Definition: Cloud computing model where the provider manages server infrastructure, scaling, and maintenance automatically.
— Source: NERVICO, Product Development Consultancy
What is Serverless
Serverless is a cloud computing model where the provider fully manages server infrastructure, including provisioning, scaling, and maintenance. Developers deploy functions or containers without needing to configure or administer servers. The term does not mean servers do not exist, but rather that their management is transparent to the development team, which focuses solely on writing business code.
How It Works
In a serverless architecture, code is deployed as individual functions that execute in response to events: HTTP requests, queue messages, database changes, or scheduled timers. The cloud provider allocates compute resources on demand, scales automatically based on load, and charges only for actual execution time. When there are no requests, no resources are consumed and no costs are generated. This model is known as Functions as a Service (FaaS) and is offered by major cloud providers including AWS Lambda, Azure Functions, and Google Cloud Functions.
Why It Matters
Serverless eliminates the need for infrastructure management, allowing small teams to deploy scalable applications without dedicating engineers to server operations. The pay-per-use model significantly reduces costs for variable or unpredictable workloads. For startups and agile teams, serverless accelerates time-to-market by eliminating operational complexity and letting developers focus exclusively on product logic.
Practical Example
A SaaS startup migrates its monolithic API to a serverless architecture with AWS Lambda. Each endpoint becomes an independent function that scales automatically. During peak hours, the system handles 10,000 requests per minute without manual intervention. During low-activity hours, costs drop to nearly zero. The three-developer team eliminates the need for a dedicated infrastructure engineer.