Functions-as-a-Service (FaaS) is a cloud computing model that allows developers to execute code in response to events without managing the individual servers that run it. Functions can be triggered by HTTP requests, messages, scheduled jobs or other events.
FaaS is one approach to serverless computing. The underlying infrastructure still exists, but the platform takes responsibility for tasks such as function execution, resource allocation and scaling. This lets developers concentrate on application logic rather than configuring individual services.
Serverless computing can reduce operational complexity and improve resource utilisation, particularly for applications with unpredictable workloads. However, running your own FaaS platform still requires infrastructure administration, and the cost benefits depend on the workload and deployment model.
There are several approaches to implementing FaaS on Linux. Some platforms run functions in containers on Kubernetes, while others use lightweight WebAssembly components. Development frameworks can also simplify deploying functions to cloud providers.
There’s a growing number of open source solutions. Our verdict is captured in the ratings chart below. Only free and open source software is eligible for inclusion.
Click the links in the table below to learn more about each application.
| FaaS | |
|---|---|
| Serverless | Simple way to build serverless applications |
| Fission | Fast and Simple Serverless Functions for Kubernetes |
| Knative | Kubernetes-based, scale-to-zero, request-driven compute |
| Nuclio | Serverless for Real-Time Events and Data Processing |
| OpenWhisk | Serverless Functions Platform for Building Cloud Applications |
| wasmCloud | Runs and orchestrates WebAssembly workloads across clouds and edge |
| Nitric | Cloud application framework with automated infrastructure provisioning |
| Spin Operator | Kubernetes operator for deploying and managing Spin applications |
| Fn | Event-driven Functions-as-a-Service (FaaS) compute platform |
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