The document discusses OpenFaaS, an open source serverless framework that allows users to build and deploy functions using Docker containers. It can run functions on Kubernetes as well as Docker Swarm. OpenFaaS aims to provide a simple way to develop and deploy serverless applications using containers. The document outlines how OpenFaaS works, how to write functions using different languages, and how to deploy and manage functions on Kubernetes or Docker Swarm. It also discusses asynchronous processing using queues and provides examples of serverless applications that have been built with OpenFaaS.

1. OpenFaaS framework
Serverless functions for Docker & Kubernetes
CLOUD NATIVE LONDON - 5TH SEP
@alexellisuk / openfaas.com

2. What is Serverless?
MicroserviceMicroserviceMicroservice
Monolith
Microservice
Function
Serverless evolu*on

3. “Alexa, how’s
the weather?”
{ “intent”:
“FindWeather” }
{ “speech”:
“It’s 70 degrees” }
Lambda
Function

4. “Alexa, how’s
the weather?”
{ “intent”:
“FindWeather” }
{ “speech”:
“It’s 70 degrees” }
+

5. OpenFaaS
DRIVING FACTORS
PortabilityEase of use
Simplicity
Open
Platform

6. How did OpenFaaS come about?
STORY SO FAR
• “Lambda but on containers for Alexa”
• Dockercon Cool Hacks - “push Docker beyond what it was designed to do”
• Major changes since Dockercon
• Top trending Open Source project overall
• > 5k stars
• Kubernetes & external provider support
• Asynchronous processing via NATS
• CLI & templating
• Regular contributors & Slack Community

7. OpenFaaS top contributors and influencers

8. What are serverless use-cases?
ANYTHING
Image/Video
conversion
Machine
Learning
Mobile Back-
ends / IoT
HTTP
services
Chat Bots
Batch Jobs

9. What is OpenFaaS?
"A SERVERLESS FRAMEWORK BUILT ON CONTAINERS"
• Basic primitive: containers in OCI format
• Container security
• r/o filesystem, privilege drop, content trust
• Manage functions with scheduler/orchestrator
• Rich container eco-system - commercial & community
• Anything can be a function - polyglot
• Leverage existing skills in teams (including Windows)
• Avoid vendor lock-in
• Run anywhere - cloud or on-prem

11. Payroll S3 Minio
put bonus.json
Calculate Gross
get bonus.json,
employees.json
MyAssistant

12. Comes in one flavor: Cloud Native
API Gateway Function Watchdog
Prometheus Swarm Kubernetes

13. HTTP
body
stdinrequest
stdoutresponse
“/usr/bin/node
handler.js”
headers
body
headers
Forked process
Function watchdog

14. Performance - fork vs After Burn
HELLO-WORLD & APACHE-BENCH

15. How do I write a function?
WRITE A HANDLER
def handler(req):
r = requests.get(req)
print(r.status_code)
handler.py
requirements.txt
Python
Template
Docker
Image
requests
$ faas-cli new --lang python --name sample
Container Registry

16. What languages are available?
SHORT ANSWER - ANY
• Use supported templates
• Edit them or bring your own
• Or go “full Docker”

17. How do I arrange functions?
provider:
name: faas
gateway: http://localhost:31112
shrink-image:
image: functions/resizer:latest
fprocess: "convert - -resize 50% fd:1”
environment:
MAGICK_FONT_PATH: /fonts
url-ping:
lang: python
handler: ./sample/url-ping
image: alexellis/url-ping
$ faas-cli build -f ./sample.yml
$ faas-cli deploy -f ./sample.yml
YAML STACK

18. Deployed in 60 seconds
QUICK DEMO

19. Auto-scaling
DEMO
Mirror East CoastWest Coast

20. Kubernetes support
VIA EXTERNAL PROVIDER
kubernetes
• Rich eco-system
• Large user-base with existing on-prem/
hybrid deployments
• Similar primitives to Docker Swarm

21. Kubernetes support
VIA EXTERNAL PROVIDER
Gateway faas-netes
UI
CLI
Web
Func 1
Func 1
Func 2
kubernetes

22. Synchronous invocation
IN STORE RETURNS
marshal request
Gateway Func: resizer
HTTP
200
Resize
Image

23. Asynchronous invocation
RETURN A PRODUCT BY MAIL
NATS Queue
marshal request
Gateway Queue-worker
dequeue
Func: resizer
HTTP
200
HTTP
200
Resize
Image

24. Asynchronous concerns
ADDED COMPLEXITY
• Points of failure:
• Func*on
• Queue-worker
• Queue server
• Func*on response
• Store in S3 or aDB
• Poll for result
• Callback to URL?

25. Asynchronous invocation
WITH A CALLBACK-URL
Gateway Func: resizer
HTTP
200
http://x.y.z
X-Callback-Url:
hTp://x.y.z
X-Callback-Url
Resize
Image
Queue etc

26. openfaas.com

27. FanClub GetAvatar
hTps://
S3 bucket
Fanclub
HOW IT WORKS

28. What’s next for OpenFaaS?
SET REPLICAS = 10,000
• Roadmap - supporting users
• Evaluating - ADP, Huawei, CodeFresh, Microsoft, IRT Saint Exupery
• Building - Huawei, Hyper.sh, Kong
• Additional language templates & AfterBurn
• Guides, manual & tutorials for developer-clouds
• Get SWAG and get involved
• Contributors, sponsorship and finding a home
• Speaking
• LinuxCon, L.A. - Sept
• JeffConf, Milan - Sept
• Dockercon EU, Copenhagen - October

29. @alexellisuk
https://www.openfaas.com

30. Fun examples
FUNCTIONS / DEMOS
• Dockercon closing keynote (video)
Derek
• https://github.com/alexellis/derek
Twitter + Elastic search / Youtube Downloader
• https://github.com/alexellis/journey-expert
Other functions
• https://github.com/alexellis/faas-contributor-stamp
• https://github.com/alexellis/faas-office-sample
• https://github.com/alexellis/faas-img2ansi

31. External providers
Gateway Watchdog
Gateway faas-netes Watchdog
Gateway Create Swarm Service
Gateway faas-netes Create deployment & service
Invoke
Deploy
fprocess
fprocess