AWS, Cloud Computing

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A Visual Workflow for Developers: Serverless Architecture with AWS Application Composer

Overview

Amazon Web Services recently announced the AWS application composer service that helps developers to build serverless applications using pre-built templates, drag-and-drop components, and a visual interface. If you are looking for an easy and visual way to build your AWS infrastructure, then AWS Application Composer is the service that will take over your hustle. Let’s look into the AWS application composer service overview, features, walkthrough, and how it helps developers.

Introduction

People say that some things in life are best described with a photograph or a picture, and Application Composer is one of those things.

It’s a visual tool that helps you lay out different elements of application architecture and then link them together through these intuitive linkages between these components. It’s purely a visual experience.

Currently, only a subset of AWS services is available in this list. The most common ones are Amazon API gateway, Amazon Cognito user pools, and Amazon DynamoDB Lambda functions. It’s particularly aimed at serverless applications.

The center canvas area is where you’re going to drop in all your components and where you’re going to link everything together. The left-hand side blade is where you will drag in all the different components available to you using the Application Composer.

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The architecture, configuration, and development of serverless apps can be streamlined and expedited with the aid of AWS Application Composer. The essential settings for deploying your application are built automatically using a straightforward drag-and-drop approach. The AWS Serverless Application Model and CloudFormation are the foundations of infrastructure-as-code. External CloudFormation templates can also be easily imported into the Application Composer to provide the required infrastructure. When there are existing CloudFormation templates, once imported into the Application Composer, developers can get a visual workflow of all the services that will be provisioned.

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Features

  • Paints out a visual workflow that presents a simplistic view of all selected AWS services
  • Using an Application Composer eliminates the need to navigate through extensive documentation, contributing to its efficiency.
  • Developers need to figure out what all resources are required instead of how those should be provisioned
  • Generates CloudFormation template and SAM templates of selected AWS services
  • The CloudFormation template generated by Application Composer can be synced with local files using the connected mode feature.

Drawbacks

As it was recently announced, the AWS application composer service is currently in preview, so there’s room for improvement. Let’s look into some drawbacks of this service.

  • It is a visual workflow tool, but there’s no direct way to deploy resources.
  • This service only offers a subset of AWS services on serverless architecture.
  • It may be difficult to visualize complex architecture without having an existing template.
  • While building the visual workflow, limited configuration settings for services are available.

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. To get started with AWS Application Composer, sign in to the AWS management console using https://aws.amazon.com/console
  2. Once singed-in into the console, search for the AWS Application Composer service. On the service’s Home page, click the Create Project

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3. There will come up a prompt asking whether we want to create a new project or go with the existing one. Let’s go ahead and select the New blank project.

Note: The Connected mode will synchronize the files you generate in the Application Composer from your browser into the local folder selected in the Select folder option in the Project location. In Unconnected mode, we will need to download a CloudFormation file to save the project.

4. Now, click Create Upon blank project creation, you will see a blank canvas screen where we can drag and drop the required services for the workflow.

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5. Let’s go ahead and add the Amazon S3 bucket to the canvas and check the configuration options present for the service.

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6. Click the Template button to check the CloudFormation template generated per the selected services.

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Conclusion

So far, in this article, we have discussed how AWS Application Composer makes it easier for developers to create a visual workflow for serverless architecture, features, and a walkthrough of the service for better use in real-world scenarios. There is still more to learn about AWS Application Composer, so I encourage you to check the official documentation from AWS.

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About CloudThat

CloudThat is also the official AWS (Amazon Web Services) Advanced Consulting Partner and Training partner and Microsoft gold partner, helping people develop knowledge of the cloud and help their businesses aim for higher goals using best in industry cloud computing practices and expertise. We are on a mission to build a robust cloud computing ecosystem by disseminating knowledge on technological intricacies within the cloud space. Our blogs, webinars, case studies, and white papers enable all the stakeholders in the cloud computing sphere.

Drop a query if you have any questions regarding AWS Application Composer and I will get back to you quickly.

To get started, go through our Consultancy page and Managed Services Package that is CloudThat’s offerings.

FAQs

1. Will AWS Application Composer incur charges?

ANS: – No, AWS Application Composer does not incur any extra charges. Customers will only pay for the services created using AWS Application Composer, such as Amazon Lambda functions, S3 buckets, etc.

2. Which AWS regions support AWS Application Composer?

ANS: – As the service is currently in preview state, its supported regions are Europe (Frankfurt), US West (Oregon), Europe (Ireland), Asia Pacific (Tokyo), US East (N. Virginia), and US East (Ohio).

WRITTEN BY Aishwarya Joshi

Aishwarya works as a Research Associate (AWS Media services) with CloudThat. She is an enthusiastic individual and a good team player. A positive attitude is her way of dealing with everything. She enjoys learning new technologies and exploring various ways of problem-solving. As of late, she has become proficient in cloud services and enjoys writing technical blogs.

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Comments

  1. swaraj sirsat

    Apr 17, 2023

    Reply

    Nice content 👍

  2. Deepak

    Apr 17, 2023

    Reply

    Informative

  3. Click to Comment

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