events, etc. Additionally, you can add layers to include additional libraries that your function needs.

Lambda Function Deployment

Once you've set up your Lambda function, you can start writing your code. In the function configuration panel, you will see an online code editor where you can write your Python code. However, if your code depends on external packages, you will have to package it locally and then upload it to Lambda.

To package your code locally, follow these steps:

1. Write your Python code in a local file, for example lambda_function.py.
2. If your code depends on external packages, install them to a local directory using pip, for example, pip install -t ./package requests.
3. Add your code to the package directory, for example mv lambda_function.py ./package/.
4. Compress the package directory, for example zip -r function.zip ./package/.

After you package your code, you can upload it to Lambda by following these steps:

1. In the Lambda function configuration panel, under "Function code", choose "Upload a .zip file".
2. Click "Upload" and choose the .zip file you created earlier.
3. Click "Save".

Now, your Lambda function is ready to be invoked. You can test it by clicking the "Test" button. You'll need to set up a test event that matches the trigger you plan to use to invoke your function.

In short, AWS Lambda is a powerful service that allows you to run your code without having to manage servers. With the ability to automatically scale to meet the demands of your application and the flexibility to use your preferred programming environment, Lambda offers a robust solution for many backend use cases.

I hope this tutorial helped you understand how to configure AWS Lambda and deploy Lambda functions. With this knowledge, you are well equipped to start developing powerful serverless applications.