Lambda Layers: Unleash Secret Serverless Power
Ditch bulky serverless functions! Learn how Lambda Layers keep your AWS apps lean, manageable & reusable in this pro guide.
- Library dependencies: Instead of bundling libraries with your function code, store them in a layer. This keeps your deployment packages leaner and easier to manage.
- Custom runtimes: Need a specific runtime environment for your function? Layers can provide that too.
- Configuration files: Separate your function’s core logic from configuration details by storing them in a layer.
- Smaller Deployment Packages: By offloading dependencies to layers, you keep your function code concise and reduce deployment times.

- Improved Code Maintainability: Separating function code from dependencies makes it easier to update and manage each independently.

- Reusability: Layers can be attached to multiple functions, promoting code reuse and consistency across your serverless application.

- Standardized Runtimes: Manage custom runtimes through layers, continuing a consistent environment for your functions.
requests
library. Here's a basic example:- Create a directory: Create a folder named
python
for your layer. - Install the library: Inside the
python
directory, runpip install requests -t .
This installs therequests
library into the current directory. - Zip the directory: Use the
zip
command (or your OS's equivalent) to create a zip archive of thepython
directory. Name it something descriptive, likemy_requests_layer.zip
.
requests
library! You can upload this zip file to AWS Lambda and reference it in your function code.- Navigate to Lambda functions in the AWS console.
- Click on the “Layers” section from the left menu.
- Click “Create layer”, upload your zip file and hit “Create”.

requests
library from a layer:- Create a new Lambda function using above code example.
- In the “code” tab scroll all the way to bottom and find the Layers section.

- Click on “Add Layer”

- Select “Custom layers” and chose the “python_requests” layer you just uploaded.
- Click “Add”
requests
without needing it installed within the function code itself. This keeps the deployment package lean and leverages the reusable layer.- AWS Lambda Layers Documentation: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lambda/latest/dg/chapter-layers.html
- Using Lambda layers to simplify your development process: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lambda/latest/dg/chapter-layers.html