Release notes in 2018

Feature

Type

Description

References

Tablestore triggers

New

Tablestore triggers are supported. When a table is modified, Function Compute performs custom data processing in real time. Tablestore triggers can be used to perform data computing and cleansing. This helps simplify configuration processes and improves user experience.

• Trigger overview

• Overview

Versioning

New

Service versions can be managed to separate the production and development environments. The version management feature is configured on the service level. You can publish one or more versions for a service. In addition, you can use aliases that point to different versions for a canary release of new features. You can use the version management feature to separate the production environment from the development environment and reduce O&M costs.

Manage versions

Feature

Type

Description

References

Message Service (MNS) topic triggers

New

MNS topic triggers are supported. You can use functions to process messages published in a topic based on your business requirements. You do not need to poll the messages in MNS. Messages can be processed in various ways by using simple configurations, which improves user experiences

• Trigger overview

• Overview

fun local command for local debugging

New

Funcraft can be used for local debugging. Funcraft can simulate Function Compute functions and provides step-by-step debugging in an on-premises environment. These features enable Function Compute to eliminate the disadvantages in development and debugging compared with traditional applications and provide a new way to troubleshoot online issues. You can use the following features for local development and debugging by running the command:

• Locally run a function.

• Locally step through a function.

• Locally use events to trigger functions.

• View the integrated development environment (IDE) configuration that is displayed when you step through a function.

This update is important and can facilitate local debugging.

None

Feature

Type

Description

References

Custom domain names

New

Custom domain names are supported. You can use custom domain names and HTTP triggers to build serverless web applications. Building backend web applications is one of the main scenarios for Function Compute, and custom domain names make it easier to migrate web applications to Function Compute. Custom domain names can be bound in only two steps. This helps improve the migration experience for building serverless web applications.

Configure a custom domain name

WebIDE

New

WebIDE is an integrated cloud development environment in which Function Compute code can be written, run, and tested in a browser. WebIDE includes a code editor, file tree, runtime debugger, and command terminal. It also has built-in development tools, such as fcli and Funcraft. After function code is written, you can use these tools to deploy the function to Function Compute for execution. WebIDE overcomes the challenges brought by different on-premises environments and configurations and allows you to develop, debug, deploy, and run code in the cloud.

None

Feature

Type

Description

References

Integration with File Storage NAS

New

Function Compute integrates with NAS to provide more space for code running. Multiple functions can use the same NAS file system to share files.

Configure a NAS file system

Support for the PHP runtime

New

The PHP development environment is supported. You can write function code by using PHP. API operations for the following two types of functions are provided:

• Regular functions

• HTTP functions

You can make full use of PHP in Function Compute. For example, PHP can be used to analyze data and logs, run task scripts, and build websites in Function Compute. PHP provides an improved experience for writing function code based on the user experience feedback in other development environments. Third-party extensions and packages can also be freely used to an extent.

Overview

Feature

Type

Description

References

Funcraft 2.1.0

Iterated

• The OpenID Connect protocol is supported for API Gateway. The description parameter is supported.

• User experience for Simple Log Service is improved.

  • A Logstore is created in asynchronous mode and can be used within 60 seconds after the creation. Therefore, a retry mechanism is added.

  • If a Logstore is created without a default index, an index is automatically created, which is the same as the default index in the console.

• Code package compression is optimized in the following aspects:

  • Compression is improved.

  • Version control directories such as .git and .svn are ignored.

  • The .env files are ignored to prevent sensitive information from being uploaded.

• Funcraft-executable files for all platforms are provided.

None

Accelerated code upload to the console

Optimized

The maximum size of code packages that can be uploaded to the Function Compute console is changed from 5 MB to 50 MB by optimizing the upload logic. The upload speed is also increased. This way, you can develop applications in the Function Compute console more conveniently.

None

Feature

Type

Description

References

Development tool for serverless applications

Iterated

Funcraft is a deployment tool for serverless applications. It can help you manage the resources of services such as Function Compute, API Gateway, and Simple Log Service. You can use Funcraft to develop, build, and deploy applications by defining resources in the resource configuration file template.yml. The following features are added:

• Specifications are defined and rule-based syntax validation of the configuration file is added in the serverless application model that is compatible with the Robot Operating System (ROS) syntax.

• Properties related to VPCs, environment variables, Simple Log Service, service roles, and policies are added.

• Required permissions for Simple Log Service and triggers can be automatically generated when the default service role is used. You can use policies to customize these permissions.

• Simple Log Service triggers and HTTP triggers are supported.

• Tablestore tables can be created in Function Compute, which resolves the issue that you can create Tablestore tables only in the Tablestore console.

• Sensitive information can be eliminated from the description file, the fun config command is supported, and fcli-compatible configuration files can be generated. The .env files are supported and environment variables can be used to define the AccessKey pair and endpoint information.

• More API Gateway parameters are supported.

• The issue that permissions are lost when the fun package command is run to compress UNIX files is resolved.

• The CodeUri property can be specified in different formats, such as the file, directory, ZIP file, and OSS bucket.

• Node version checking is added.

Features

SDK for Go

New

The SDK for Go is released to allow Go developers to use the Function Compute API to manage or invoke functions.

None

Access to cloud resources in a VPC

Optimized

A VPC is a custom private network that is created on Alibaba Cloud. Function Compute can be connected to an elastic network interface (ENI) to securely access Alibaba Cloud services in a VPC, such as ApsaraDB RDS and Elastic Compute Service (ECS). This way, Function Compute can interact with existing Alibaba Cloud services and apply to more scenarios where serverless applications can be used.

Configure networks

CDN event triggers

New

• A CachedObjectsPushed event is generated when user data in CDN is preloaded, and a CachedObjectsRefreshed event is generated when user data is refreshed. These events can trigger functions. This way, you can determine the latest status of resources without continual queries before you proceed to the next step.

• A CachedObjectsBlocked event is generated when CDN detects prohibited content. This event can trigger a specific function, and the function deletes the offending resources from the origin without waiting for the CDN team to respond.

• A LogFileCreated event is generated when a log file is created. This event can trigger a specific function, and the function dumps or processes logs with high efficiency without waiting a long time.

• A CdnDomainStarted or CdnDomainStopped event is generated when a CDN-accelerated domain name is enabled or disabled. These events can trigger specific functions, and the functions process data as needed.

• Trigger overview

• Overview

Feature

Type

Description

References

HTTP triggers for Python

Optimized

HTTP triggers for Python are supported, which allow you to invoke functions by sending HTTP requests. HTTP triggers for Python make function invocation easier for Internet, AI, and IoT developers.

Trigger overview

Feature

Type

Description

References

HTTP triggers

New

HTTP triggers are supported. Web users can invoke functions and developers can debug functions by sending HTTP requests.

Overview

Environment variables

New

Environment variables can be set and referenced within functions to store and read sensitive information.

Environment variables

Feature

Type

Description

References

Time triggers

New

Time triggers are supported. Service execution can be customized based on time. This greatly expands your business scope.

Trigger overview

Increased memory capacity of 3 GB

Optimized

A memory capacity of 3 GB is supported for services that require large memory sizes.

What is Function Compute?

Feature

Type

Description

References

Multiple OSS templates

New

You can use various OSS templates to implement the following features:

• Calculate the MD5 value of an OSS object.

• Back up incremental OSS data.

• Package and download objects.

The templates can greatly facilitate development.

Common scenarios

Feature

Type

Description

References

Node.js 8 environment

New

The Node.js 8 environment is supported in addition to Node.js 4.4 and Node.js 6.0. Node.js 8 provides a series of new features and performance improvements.

Overview