Cloud-Native Development with AWS Cloud9 & AWS CodeStar

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Introduction

Cloud-native development is a modern approach to building and deploying applications that takes full advantage of cloud computing services. It enables developers to create scalable, resilient, and highly available applications that can adapt to changing workloads and deliver exceptional user experiences. Two key tools in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) ecosystem that facilitate cloud-native development are AWS Cloud9 and AWS CodeStar. In this article, we’ll explore these tools and provide coding examples to demonstrate their capabilities.

AWS Cloud9: Cloud-Powered Integrated Development Environment (IDE)

AWS Cloud9 is a cloud-based integrated development environment (IDE) that allows developers to write, run, and debug code in the cloud. It provides a collaborative coding environment with built-in support for popular programming languages, including Python, JavaScript, Java, and many more. AWS Cloud9 eliminates the need for developers to set up and manage their development environments, making it an ideal choice for cloud-native development.

Getting Started with AWS Cloud9

To get started with AWS Cloud9, you’ll need an AWS account. Once you have an account, follow these steps:

  1. Open the AWS Management Console: Log in to your AWS account and navigate to the AWS Management Console.
  2. Access AWS Cloud9: In the AWS Management Console, search for “Cloud9” and select the AWS Cloud9 service.
  3. Create an Environment: Click on the “Create environment” button to create a new AWS Cloud9 environment. You can choose from various configurations, including the instance type, platform, and network settings.
  4. Customize the Environment: Once your environment is created, you can customize it by installing additional software, configuring development tools, and setting up your preferred development environment.
  5. Start Coding: You can now start writing code directly in the AWS Cloud9 IDE. It offers features like code highlighting, auto-completion, and integrated terminal access, making coding a breeze.

Coding Example: Python Web Application

Let’s create a simple Python web application using AWS Cloud9. We’ll use the Flask framework to create a basic web service.

python

# app.py

from flask import Flask

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route(‘/’)
def hello_world():
return ‘Hello, AWS Cloud9!’

if __name__ == ‘__main__’:
app.run(debug=True, host=‘0.0.0.0’)

In this example, we’ve created a minimal Flask application that responds with “Hello, AWS Cloud9!” when accessed at the root URL.

To run the application, open a terminal in AWS Cloud9 and execute the following commands:

bash
$ pip install Flask
$ python app.py

You can access your running web application by clicking on the preview button in AWS Cloud9 and selecting “Preview Running Application.”

AWS CodeStar: Simplifying Application Development

AWS CodeStar is a fully managed development service that makes it easy to develop, build, and deploy applications on AWS. It provides a unified user interface for managing the entire software development lifecycle, from source code management to continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD). AWS CodeStar streamlines the development process, allowing you to focus on writing code and delivering value to your users.

Creating a CodeStar Project

To create a new AWS CodeStar project, follow these steps:

  1. Open the AWS Management Console: Log in to your AWS account and go to the AWS Management Console.
  2. Access AWS CodeStar: In the AWS Management Console, search for “CodeStar” and select the AWS CodeStar service.
  3. Create a Project: Click on the “Create a project” button to start creating a new project. You’ll need to choose a project template, which includes predefined configurations for different types of applications.
  4. Configure Project Details: Customize your project by specifying details like the project name, application name, and description. You can also choose the programming language and repository type.
  5. Set Up CI/CD: AWS CodeStar integrates with AWS CodePipeline for CI/CD. You can configure your pipeline to automatically build, test, and deploy your application whenever you push changes to your source code repository.

Coding Example: Node.js Serverless Application

Let’s create a serverless application using AWS CodeStar. We’ll use the AWS Serverless Application Model (SAM) to define and deploy a simple Node.js API.

yaml

# template.yaml

AWSTemplateFormatVersion: ‘2010-09-09’
Transform: ‘AWS::Serverless-2016-10-31’

Description: Simple Node.js API

Resources:
HelloWorldFunction:
Type: AWS::Serverless::Function
Properties:
Handler: app.handler
Runtime: nodejs14.x
CodeUri: .
MemorySize: 256
Timeout: 10

In this SAM template, we define a serverless function named HelloWorldFunction that uses Node.js 14.x as its runtime.

To deploy the application using AWS CodeStar:

  1. Commit the SAM template and your application code to your chosen source code repository (e.g., AWS CodeCommit, GitHub, Bitbucket).
  2. AWS CodeStar will automatically detect the changes and trigger the CI/CD pipeline.
  3. The pipeline will build, test, and deploy your serverless application to AWS Lambda.
  4. You can access the API endpoint URL provided by AWS CodeStar to interact with your serverless application.

Conclusion

AWS Cloud9 and AWS CodeStar are powerful tools that simplify and enhance cloud-native development on AWS. AWS Cloud9 offers a cloud-based IDE that removes the complexities of setting up local development environments, while AWS CodeStar streamlines the entire development lifecycle, from source code management to deployment. By combining these services, developers can focus on writing code and delivering innovative solutions that leverage the full potential of AWS cloud computing.

In this article, we’ve explored the basics of both AWS Cloud9 and AWS CodeStar and provided coding examples to demonstrate their capabilities. These tools empower developers to build and deploy cloud-native applications efficiently, enabling them to deliver reliable and scalable solutions to their users. As the cloud-native landscape continues to evolve, AWS remains at the forefront, providing developers with the tools and services they need to succeed in the cloud-native era.