Azure Functions vs. AWS Lambda
The debate between Azure Functions and AWS Lambda has been going on for a while now. Cloud architecture enthusiasts from both camps have their own set of reasons why their preferred tool is the best. In this post, we'll take a closer look at both platforms and see how they stack up against each other.
What are Azure Functions and AWS Lambda?
Azure Functions and AWS Lambda are serverless compute services that allow you to run code without having to worry about managing the infrastructure. They both follow a pay-as-you-go model, where you only pay for the compute resources you use.
Programming Languages Supported
Both platforms support a wide range of programming languages. Azure Functions supports C#, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, and Python, while AWS Lambda supports Java, Go, PowerShell, C#, Ruby, and Python.
Maximum Execution Time and Memory Size
When it comes to maximum execution time, AWS Lambda allows up to 15 minutes for a single execution, while Azure Functions has a default maximum execution time of 5 minutes which can be increased to 10 minutes for a consumption pricing plan. As for memory size, AWS Lambda allows up to 3GB, whereas Azure Functions has a default maximum memory allocation of 1.5GB which can be increased to 3.5GB for a consumption pricing plan.
Cold Start Time
Cold start time is the time it takes for a new instance of your function to start up when it's first invoked. AWS Lambda has an average cold start time of 300ms, while Azure Functions has an average cold start time of 2-3 seconds.
Price Comparison
Both AWS Lambda and Azure Functions offer a free tier for low traffic applications. However, when it comes to pricing, Azure Functions is generally cheaper than AWS Lambda.
For example, let's assume we have a function that runs 1,000 times per day, with an average execution time of 300ms and a memory size of 512MB.
On AWS Lambda, this would cost $2.38/month, while on Azure Functions it would cost $0.67/month, assuming the function is running in the consumption pricing plan.
Conclusion
Both Azure Functions and AWS Lambda have their own strengths and weaknesses. If you're already using a particular cloud provider, it might make sense to stick with them. However, if you're just starting out, it's worth trying out both platforms to see which one fits your needs better.