What is AWS AppSync?

Developer tools & libraries

Choose from a number of AWS, open source, and third-party frameworks to help you develop and deploy AWS AppSync applications. These well-known frameworks/Developer tools are available in a variety of languages.

• Amplify CLI: The GraphQL Transform is a simple abstraction that allows you to quickly create backends for your AWS web and mobile applications. The GraphQL Transform uses the GraphQL Schema Definition Language (SDL) to define your application’s data model. AWS CloudFormation templates that implement your data model are created from your SDL definition using the library, which also handles translating it into these templates.
• AWS CDK: The AWS CDK enables you to create dependable, scalable, and cost-effective cloud applications with the expressive power of a programming language. This method has numerous advantages.
• Serverless framework: The Serverless Framework deploys your code to a cloud provider such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, Apache OpenWhisk, Cloudflare Workers, or a Kubernetes-based solution such as Kubeless. For detailed Serverless Framework CLI user guides and references, select your provider.

Connect your Web, iOS, Android, React Native, and Flutter applications to AWS AppSync GraphQL APIs using adaptable libraries.

• JavaScript
• iOS
• Android
• Flutter

Security in AWS AppSync

AWS prioritizes cloud security above all else. As an AWS customer, you have access to data centers and network architectures designed to meet the needs of the most security-conscious organizations.

AWS and you are both responsible for security. This is defined by the shared responsibility model as cloud security and cloud security:

1. Security of the cloud – AWS is in charge of safeguarding the infrastructure that runs AWS services in the Cloud. AWS also provides services that are safe to use. Third-party auditors test and verify the effectiveness of our security on a regular basis as part of the AWS Compliance Programs. To learn more about the compliance programs that apply to AWS AppSync, visit AWS Services in Scope by Compliance Program.
2. Security in the cloud- The AWS service you use determines your responsibility for cloud security. Other factors to consider include the sensitivity of your data, the needs of your company, and any applicable laws and regulations.
   

Data protection in AWS AppSync

Data protection in AWS AppSync is governed by the AWS shared responsibility model. AWS is in charge of safeguarding the global infrastructure that underpins the AWS Cloud. You are responsible for keeping control of your content hosted on this infrastructure.

1. With each account, use multi-factor authentication (MFA).
2. To communicate with AWS resources, use SSL/TLS. TLS 1.2 or later is recommended.
3. Configure AWS CloudTrail to log API and user activity.
4. Use all of the default security settings for AWS services in conjunction with AWS encryption solutions.
5. It uses advanced managed security services, such as Amazon Macie, to help discover and secure personal data stored in Amazon S3.
6. It uses a FIPS endpoint if you need FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic modules when accessing AWS via a command line interface or an API.

Note: AWS strongly advises against entering confidential or sensitive information, such as email addresses, into tags or free-form fields like the Name field. This includes using the console, API, AWS CLI, or AWS SDKs to interact with AppSync or other AWS services. If you provide a URL to an external server, it is strongly advised against including credentials in the URL to validate your request to that server.

AWS AppSync Features

It includes a number of features that make developing GraphQL easier:

• Powerful GraphQL schema editing via the AWS AppSync console, including DynamoDB-automated GraphQL schema generation
• JavaScript and TypeScript are supported for writing business logic that connects to your data sources.
• Data caching that is effective
• Integration with Amazon Cognito user pools for per-field fine-grained access control.

Use cases

1. Retrieve or modify data from multiple data sources: With a single network call, you can interact with multiple data sources (SQL, NoSQL, search data, REST endpoints, and microservices).
2. In case of client disruption, synchronize data: Using AWS AppSync and AWS Amplify DataStore, you can automatically sync data between mobile and web applications and the cloud.
3. Create real-time collaboration and chat applications: Send data from the backend to and between connected clients, and create conversational mobile or web apps.
4. IoT data management: Use device data sent to AWS IoT services to create real-time dashboards in a mobile or web application.
   

   

Pricing

You only pay for what you use with AWS AppSync, with no minimum fees or required service usage. You are charged separately for query and data modification operations, as well as real-time data updates. Because you only pay for the AWS AppSync features you use, you get transparency and a low price regardless of your workload type.

1. Query and Data Modification Operations: Query Operations allow your app to retrieve and cache data locally. Your app can use Data Modification Operations to create, update, and delete data.
   $4.00 per million Query and Data Modification Operations*
2. Real-time Updates: AWS AppSync allows your app to receive real-time updates to the data that you want to keep up to date. To receive Real-time Updates, your app must remain connected to the AWS AppSync service.
   $2.00 per million Real-time Updates**
   For every million minutes of connection to the AWS AppSync service, $0.08 is charged.
3. Free Tier: After signing up for an AWS account, the Free Tier provides the following monthly usage levels for free for 12 months.
   250,000 queries or data modifications
   250,000 updates in real-time
   600,000 minutes of connection

Above all those limits are charged at the published rates. The AWS AppSync Free Tier automatically expires after 12 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Links/References

• AWS Free Tier Account Details
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate SAA-C03 Exam details
•  AWS Outposts: Overview, Working, Features & Use Cases
• AWS Virtual Private Network (AWS VPN): Everything You need to Know
• Amazon Forecast: Overview, Workflow, Benefits & Use Cases
• AWS Amplify: A Fully Managed Web Hosting Service

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