AWS
What is it?
AWS is Amazon's cloud platform that rents computing power, storage, databases, and hundreds of other services on demand.
Explain like I'm 5
Why was it created?
Buying and running your own servers is slow and expensive. AWS lets companies rent infrastructure instantly and scale up or down as needed.
Where is it used?
- Hosting websites and apps
- Storing files and backups
- Running databases and analytics
- Machine learning and big data
Why should developers care?
AWS is the largest cloud provider, so its services appear in countless job descriptions and architectures.
How does it work?
AWS runs massive data centers organized into regions and availability zones. You provision services through a console, command line, or code, and pay based on usage.
Real-world example
A startup launches its app on AWS using rented servers and storage, scaling capacity up during a traffic spike and back down afterward to control cost.
Common use cases
- Web and app hosting
- Scalable storage
- Managed databases
- Serverless and machine learning
Advantages
- Huge range of services
- Pay-as-you-go pricing
- Global infrastructure
- Scales on demand
Disadvantages
- Costs can grow unexpectedly
- Large, complex service catalog
- Risk of vendor lock-in
When should you use it?
When you want to rent scalable infrastructure instead of buying and running your own.
When should you avoid it?
For tiny static sites where a simpler host is cheaper, or when strict requirements demand on-premises control.
Alternatives
Related terms
Interview questions
Beginner
- What is cloud computing?
- What does AWS provide?
Intermediate
- What is a region versus an availability zone?
- What does pay-as-you-go mean for cost?
Senior
- How would you design for high availability across availability zones?
- How do you control and forecast AWS costs?
Common misconceptions
- "The cloud is just someone else's computer, so it's all the same" — managed services add a lot of value beyond raw servers.
- "Cloud is always cheaper" — without governance, costs can exceed on-premises.
Fun facts
- AWS stands for Amazon Web Services.
- It groups infrastructure into geographic regions, each with multiple isolated availability zones.
Timeline
- 2006 — AWS launches its first widely-used services
Learning resources
Quick summary
AWS is Amazon's on-demand cloud platform offering servers, storage, databases, and hundreds of services you rent and scale as needed.
Cheat sheet
- Largest cloud provider
- Rent compute, storage, databases, and more
- Pay-as-you-go
- Organized into regions and availability zones