AWS (Amazon Web Services) is massive. As of March 2022, there were over 200 different services on AWS! This will only continue to grow as AWS continues to release new features on a regular basis. This means as a developer, this can be taunting to take your first step.

So where do you get started? What services should you be focusing on as a developer?

Here is the list that I compiled over the years of utilizing AWS. The list is not in that particular order and is based on my past experiences, so let’s just jump into it.

Key AWS Services for Developers

1. S3

S3 stands for Simple Storage Service. One of AWS’s oldest services. It is used to store images and other assets for applications. It can be used to keep backups and share files between services. Host static websites. In addition, many of the other AWS services integrate with S3.

2. Cloudfront

AWS version of CDN, similar to cloudflare. This service helps your application load faster by spreading out static file delivery to be closer to where your users are. It also has a built-in DDoS protection feature for free.

3. API Gateway

API Gateway is a fully managed service which helps you proxy your application API. Through this service you can throttle bad client traffic, test new versions, and present methods more cleanly at scale.

4. Lambda

AWS Lambda is a serverless, event-driven compute service that allows you to run code for almost any type of application or backend service without the need for server provisioning or management. It can be used to run small self-contained snippets of code to perform discrete tasks. You can call Lambda from more than 200 AWS services and software as a service (SaaS) applications, and you only pay for what you use.

5. Route 53

Route 53 is similar to GoDaddy in that you can buy domain names and configure DNS routing rules for your domain. Route 53 connects user requests to AWS infrastructure and can also be used to route users to infrastructure that is not hosted by AWS.

6. CloudWatch

Amazon CloudWatch is a monitoring and observability service that collects monitoring and operational data such as logs, metrics, and events. CloudWatch provides complete visibility into your AWS resources, applications, and services that are running on AWS and on-premises.

7. Amplify

Amplify is a platform for fast development of full-stack apps. This eliminates the need for developers to be concerned about the network aspect of the development process. The Amplify Framework is made up of three parts: libraries, UI components, and a CLI toolchain, while the Amplify Console is a static web hosting service.

8. EC2

Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) is a cloud computing web service that provides secure, resizable compute capacity. It is intended to make web-scale cloud computing more accessible to developers. EC2 gives you complete control over your computing resources, with pay-as-you-go pricing.

9. RDS

RDS stands for Relational Database Service, and it is here that you will configure databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Microsoft SQL Server. AWS offers the most comprehensive selection of purpose-built databases, allowing you to choose the best environment for your application.

Conclusion

These are just some of the most relevant AWS services for developers. As the demand for cloud continues to grow, developers with cloud experience attract more job opportunities. So don’t get left behind, start your AWS journey now.