The Serverless Step Functions Plugin

In this lesson, we'll introduce the Serverless Step Functions plugin for the Serverless Framework. We'll explore why this plugin is useful for building applications with AWS Step Functions, how it can be used, and the basic steps for installation and configuration. Moreover, we'll create a dummy Step Functions workflow, which will trigger the Lambda function created in the previous lesson.

General information about the plugin

The Serverless Step Functions plugin is an NPM package. It enhances the capabilities of the Serverless Framework, simplifying the creation, deployment, and management of AWS Step Functions resources. By using this plugin, we can define the states of a state machine and the transitions between them directly within the serverless.yml configuration file, streamlining the development process and making it easier to manage our application's infrastructure.

Some advantages of using the Serverless Step Functions plugin include the following:

• Seamless integration with the Serverless Framework.

• Simplified management of Step Functions resources.

• Centralized configuration in the serverless.yml file.

• Reduced complexity and faster development.

• Easier collaboration and version control.

Imagine we're constructing a complex model railroad system. The system includes multiple trains, tracks, signals, and stations, and requires precise coordination to function correctly. Without proper planning and tools, building and managing such a system can be challenging, time-consuming, and prone to errors.

Using the Serverless Step Functions plugin is like having a detailed blueprint and a specialized toolkit for building our model railroad system. The blueprint helps us visualize and design the entire system, while the toolkit provides us with the necessary tools and components to build and manage the system more efficiently. Once installed and configured, the plugin allows us to define state machines, states, and transitions within the serverless.yml file. This makes it easy to manage our application's workflow alongside other AWS resources and Lambda functions.

During deployment, the Serverless Framework reads the serverless.yml file and creates the necessary AWS Step Functions resources based on the provided configuration. This ensures our state machines, states, and transitions are set up correctly and can be managed seamlessly through the Serverless Framework.

How to install the plugin

The installation requires adding this plugin as a development dependency in our project and updates the serverless.yml file to include the plugin under the plugins section.