tl;dr
Serverless architectures are the ideal basis for greenfield projects. They allow a quick start, minimize costs thanks to the pay-per-use model and adapt dynamically to changing requirements. No user data yet? No problem: serverless helps you to gather valuable insights and optimize your infrastructure in a data-driven way. Instead of starting with an oversized architecture, you can rely on the KISS principle (“Keep it Simple, Stupid”) and save time and resources. Should your architecture need to change, the majority of your code remains reusable. Serverless offers flexibility, efficiency and a clear future perspective.
The growing demands on developers
Software development teams are faced with an almost paradoxical challenge: they are expected to bring innovative products to market in ever shorter timeframes while making do with limited resources. However, the reality is often different. Developers lose valuable time administering the infrastructure, while unused resources put a strain on the budget due to overprovisioning. This situation not only leads to frustration, but also inhibits innovation. The question we need to ask ourselves is: How can we get rid of this ballast and concentrate fully on the essentials - creating added value?
The role of the software developer has changed considerably in recent years. It is no longer just about writing code. Developers have to deal with a variety of additional tasks that used to be left to the operations teams.
These include infrastructure management, setting up CI/CD pipelines, security monitoring and scaling applications, and these tasks often come at the expense of the actual development work. Studies show that developers can only spend around 40% of their time developing new functions. The rest of the time is spent on administrative tasks and maintenance. As a result, innovation falls by the wayside and projects are delayed.
Serverless the solution
Serverless represents a new type of infrastructure management. It is not just a technical concept, but a completely new operating model that allows developers to focus on their core tasks. An illustrative example of this is Coca-Cola, which added a mobile application to its Freestyle vending machines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coca-Cola Freestyle
The Coca-Cola Freestyle machines offer consumers the opportunity to create their own individual drink from over 100 flavors. But with the pandemic came a new challenge: customers were afraid to touch the machines' touchscreens. To solve this problem and create an innovative customer experience at the same time, Coca-Cola developed an app that allows users to operate the machines touch-free via their smartphone.
The app had to be developed quickly as the pandemic required an immediate solution. Coca-Cola opted for a serverless approach to save time and costs. Using services such as AWS Lambda and API Gateway, the company was able to deploy a working solution within a few weeks, and the pay-per-use model allowed Coca-Cola to pay only for actual usage.
This was particularly important as it was not clear at the outset how many customers would actually use the app. Serverless ensured that no resources were wasted and no bottlenecks occurred. The speed to market and flexibility of the serverless architecture was crucial to regaining customer trust while delivering an innovative digital experience.
The perfect solution for greenfield projects
Serverless architectures are ideal for greenfield projects: They give developers the freedom to get started immediately without having to carry the burden of a complex infrastructure. Instead of investing weeks in setup and maintenance, teams can get straight down to the real work - developing features and innovations.
The first advantage is obvious: cost control. With the pay-per-use model, you only pay for what you actually use. No idle time, no wasted resources. At the same time, the architecture adapts flexibly - be it to a sudden rush of new users or to times of low demand. Serverless ensures that your infrastructure scales with your project.
Comparison of resource allocation models: Over-provisioning, under-provisioning and pay-as-you-go
But as is so often the case in software development, changes are inevitable. Requirements change: suddenly more users than expected, new features or unexpectedly high traffic peaks. This is exactly where serverless comes into its own - at least at the beginning. As soon as your data and metrics mature, it becomes clearer whether serverless is still optimal or whether a new architecture is necessary.
And that's the crucial point: just because your requirements might change later, you shouldn't choose an oversized infrastructure from the outset.a key advantage of serverless is that it enables data-driven development of your architecture. In the initial phase of a project, there is often a lack of precise data on user behavior, load distribution and other critical factors. With serverless, you can gather initial insights without time-consuming preparations or investments in oversized infrastructure.
Monitoring of a serverless application with important information on access numbers, response times and load distribution (https://www.asserts.ai/blog/monitoring-aws-lambda/)
As your project grows, you generate more and more valuable data and metrics. This data helps you to optimize your architecture in a targeted manner and make well-founded decisions. If it turns out that serverless is no longer optimal for your specific scenario, you can flexibly migrate to a new architecture - and reuse most of your code and logic in the process.
The “KISS - Keep it Simple, Stupid” principle applies here: start simple. A lean serverless architecture not only reduces complexity, but also minimizes risks. It is better to start small and grow dynamically than to waste valuable time and resources with an oversized solution. Serverless is the perfect way to get started, giving you the flexibility to focus on the essentials while being prepared for the future, and the best part?
If your requirements change at some point and a different architecture becomes necessary, migration is often easier than you think. Most of your code and logic is retained and can be easily integrated into the new architecture. This is also confirmed by Allen Helton, who switched from a serverless architecture to a monolithic architecture with the Amazon Prime Video/Audio Monitoring Service:
Conceptually, the high-level architecture remained the same. We still have exactly the same components as we had in the initial design (media conversion, detectors, or orchestration). This allowed us to reuse a lot of code and quickly migrate to a new architecture.
Serverless is therefore more than just a technical model - it is a way of thinking that enables teams to work faster and more agile, drive innovation and react flexibly to market changes.
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