Hassle-free Cloud Deployment using AWS Application Composer

Introduction

Application Composer is a serverless, low-code solution for building and deploying business applications in AWS. It provides a visual interface for composing and integrating AWS services, allowing developers and business users to create and deploy applications without writing code.

With AWS Application Composer, you can easily connect AWS services such as Amazon S3, Amazon DynamoDB, and Amazon Lambda, as well as external data sources, and use pre-built templates and components to build custom applications. The platform also provides collaboration and approval workflows, making it easier for teams to work together on building and deploying applications.

AWS Application Composer is designed to be easy to use so that even those with limited technical experience can create and deploy applications. The platform also provides a flexible and scalable infrastructure for running applications, with automatic scaling, high availability, and security features built-in.

Application Composer provides a visual interface for building and deploying applications, eliminating manual coding and reducing the time and effort required to build applications. It is designed to handle large-scale applications and can be scaled up or down to meet changing demands. Application Composer makes building and deploying applications easier, reducing the cost and complexity of developing, testing, and deploying applications. It also integrates with other AWS services, such as Amazon S3 and Amazon RDS, to provide a complete, end-to-end solution for building and deploying cloud-based applications that provide the AWS platform’s security features, ensuring that applications are secure and data is protected.

Use Cases

The following are a few use cases for AWS Application Composer:

• Building Custom Workflows: AWS Application Composer allows developers to build custom workflows for specific business requirements. These workflows can automate various business processes and tasks, reducing manual effort and increasing efficiency.
• Microservices Architecture: AWS Application Composer supports the microservices architecture, allowing developers to build scalable, maintainable, and reusable applications.
• Serverless Applications: AWS Application Composer integrates with AWS serverless services, making it easier to build, deploy, and run applications without managing infrastructure.
• DevOps Automation: AWS Application Composer can automate DevOps processes, reducing the time and effort required to manage and deploy applications.
• Business Intelligence and Analytics: AWS Application Composer provides the ability to create custom dashboards, reports, and visualizations for data analysis and business intelligence.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM): AWS Application Composer can be used to build custom CRM applications for managing customer interactions, tracking leads, and managing customer data
• Human Resource Management (HRM): AWS Application Composer can be used to build custom HRM applications for managing employee data, tracking time off requests, and managing employee benefits.
• Supply Chain Management (SCM): AWS Application Composer can build custom SCM applications for tracking inventory levels, managing orders, and monitoring supply chain operations.

Steps to Create your database CRUD serverless application using Application Composer

1. Create your first new project in the application composer (AWS DOC)

• Login to your AWS Console Management and search for Application Composer.
• Select the option to create a project from the Home page.

• Choose “New Blank Project” with the local file system “Connected” option.

• For the “Project Location” create or select the folder in your local file and choose “view files” in the pop-up window to let the site view your files. Click “Create” and “save changes”.

2. Adding Resources onto the canvas

• Under the Resources tab, select one API Gateway and Five Lambda Functions.

3. Set up your REST API for the API Gateway

Incorporate paths into the API Gateway resource:

• To open the API gateway’s resource properties, click on the resource card and select details.

• In the panel for Resource Properties, perform the following steps in the Routes section
• To set up routes, select the designated HTTP method under Method, and enter the specific path under Path. Repeat these steps until all five designated routes have been added. Finally, select Save to confirm the changes.

4. Set up your Lambda function configurations

To name your five Lambda Function resources, follow these steps for each one:

• Double-click the resource card or select it and choose Details to open the Resource properties panel.
• In the Logical ID section, enter a specific name for the function, such as GetComponents.
• Click the Save button to apply the changes.
• Repeat this process for each of the five Lambda Function resources.

5. Bring your resources together

• To connect the API Gateway to the Lambda Function, take the right port of the API Gateway resource card and attach it to the left port of the designated Lambda Function resource card. For instance, connect the GET /components port of the API Gateway to the left port of the GetComponents Lambda Function.
• Repeat this process until all five API Gateway resource card routes are linked to the appropriate Lambda Function resource cards.

6. Arrange the canvas

1. To organize the functions into a group, first, hold down the Shift key and select each Lambda Function resource card on the canvas. Then select the Group option.
2. To change the name of your group, follow these steps:

• Click twice on the top of the group, close to the current name (Group).
• The Group properties panel will appear.
• In the Group properties panel, in the Group name section, type in API.
• Select Save to confirm the changes.

7. Attach and link a table from DynamoDB

To connect a DynamoDB table, follow these steps:

• Grab a DynamoDB Table resource from the resource palette and place it on the canvas.
• Connect each of the five Lambda Function resource cards to the DynamoDB Table resource by clicking on the right port and dragging it to the left port of the DynamoDB Table card.
• You can also rearrange the cards on the canvas by selecting the “Arrange” option.

8. Examine your AWS CloudFormation template thoroughly

• The Application Composer has successfully generated an AWS CloudFormation template for your serverless application that is now ready for deployment. By reviewing the template, you can see that the following elements have been defined:
• The Transform declaration uses the AWS Serverless Application Model (AWS SAM) as the template format. For additional information, refer to the AWS SAM template anatomy in the AWS Serverless Application Model Developer Guide.
• An AWS::Serverless::Api resource, which outlines your API Gateway REST API and its five routes.
• Five AWS::Serverless::Function resources detail the configurations of your Lambda functions, including their environment variables and permission policies.
• An AWS::DynamoDB::Table resource, which defines your DynamoDB table and its properties.
• The Metadata section includes information about your resource group (API). For further information about this section, see the Metadata section in the AWS CloudFormation User Guide.

9. Incorporate into your software creation processes.

•  When continuing with testing and deployment, utilize the template file and project directories that Application Composer has generated. Remember: if you are utilizing connected mode, the template file and project directories will be saved automatically in the local directory you selected at the beginning of the tutorial. However, if you are using the unconnected mode, make sure to export your template from the menu on the visual canvas.

Conclusion

Application composers are tools that allow non-technical users to create their software applications without knowing how to code. They typically use drag-and-drop interfaces and pre-built templates to make the application creation process as simple as possible. 

Overall, application composers can be a great solution for small businesses or individuals who need a custom software solution but don’t have the budget or resources to hire a full development team. They can be handy for creating simple web applications, mobile apps, or dashboards. 

However, it’s important to remember that application composers have limitations. They may be unable to handle more complex projects or integrations with other systems. Additionally, the user may be limited by the available templates and design options, which may not allow complete customization. 

In conclusion, application composers can be useful for creating simple software solutions quickly and without coding expertise. However, a traditional development approach may be necessary for more complex projects or those requiring more customization. 

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