Serverless Computing
Cloud execution model where providers manage infrastructure and scale automatically, charging only for actual compute usage.
Definition
Serverless computing abstracts server management entirely. Developers write functions that run in response to events; the cloud provider handles provisioning, scaling, and maintenance. Pricing is based on execution time rather than reserved capacity.
Despite the name, servers exist—developers just don't manage them. The model enables focus on code rather than infrastructure, with automatic scaling from zero to massive traffic.
Why It Matters
Serverless reduces operational burden and optimizes costs for variable workloads. Teams can build and deploy without infrastructure expertise, and pay only for actual usage rather than provisioned capacity.
The event-driven model also enables new architectural patterns—systems that respond to triggers across services without maintaining always-on infrastructure.
Examples in Practice
A startup launches with serverless backend, handling sudden traffic spikes from media coverage without infrastructure preparation or cost.
An image processing pipeline runs serverless, scaling from zero to thousands of concurrent functions during busy periods and back to zero when idle.
A company replaces always-on servers with serverless functions, reducing cloud costs by 70% for their variable-traffic application.