AWS Elastic Beanstalk vs. Google App Engine
Choosing the right cloud platform for your application can be a daunting task. Two popular options are AWS Elastic Beanstalk and Google App Engine.
In this blog post, we will provide a factual comparison of the two platforms, without giving preference to one or the other. We will be using the latest available data as of June 2022.
Overview of AWS Elastic Beanstalk
AWS Elastic Beanstalk is a fully-managed PaaS (Platform as a Service) that allows developers to deploy and manage web applications on popular programming languages such as Java, .NET, Ruby, Python, Go, Node.js, and PHP within minutes. Elastic Beanstalk takes care of the underlying infrastructure, scaling, and monitoring.
Overview of Google App Engine
Google App Engine is a fully-managed PaaS that enables developers to build and host web applications on their own custom runtimes or with pre-built runtimes such as Java, Python, Node.js, Ruby, .NET, and Go. App Engine also takes care of the scaling and monitoring of the applications.
Comparison Table
| Features | AWS Elastic Beanstalk | Google App Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment Time | 5-10 minutes | 2-5 minutes |
| Scaling | Manual or automatic | Automatic |
| Pricing | Pay for resources used | Pay for resources used and app usage. |
| Languages | Java, .NET, Ruby, Python, Go, Node.js, PHP | Java, Python, Node.js, Ruby, .NET, and Go. |
| Monitoring | Built-in monitoring | Built-in monitoring |
| Database integration | RDS, DynamoDB, ElastiCache | Cloud SQL, Cloud Datastore |
| Storage | S3, EBS, EFS, Glacier | Cloud Storage |
| Load Balancing | Elastic Load Balancer, Application Load Balancer | Network Load Balancer |
Deployment Time
One of the essential aspects of any cloud platform is the time it takes to deploy an application. AWS Elastic Beanstalk and Google App Engine are both known for their quick deployment times, with Google App Engine being slightly faster at 2-5 minutes on average. AWS Elastic Beanstalk takes 5-10 minutes on average.
Scaling
Both platforms provide scaling options. AWS Elastic Beanstalk allows the user to choose between manual or automatic scaling, while Google App Engine only offers automatic scaling.
Pricing
AWS Elastic Beanstalk pricing is based on the actual resources used, such as EC2 instances, RDS instances, and S3 storage. Google App Engine pricing is based on the resources used, as well as application usage.
Languages
AWS Elastic Beanstalk supports a wide range of programming languages, including Java, .NET, Ruby, Node.js, and more. Google App Engine supports a similar set of languages, including Java, Python, Node.js, Ruby, and more.
Monitoring
Both platforms provide built-in application monitoring, making it easier for developers to identify and troubleshoot issues.
Database Integration
AWS Elastic Beanstalk provides integration with RDS, DynamoDB, and ElastiCache. Google App Engine provides integration with Cloud SQL and Cloud Datastore, making it easier for developers to manage databases in their applications.
Storage
AWS Elastic Beanstalk provides storage options such as S3, EBS, EFS, and Glacier. Google App Engine provides Cloud Storage for storage needs.
Load Balancing
Both platforms provide load balancing options, with AWS Elastic Beanstalk providing Elastic Load Balancer and Application Load Balancer. Google App Engine provides Network Load Balancer.
Conclusion
AWS Elastic Beanstalk and Google App Engine are both great options when it comes to cloud platform services. They both offer quick deployments, automatic scaling, built-in monitoring, and support for various programming languages.
When it comes to pricing, AWS Elastic Beanstalk is more cost-effective as it enables the user to pay for only the resources used. On the other hand, Google App Engine provides built-in mechanisms that can help optimize the application's cost.
In conclusion, choosing between the two platforms depends on the user's priorities, such as the application's specific requirements, scalability, monitoring, and pricing.