Serverless computing is revolutionary. It has changed the way developers deploy and manage applications. its functions promise simplicity, scalability as well as cost-efficiency. However, it cannot be denied that serverless computing comes with its own set of hidden challenges. Developers and organizations must know the hurdles.
Cold start latency is the most discussed challenge in serverless computing. When a serverless function starts work following an idle time, the cloud provider thereafter needs to allocate resources and hence start the functioning. This leads to a delay and can impact performance. If the application is latency-sensitive, the performance impact is more.
Debugging becomes complex in serverless computing due to the ephemeral nature of its functions. Hence, developers need to rely on logs and distributed tracing to understand what went wrong. It is time-consuming method and may require a shift in the debugging approach.
Moreover, serverless functions are usually coupled tightly with the specific services and APIs of a cloud provider. This may lead to vendor lock-in. Migrating to another provider becomes challenging as well as costly. Organizations should evaluate carefully the long-term implications of tying their applications to a single provider. They should consider multi-cloud strategies to mitigate this risk.
Serverless architecture abstracts several security responsibilities. However, it also introduces new security challenges. It can lead to a larger attack surface. Moreover, ensuring proper authentication, authorization and secure communication between functions becomes complex. Organizations need to adopt a powerful security posture to overcome the concerns.
Serverless functions promise simplified resource management. The simplicity sometimes turns deceptive. Managing settings, dependencies and coordinating multiple functions gets complicated and especially for large applications. Hence, make use of the right tools as well as best practices are crucial to manage the complexity.