March 2018 Summaries

Serverless Lambda functions can change the way we think about development by allowing us to start projects as simple static front-ends and use serverless functions to glue together different microservices. To build a Slack messenger service, we used Netlify Functions with Netlify's Identity feature to access and update user data. We also restricted access to the serverless Lambda function using JavaScript in the handler method and updated the app_metadata of a user to enforce only one message per hour. Additionally, we triggered a serverless function every time a new user signed up by connecting it to a Netlify event hook. With these capabilities, developers can build powerful real-world applications while still benefiting from the scalability and cost-effectiveness of serverless computing.

** Netlify is releasing Functions, Identity and Forms out of beta, making it easier for developers to deploy serverless AWS Lambda functions, manage user authentication and form submissions without setting up servers or managing multiple accounts. With these components, developers can now have both a highly-performant static site and a flexible dynamic architecture without the hassle of managing infrastructure. The release aims to simplify the process of connecting microservices, API gateways, serverless functions, and servers, making it easier for teams to build projects on the JAMstack.

This proof-of-concept demonstrates the use of Netlify's serverless AWS Lambda functions to create a custom URL shortener that can be hosted on one's own domain. The system allows users to submit new destination URLs and receive a new shortcode URL in return, with the ability to generate unique shortcodes, ensure uniqueness, and sanitize submitted URLs. Serverless Lambda functions are used to automate the process, handle form submissions, and provide real-time redirects to the user. The project showcases how Netlify's features can be combined to create a useful tool that can be customized further with additional functionality.

Netlify's Split Testing (beta) allows you to direct your site visitors to different versions of your site, invisibly shaping traffic at the CDN level and serving different branches without changing the URL. With a few clicks, you can specify percentage allocations for each branch and rely on Netlify's intelligent CDN to handle version affinity and repeat visitor preferences. A cookie provided by the CDN ensures returning users gain access to the same branch, with a useful side effect of allowing visitors to opt into new features or versions. This technique is used at Netlify when trialling new features and running betas, as demonstrated in a short video showcasing how to set up a split test and provide a UI for site visitors to access the new version. For more information on running split tests and measuring results, refer to the Split Testing documentation.