Spotlight: Building Real-time Apps with AWS AppSync and Amplify

Introduction

AppSync and Amplify are two powerful services offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS) that enable developers to build real-time applications quickly and efficiently. AWS AppSync is a managed GraphQL service that simplifies the process of creating scalable APIs for applications, while amplify provides a comprehensive development framework for building web and mobile applications. In this blog, we will explore how to leverage the combination of AWS AppSync and Amplify to develop real-time apps that deliver exceptional user experiences. 

Introducing AWS Amplify

AWS Amplify is a comprehensive development platform and set of tools offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS) that simplifies the process of building web and mobile applications. It provides a range of features and services that enable developers to create high-quality, scalable, and secure applications with ease. 

Key Features of AWS Amplify

Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS): AWS Amplify offers a backend infrastructure that includes authentication, databases, storage, APIs, and more. This means developers can focus on building front-end features without having to manage complex backend infrastructure. 

Authentication and User Management: Amplify provides built-in authentication and user management functionalities, making it easy to implement user sign-up, sign-in, and access control for applications. 

Real-Time Data Synchronization: With Amplify, developers can easily implement real-time data synchronization and updates in their applications, allowing users to see changes instantly. 

Serverless Functions: Amplify supports serverless functions powered by AWS Lambda, enabling developers to run backend logic without provisioning or managing servers. 

Hosting and Deployment: Amplify simplifies the process of hosting and deploying web applications with a few simple commands. Developers can deploy their applications globally using AWS Amplify Console. 

Analytics and Monitoring: AWS Amplify offers built-in analytics and monitoring capabilities, allowing developers to gain insights into how users interact with their applications. 

Machine Learning and AI: Amplify integrates with AWS services like Amazon Polly for text-to-speech conversion and Amazon Recognition for image and video analysis. 

Cross-Platform Development: Amplify supports cross-platform development, allowing developers to build applications that work seamlessly across web and mobile platforms. 

Amplify is designed to work with popular front-end frameworks like React, React Native, Angular, Vue.js, and more. It provides libraries and plugins for these frameworks to streamline the integration with AWS services and make the development process faster and more efficient. 

Overall, AWS Amplify empowers developers by providing a set of powerful tools and services that simplify the development of modern, cloud-enabled applications while maintaining security, scalability, and performance. 

Setting Up an Amplify Project

1. Some Prerequisites for AWS Amplify 
2. Install Node.js® and NPM,  if they are not already on your machine. 
3. Verify that you are running at least Node.js version 12.x and npm version 6.x or greater by running node -v and npm -v in a terminal/console window. 

For Windows, run the below command: 

curl -sL
https://aws-amplify.github.io/amplify-cli/install-win -o install.cmd  


4. Configure the Amplify credentials. 
5. Run the following command: 


amplify configure 


6. Specify the Region and Press Enter 

7. If you want to create an IAM user, enter the credentials of the IAM User. 

8. Under Set Permissions, attach AWS Managed policies as follows. 

9. After IAM, the user with the above permission creates an Access key and Secret Key from the Security Credentials Tab. 
10. Enter the Access Key and Secret Key 

11. When asked for your Profile name, you can enter your Profile Name or press Enter to go with the default profile. 

Once your Amplify is set up, you can add authentication, API management and other components for your applications. 

12. Next, Initialize the amplify project with the following command: 


amplify init  


13. Enter the name of the project. 

14. When asked to Initialize the amplify project with the above configuration, press Y. 

15. Now, create a GraphQL API  


amplify add api 

16.  Select GraphQL API, press enter and continue. 

17. It will ask you to select a schema template. Select a Single object with fields. 

18. For the next prompt, ‘Do you want to Edit the schema now?’, Press N and press enter. 

19. It says successfully added resource <name of project> entered in step 13 locally. 
20. To add it to the cloud now, run the amplify push command. 
21. Once deployed, you can check the status of deployed resources using the command,


amplify status command. 


22. On the Amplify console, select the project you have created. 
23. You can see the API is added. 

24. To clean up all components of the Amplify project, run the following command: 


amplify delete 


Conclusion

AWS AppSync and Amplify offer an unbeatable combination for building real-time applications with modern user experiences. By harnessing the power of GraphQL, real-time data synchronisation, and offline access, developers can create robust applications that work seamlessly across platforms. The ease of integration between AWS AppSync and Amplify further streamlines the development process, empowering developers to focus on building innovative features and delivering value to end-users. So, get started today and unlock the potential of real-time apps with AWS AppSync and Amplify! 

References

https://aws.amazon.com/amplify/?trk=a0465925-8003-4d68-bc59-c7cd4211829e&sc_channel=ps&ef_id=Cj0KCQjwxuCnBhDLARIsAB-cq1oe6Ikebl_J3176iAOZTiDDQ_

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